June 3, 2004

High school administrator’s announcement of a six-class cap angers parents

Leigh parents claim cap could affect award-winning music program

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

The Campbell Union High School District has announced that they will offer students a cap of six classes in the coming school year to avoid a financial crisis. The announcement has angered many parents who say the move will adversely affect their children’s ability to get into the best colleges as well as jeopardize the highly successful music programs at several of the schools.

The district operates five high schools: Leigh, Branham, Del Mar, Westmont and Prospect as well as Boynton Continuation High School and Camden Community Day School. The administrators sent a letter home to families in the district on March 29 announcing the development. In the letter, Superintendent Rhonda Farber suggested that the “vast majority of students currently take six classes per year” and that taking six classes per year will allow students to access the district’s most challenging curricula.

Many parents cry foul at this assertion. In a letter to the district, Leigh parent Ann Bethune wrote, “Implementing the six period maximum will reduce the number of our graduates who are accepted to college by denying them access to the full slate of courses necessary for college admission.” In addition she feared that course conflicts would force students to take classes other than the ones they want or need in order to make their schedules work. She also argued that because most of Leigh’s music classes are uncapped “it is ridiculous to state financial savings as the motivation” for the six-period cap.

Bethune read her letter in entirety at a heated, May 17 meeting between parents and administrators held in the Leigh High School cafeteria. She was one of three parent representatives to speak earning the applause of the standing-room-only audience. Many of the parents in attendance had children who were involved in the music programs at the high schools. Leigh High School’s Wind Ensemble has won top honors in international music competitions, this year in Hawaii and last year performing at Carnegie Hall. And, their award winning marching band and choral programs draw students from other high schools due to the strong curriculum. Although other high schools don’t have as many awards as Leigh, their parents and students are just as passionate about their music programs.

Sharon Pagendarm, the parent representative from Del Mar High School, received a standing ovation after her presentation to the administration. “If a student plans to attend a UC or other competitive university he or she simply won’t be competitive with this plan. A Los Gatos student can take up to seven classes per year. A Lincoln student can take up to eight classes per year. Colleges are looking for a well-rounded student. Admissions officers from 70 percent of the nation’s universities have said that they look for achievement in the arts. Will those admission’s officers be looking at CUHSD students?”

Pagendarm went on to complain that it appears that this decision will have the greatest impact on performing arts students. “You may have chosen the smallest number of students to affect, but you have chosen the best and the most dedicated,” she said.

Director of Student Assessment Terry Peluso calls the concern about the number of music and arts classes when applying to a university an “urban myth.” He contends that you can only include one fine arts class on a UC application. Other classes can be taken as after school activities to supplement the learning process, says Peluso.

Many parents at the meeting felt the decision was made in haste by the administration, without receiving input from the school community. But, Dr. Timothy Hegstrom response to the parents was that the financial crisis had been discussed for three years at board meetings twice a month. “We are here tonight because we want your input on this,” he said.

Peluso said last week that parents whose children have been involved with the music program have known that this was a possibility “for some time.” He admits thought that it has been difficult for the district to get the word out. “To send a letter out to 7,400 homes is a significant expense.”

Peluso contends that the reason people may have been taken by surprise by the six-period cap is because, “so far folks haven’t had to worry too much because we’ve been able to keep the cuts away from the classroom. This district has been fiscally responsible and forward thinking. But unfortunately there is no more ‘fat’ left.”

Last week Farber said that the district had cut expenses, including peripheral staff, to the bone, and that capping periods was the only way to prevent cutting entire programs. “The state has cut $2 billion from education. We see many districts in California, including those surrounding us closing schools. We didn’t want to do that. We really tried to keep the cuts away from the students but we are facing a deficit. This is the only way to save programs and affect the least amount of students.” Peluso agrees. “This was planned to be a relatively low impact sort of move. We didn’t want to cut entire programs.”

Talk of a $195 countywide parcel tax has been growing over the past couple of years but according to Farber, this money would go toward reading and teacher retention only.

“Although each district will receive a percentage, they will siphon off a percentage towards the neediest schools,” said Farber. Last fall surrounding school districts put parcel taxes on the ballot and they all lost by a small margin. But the time may be getting closer for the high school district to step up to the parcel tax plate. “When you are considering a parcel tax you need to do a study to tell you when the time is right with voters,” said Peluso. “No one is going to work for a parcel tax unless there is a personal need to vote for it.”

In a grassroots effort to stave off the immediate threat to students, parents are forming a committee consisting of two parent representatives from each school to raise money to allow a seventh period for those students who would like to take an additional class next year. The parents were told at the meeting by Peluso that an approximate figure needed for one year is $200,000.

“Private schools can raise that in a night,” said Leigh parent Maureen Killoran. “I know we can raise the money. I just wish it hadn’t taken a unilateral decision made by the administration that so dramatically affected so many kids.”

For more information on how you can help with the campaign, contact savecuhsd@yahoo.com. Next week we will print an address where donations can be sent as soon as the committee has been formed and the information is available.