Everything you need to know about the 2019-2020 cuts:

Full list here

Teaching and learning curriculum purchase reductions: Schools will have to spend less on materials like laptops, instruments, other one time purchases used in learning/teaching.
$50 transportation waiver credit program eliminated: Students who opt out of using the school buses will no longer receive $50 in credit, meaning high schoolers will now have to pay for all four quarters of parking passes.
Hiring freeze, english learner position added, reduce 10 FTE teaching positions: Five full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers will not be replaced after their retirement. Despite the district hiring one English teacher there will still be a total reduction of ten teachers, creating bigger class sizes.
Energy management savings through temperature control changes: Lights will be turned off or reduced in areas of schools that can afford to be without lights, air conditioning and heating will be less effective/dramatic, making winter colder and summer hotter.
Clerical position reduction: Once Bette Mattson, attendent secretary for the high school, retires, the district will not hire anyone to replace her.
Superintendent contingency budget reduced: The superintendent will have less money to put towards resources for BHM schools in need of sudden help.

Everything you need to know about the 2020-2021 cuts

Full list here

Activities: BHM has announced that they will cut five high school activities, and every middle school activity, if the budget reduction does occur. The proposed activity cuts include Boy’s Swim and Dive, the Dance Team, Business Professionals of America (BPA), Universe Arts Publication (formerly Pegasus), and Boy’s and Girl’s Lacrosse. The 2019-2020 budget will already increase participation fees district-wide for remaining activities, as well as higher entrance fees for events. However, the 2020-2021 budget proposes further raising both by an average of 16%.

Education: BHM has announced the reduction of 22 teachers, 4 educational support positions, the elimination of wRight choice, the elimination of the Quest program, reduction of college in school (CIS) options, the elimination of the ACT testing waiver for non-qualifying students, and the closing of Phoenix Learning Center and Discovery elementary schools. Further reductions to curriculum purchases and supply purchases are included. Class sizes will increase district-wide.

Answering the question everyone has about the budget cuts…
If the school can afford a new football field, how come it can’t afford to keep teachers?
I’ve asked Mischke to explain that, and here is his answer:
“We’re a government agency… it’s not like private industry where you can run a business and do what you want with your money. In schools, if you get bond money… if you ask for bond money at a district level, the only thing you can spend it on is things [buildings]. We cannot spend it on people. I cannot spend money that would go to the football field on people… What you’ll hear us talk a lot about in the next couple years is levy dollars. Levies [are] for learning, this is your people stuff. So if we get levy money, then I can hire teachers. Then I can hire cooks, custodians, paraprofessionals, secretaries, people.”

What does this mean for the future?
The budget cuts for the 2019-2020 school year are set in stone and going to happen, and coming September they will be in place. However, the reductions for the 2020-2021 school year are only finalized (meaning there won’t be any changes to the budget cuts should nothing be done to change them). No official levy has been announced yet, however, the School Board alluded to one in their last public meeting. If a levy is announced, it will be voted on during the fall of 2019. Should it pass, taxes would increase district-wide and the 2020-2021 budget cuts would be altered if not reverted.

However, the group unhappiest about the changes are Juniors. The class of 2018-19 received the senior privileges of being able to leave school early for the fourth quarter of the school year, but with AAA and Bison Time (the last 25 minutes of school) replaced with supportive options in the morning, seniors won’t be able to leave early next year. Administration has said that there will be some form of senior privileges next year, but losing the ability to leave early has left many current juniors confused, even frustrated with the new schedule.

“Everyone will be annoyed, especially seniors [next year], because of the privileges gone,” Junior Blade Goding said. “Once people come around and get used to it, it won’t be so bad. Thing is, with AAA or Bison Time people don’t do work unless they want to.”

Jasmine Peter mirrored the thoughts of most other Juniors, saying, “I think it’s a bad change… Seniors should have the privilege to leave early. If students needed help they could stay after school or come in early. I just don’t see how [moving AAA] will help in the middle of the day either. I’d rather have it at the end so I can work on all homework from the day.”

Junior Sami Hanson, however, had a more optimistic approach to the new schedule.

“We’ll just have to see how it all plays out,” Hanson said. “It says support time on there, which could be helpful for students. You never know who’s struggling. Maybe they don’t want to show that they’re struggling… With this opportunity… you never know who might come forward and wants to seek help from others.”

Tyler Ruiter wasn’t initially a fan, saying, “I don’t really like the change, because I like the AAA and Bison Time. But I think it’s going to be a good change, because usually when they [students] are in triple-a or bison time they’re not really paying attention, doing what they could be doing to get their grades up. So I feel like this’ll be better… because they’ll be getting their work done.”

Regardless of student opinions, school administration will still be going forward with the new schedule next year. The school board approved the schedule in April and a team of teachers and administrators have been visiting schools around the state to explore options for ways to make the schedule meaningful. As administration has said, Juniors may still receive a senior privilege next year, though what that will be is still unclear.

For those still wondering as to what the new schedule will be, check here for an entire rundown on the changes.

Photo by Jack Leipholtz