By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Small class sizes and outstanding teachers district-wide, full-year social studies and science courses focusing on world languages at the middle school were some of the proposals batted around by parents at back-to-back budget meetings Tuesday night.
Superintendent of Schools Crystal Edwards and Business Administrator Thomas Eldridge met with parents at Lawrence Intermediate School and Lawrence Middle School to gain input from them, as the administration and the school board begin to put together the proposed 2013-14 school budget.
”The information you share with us goes to the school board’s finance committee and the administration,” Ms. Edwards told about a dozen parents and community members who attended the session at the middle school.
She explained the budget process, telling the audience that school district officials seek out input from the community, parents, teachers, staff and students to help sort out budgetary priorities. The process starts in November. By February or March, the school board adopts the preliminary budget and a public hearing is held in March.
While the property tax levy to support the school district budget has always been put up for a public vote in April along with the election of school board members, the board is considering moving the school board election to November which would eliminate the need for a public vote on the tax levy, Ms. Edwards said. No decision has been made.
Ms. Edwards pointed to the failed school budget last year. While the district was able to reduce the budget and keep those impacts away from the classroom, it may not be so easy in the future, she said. That’s why the school board is considering moving the school board election date to the November general election.
Meanwhile, the administration already is considering some of the issues raised by residents at last month’s Community Conversation and through the school board’s survey, Ms. Edwards told the audience. Among those issues is the need for more athletic programs at the middle school and more freshman teams at the high school, which all have a “potential” impact on the budget, she said.
It was also noted that the world language program at the elementary schools consists of DVDs that are played for the students. At the middle school, students can take French, Spanish or Mandarin Chinese classes in 7th grade, she said.
Before opening up the discussion with the parents and community members, Ms. Edwards said there are two questions that must be considered the “priorities” list, and what they would be willing to forgo to realize that list.
One parent said she wanted small class sizes, because students learn better in smaller settings. Another parent added that “outstanding” teachers are necessary, but it also means having to pay them well.
Another parent said she would like to maintain programs for academically talented students, such as Advanced Placement courses and honors classes. While it would be desirable to offer instruction in world languages in the elementary schools, the focus should be on world language instruction at the middle school and high school, she said. In exchange for that, she would be willing to forgo any technology upgrades for a year or two.
And if there were no financial issues, another parent said, she would like to have social studies and science courses become year-long courses at Lawrence Middle School, rather than offering them on a half-year basis.
One parent said she would like to maintain the character education programs at the elementary schools, and another parent asked about the DARE anti-drug program that had been offered in the schools. Ms. Edwards replied that the Lawrence Township Police Department does not offer DARE, but staff members have been trained to teach it.
Another parent suggested introducing “pay to play” for athletics, noting that he works for another school district that has implemented that policy. The fee is $50 per sport, but perhaps arrangements could be made for students whose families cannot afford the fee, he said.
A second parent chimed in and said he would not object to paying for his son to participate in sports, because he already pays a fee for the travel teams. He added that he would be willing to pay his fair share for another child to play whose family cannot afford it.
Mr. Eldridge, the school district business administrator, said the district has considered the concept. School district officials have asked other districts about it, and they have said that sometimes they lose money because they have to spend more money to collect the fees, he said.
In closing the session, Ms. Edwards said that this would not be the last meeting to gather community input on the proposed budget and the budget process.

