Students' efforts may thwart teacher cuts
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. -- Thousands of students and parents are learning a tough lesson. There’s just not enough money to keep every school program -- or every teacher.
But, Bainbridge Island residents as a whole are quickly learning another lesson: how to save their teachers.
The school district needs to cut more than $2 million next year.
"It's how this economy's going right now and it's tragic but we've got to learn to live with it," said Bainbridge Island High School sophomore Alina Valasquez.
Part of it is the economy, but the bigger picture according to the superintendent, is the inequity in state funding.
"Our district actually ranks in the bottom 20% in per pupil funding in the state," said Superintendent Faith Chapel.
Some students would really like to go give state lawmakers a piece of their minds.
"If they could just see what our teachers do and how they help us so much and how they make Bainbridge High School such a good environment for us, they would see and they would not make cuts on our school," said Sallie Hotchkiss.
Chapel says no department is immune from the budge cuts -- they cut groundskeepers, janitors, secretaries, counselors, nurses and teachers.
Teachers? Not if the Bainbridge School Foundation has anything to say about it.
"Any time the community's in need, people come together," said Kirk Godfredsen, who has a student in the district.
Godfredsen and dozens of others rallied to save teachers. A weekend garage sale raised about $22,000. Sixth graders raised $350 with a dance. Seventh and 8th graders raised about $2,000 with a car wash.
"Makes me feel really good that everybody's working together," said freshman Haley Godtfredsen. "And it makes me feel good about my community and everyone's trying so hard."
In just three weeks, they've raised more than $280,000 -- that averages out to more than $10,400 a day. But to keep every teacher, they need to raise another $550,000 by the end of the month.
"I think we'll end up with hopefully all of those teachers being able to come back and having smaller class size is really important to the community so this is what happens when things are in need on Bainbridge," Kirk Godfredsen said.
The Bainbridge Schools Foundation is taking donations at all schools. You can get more information about its Save Our Teachers Campaign on the foundation’s Web site.
But, Bainbridge Island residents as a whole are quickly learning another lesson: how to save their teachers.
The school district needs to cut more than $2 million next year.
"It's how this economy's going right now and it's tragic but we've got to learn to live with it," said Bainbridge Island High School sophomore Alina Valasquez.
Part of it is the economy, but the bigger picture according to the superintendent, is the inequity in state funding.
"Our district actually ranks in the bottom 20% in per pupil funding in the state," said Superintendent Faith Chapel.
Some students would really like to go give state lawmakers a piece of their minds.
"If they could just see what our teachers do and how they help us so much and how they make Bainbridge High School such a good environment for us, they would see and they would not make cuts on our school," said Sallie Hotchkiss.
Chapel says no department is immune from the budge cuts -- they cut groundskeepers, janitors, secretaries, counselors, nurses and teachers.
Teachers? Not if the Bainbridge School Foundation has anything to say about it.
"Any time the community's in need, people come together," said Kirk Godfredsen, who has a student in the district.
Godfredsen and dozens of others rallied to save teachers. A weekend garage sale raised about $22,000. Sixth graders raised $350 with a dance. Seventh and 8th graders raised about $2,000 with a car wash.
"Makes me feel really good that everybody's working together," said freshman Haley Godtfredsen. "And it makes me feel good about my community and everyone's trying so hard."
In just three weeks, they've raised more than $280,000 -- that averages out to more than $10,400 a day. But to keep every teacher, they need to raise another $550,000 by the end of the month.
"I think we'll end up with hopefully all of those teachers being able to come back and having smaller class size is really important to the community so this is what happens when things are in need on Bainbridge," Kirk Godfredsen said.
The Bainbridge Schools Foundation is taking donations at all schools. You can get more information about its Save Our Teachers Campaign on the foundation’s Web site.