news | district news superintendent wanted to follow through with the plan, so we started this year by touring the existing programs.” When deciding what classes to cut, Kline said that he considered historical enrollment and whether or not the class meets graduation requirements. Sports Medicine was moved to Butler Tech because, while it fulfills no graduation requirements, many students enroll in the class. Currently, there are five sections of Sports Medicine, at East, making it likely that the Butler Tech class will have high enrollment. According to Butler Tech’s Vice President of Secondary Education Laura Sage, Butler Tech has similar criteria for deciding what programs to offer. Butler Tech utilizes the Ohio Kuder Career Assessment results from the school it is going to work with in conjunction with the Southwest Ohio Employment Projections to determine what classes to develop for home schools. “There are Kuder results per student, but also per school,” said Sage. “Butler Tech looked at those results from East and Lakota West to see what classes would be
“Not only do we have textbooks, but also machines and whatnot for students to work with,” Sage said. “For example, in our health field, we have mannequins and equipment because the students are learning skills like how to take blood. Also, our textbooks are college textbooks, which are very expensive.” Board member Lynda O’Connor serves on both the Lakota Board of Education and the Butler Tech Board of Education. She says that both districts have dedication, energy and passion for quality education, and that both Boards and staff members put forward on behalf of students. “Butler Tech is a terrific partner with Lakota and helps provide additional and much needed opportunities for Lakota students,” she said. Board President Joan Powell agreed. She said that in the past, there has been resistance to Butler Tech programs because administrators did not know if such programs would interest students, but now Lakota is exploring its options with them. According to Powell, attending classes at the D. Russel Lee Butler Tech campus might not be for everyone, because students typically like to stay on campus. But at the same time, students value career exploration and hands-on classes. Offering Butler Tech programs at East is the best of both worlds, as students can have the real-world experience and stay at their home school. Butler Tech Curriculum Director Abbie Cook is glad to be able to provide multiple opportunities to students outside of the Butler Tech campus. “Education is changing and [Butler Tech and public schools] need to work together to find efficiencies in providing exceptional services and learning experiences for all of our students,” she said. —Rachel Podnar
are an opportunity to “Internships give students first-hand experiences outside of the classroom. ” of high interest. Then we compare it to the employment projections, which extend up until 2016. Both have to show high levels for us to even consider offering a program.” Butler Tech is able to provide programs like these at its member schools because it is funded differently than traditional districts like Lakota. Under the current Ohio school funding model, which may change soon due to legislation, each Full Time Equivalent (FTE) has $5,732 of funding. An FTE can be divided between different schools, depending on how each student attends class. A full-time East student allots East one FTE. If that same student splits their school day between East and D. Russel Lee Butler Tech campus, Butler Tech receives half the FTE and East the other half. In addition to FTEs, Butler Tech receives additional funding because it is a careertechnical school. This practice of awarding tech schools more funds began roughly 35 years ago, when the Ohio Gov. Jim Rhodes decided to fund vocational schools. Today, Butler Tech is granted an extra 28 percent of an FTE, equivalent to $1,604 for each student it enrolls, in addition to an extra $1,100 to $1,200 for extra busing or electricity costs. Sage said that Butler Tech receives this extra funding because it costs more to fund a career-technical education.
14 | Spark | April 15, 2011
Elementary students are at risk of losing various art specials due to proposed district-wide budget cuts.
Elementary Cuts
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ot only are cuts impacting the Lakota high schools, but the foundations of band, art and gifted programs are also facing reductions at the elementary school level. As of press time, the music programs at the elementary schools face proposed cuts of 20 minutes from instructional time. Additionally, many music teachers, such as Woodland music teacher Alan Greeb, are expected to be let go if the Board approves the reductions. “I will not be able to return to Woodland as the music teacher, and I am almost certain that I will lose my job in Lakota,” said Greeb. “I have an English certification, but it may not help. I have found Lakota and Woodland to be a wonderful place to be, a second home. I will miss it.” According to Freedom Elementary guidance counselor Kathie Baxter, there will be a 40 percent time cut in the specials from prior years. As a former Lakota parent, Baxter believed students should have a well-rounded education and the proposed cuts are “lost opportunities.” Such opportunities include the possible elimination of gifted education at the third grade level, shortened specials time, a single media specialist for 14 schools, less classroom aides and loss of technological use at certain schools. After losing Greek mythology from her curriculum, Independence Elementary teacher Annie Ritz would also be a traveling teacher, doing, “a little bit at two schools instead of a lot at one school.” Woodland Elementary fifth grade teacher Christina Butler is concerned about her students, admitting the loss of aides and increased class sizes would greatly affect her. “I’m worried about less individualized help [for students],” she said.—Erin Grasty