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Board votes down WHS fee increase
By Ainslee S. Wittig/Arizona Range News
The Willcox School Board denied a request last Tuesday for a last-minute high school fee increase.
The board voted 4-1 against the final agenda item; Jan Kortsen could not attend the meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Richard Rundhaug added the item to the agenda after a plea from new high school Principal Doris Jones, who told him that she heard from her leadership team that science teachers were paying for some lab expenses out of their own pockets.
The new fee of $20 for science lab was added to the student fee schedule for fiscal year 2010-2011 in order to help those teachers.
In addition, the student activity fee, previously $20 annually for all high school students, was raised to $40 - a 100 percent increase.
That was added to "help with student council functions like dances and other fun activities for the student body," Rundhaug said.
"We discussed increasing the student activity fee and allowing the students to go to the sports events free. We felt that was keeping many of the students from going to games, and thought if they paid and were done with it (at the beginning of the year in the form of a fee), then more students may be able to go to games," he said.
Jones told the Range News Tuesday that the budget for all of her teachers is between $200 and $250 per year, and "science is just a little more expensive. To disect pigs or starfish is costly," sometimes up to $45 per item.
"I don't doubt that you need $8,000 (400 students paying $20 each), but education is supposed to be free to these kids. We can't tell those who can't afford it that they can't take science - it's required," said board member Debbie Ellis.
Board President David Collins agreed. "I don't agree with the lab fee. I agree they need money so the teachers don't have to pay, but not out of the students' pockets."
Jones said, "We do charge some fees for other classes," but Collins chimed in that those are not required courses and students have a choice whether or not to take them.
Examples are a $20 fee per semester for welding or farm mechanics, choir, strings and band; $10 for carpentry and art; and $25 for driver's education.
Rundhaug asked the board members if there is a way to "provide more funds to those teachers that you would be comfortable with? Such as an escape clause for those who can't afford it?"
Collins replied, "The money the teachers are taking out of their pockets should be coming from the budget. I don't feel it's right to charge a fee for required courses and it's also not right to say we can't provide you a full education."
Board members Carl Hestand and Lucille Seney also spoke against the proposed increases, and the motion was unanimously opposed.
Jones said Tuesday that "Jim (Foley, WUSD business manager) and the Superintendent (Rundhaug) try to do all they can to meet our needs, and the fees was just a way to deal with it. I will honor the board's decision -- I see clearly where they are coming from and I think they see the big picture that I didn't see at the time."
"Mrs. (Debbie) Ellis spoke to me after the meeting an said there may be a way to use technology and do some virtual disecting as we move more technology into the high school. That's a great idea and it could offset that cost," Jones said. "We will also look for grants to help."
Rundhaug said Thursday, "Now that this issue has been brought up, we will try to make a change and supplement the science teachers because (science) is more expensive. But while we want to give more, our funding is going backwards, not increasing," he said. "We're trying to keep funding the level we are now, and it's a challenge. We've lost $600,000 this fiscal year and things like insurance, gasoline and utilities are all up."
Rundhaug said they also can look at tax credit money, but "it would work if it were science fairs or projects done for science fairs, because that would be extra-curricular. Science lab is not extra-curricular, so I'm not very comfortable with that."
A high school student parking fee of $5 was raised to $15 during the June school board meeting. The board members approved it, as it would help cover the rental of the lot across the street used for parking, and it is an elective fee.
The board voted 4-1 against the final agenda item; Jan Kortsen could not attend the meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Richard Rundhaug added the item to the agenda after a plea from new high school Principal Doris Jones, who told him that she heard from her leadership team that science teachers were paying for some lab expenses out of their own pockets.
The new fee of $20 for science lab was added to the student fee schedule for fiscal year 2010-2011 in order to help those teachers.
In addition, the student activity fee, previously $20 annually for all high school students, was raised to $40 - a 100 percent increase.
That was added to "help with student council functions like dances and other fun activities for the student body," Rundhaug said.
"We discussed increasing the student activity fee and allowing the students to go to the sports events free. We felt that was keeping many of the students from going to games, and thought if they paid and were done with it (at the beginning of the year in the form of a fee), then more students may be able to go to games," he said.
Jones told the Range News Tuesday that the budget for all of her teachers is between $200 and $250 per year, and "science is just a little more expensive. To disect pigs or starfish is costly," sometimes up to $45 per item.
"I don't doubt that you need $8,000 (400 students paying $20 each), but education is supposed to be free to these kids. We can't tell those who can't afford it that they can't take science - it's required," said board member Debbie Ellis.
Board President David Collins agreed. "I don't agree with the lab fee. I agree they need money so the teachers don't have to pay, but not out of the students' pockets."
Jones said, "We do charge some fees for other classes," but Collins chimed in that those are not required courses and students have a choice whether or not to take them.
Examples are a $20 fee per semester for welding or farm mechanics, choir, strings and band; $10 for carpentry and art; and $25 for driver's education.
Rundhaug asked the board members if there is a way to "provide more funds to those teachers that you would be comfortable with? Such as an escape clause for those who can't afford it?"
Collins replied, "The money the teachers are taking out of their pockets should be coming from the budget. I don't feel it's right to charge a fee for required courses and it's also not right to say we can't provide you a full education."
Board members Carl Hestand and Lucille Seney also spoke against the proposed increases, and the motion was unanimously opposed.
Jones said Tuesday that "Jim (Foley, WUSD business manager) and the Superintendent (Rundhaug) try to do all they can to meet our needs, and the fees was just a way to deal with it. I will honor the board's decision -- I see clearly where they are coming from and I think they see the big picture that I didn't see at the time."
"Mrs. (Debbie) Ellis spoke to me after the meeting an said there may be a way to use technology and do some virtual disecting as we move more technology into the high school. That's a great idea and it could offset that cost," Jones said. "We will also look for grants to help."
Rundhaug said Thursday, "Now that this issue has been brought up, we will try to make a change and supplement the science teachers because (science) is more expensive. But while we want to give more, our funding is going backwards, not increasing," he said. "We're trying to keep funding the level we are now, and it's a challenge. We've lost $600,000 this fiscal year and things like insurance, gasoline and utilities are all up."
Rundhaug said they also can look at tax credit money, but "it would work if it were science fairs or projects done for science fairs, because that would be extra-curricular. Science lab is not extra-curricular, so I'm not very comfortable with that."
A high school student parking fee of $5 was raised to $15 during the June school board meeting. The board members approved it, as it would help cover the rental of the lot across the street used for parking, and it is an elective fee.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of willcoxrangenews.com.
Jimmy wrote on Jul 25, 2010 4:19 PM:
I endured 6 weeks of furloughs last year to keep my job. My marriage fell apart due to financial issues, paid for a lawyer and made some tough financial decisions to make ends meet on a 60% reduced budget. I have heard since then everyone moaning and complaining about hard times but do not see many hard decisions or sacrifices being made. "