Budget Cuts:How They Are Affecting RAL

All over the country people are dealing with the struggling economy, and one of the areas hit the hardest is our schools. RAL’s budget cuts this year range from loss of teachers and classes, to the cutting of C-squad sports.

“The English department, particularly the four Senior Seminar teachers, are working in collaboration to spend less money” Mrs. McIntyre said.

English teachers are printing less paper and making students take their own notes. They don’t print out extra copies of papers anymore, if students lose theirs they will have to copy someone else’s as well.

Transportation is now limited for all sports teams, one of our librarians and some of our janitors have been cut, all c-squad sports were removed, out computer lab monitor was cut, and the overall budget for classes is substantially lower.

 “If the economy gets worse, we will have to start cutting more things starting with low lining things like transportation,” said Principal Mr. Reeves.

Little things like librarians and computer advisors that teachers and students took for granted have been cut and are leaving students hurting.

“I used to go to the computer lab to work on homework during my free periods and now with Kelly Davenport cut from the staff the computer lab isn’t open all the time for me to do my work,” Jordy Mertz 10 said.

Students will now have to figure out other ways to get library help and computer help without the use of those helpful staff memebers.

So many staff members have been cut that the district office is offering employee counseling and resume writing in order help to get those cut employees back on track and finding other jobs. Davenport in the computer lab and Karla Peterson from the library are two of the cut RAL staff members that will truly be missed.

No one knows what turns the economy will make this year, but everyone is hoping to see it take a turn for the better so that no more cuts will need to be made next year.