e g h iin Ti er l THE
April 6, 2010
Volume 50 Issue 23
1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Iowa education budget forces CF changes Sara Gabriele Staff Writer
After a much awaited closure, the Iowa legislature convened Tuesday night to make a final decision regarding state budgets that included the allocated amount for Iowa schools. Lawmakers authorized a two percent growth in school district budgets for the next year. Although their decision was the best of the possible outcomes, because budget cuts were already made previously this year, the state aid still falls short of what the district needs according to Cedar Falls Schools administration. “You have to remember that this year there was a 10 percent across the board reduction in state aid,” Director of Secondary Education Dan Conrad said.
“The two percent allowable growth next year is based on a figure that includes that 10 percent reduction.” In short, it translates to a $1,466,794 cut from the school district. Much of this will be made up for by an increase in property tax, but the school district will still be enacting a series of cuts to fill the rest. “Our goals regardless of the outcome were to make sure any reduction we made would be the farthest away from the classroom as we could get,” Conrad said. “But when you get to a million or a million and a half of reductions, you’re going to affect the classroom.” Superintendent David Stoakes developed a set of recommendations that will be acted upon by the school board at their meeting on April 12. His first
level of proposed cuts that trim almost $500,000 from the district budget include early retirements, cuts to transportation, staff cuts to associate and clerical positions, and a new model for nursing staff. The early retirements of administrators, technicians, secretaries, associates and clerical positions were initially estimated to generate around $125,000, although Conrad said they now only expect to generate around $50-60,000 from this. Transportation for bus routes may also take a cut by increasing the distance students must live to warrant a bus ride from one mile to two miles. The district estimates the savings from this to be around $20,000, and an additional $10,000 is proposed to be cut from transportation to
athletic events by limiting the number of long distance tournament rides the district funds. Aside from transportation to athletic events, the recommendations include few other cuts from CFHS activities. This is because some, like sports, are mostly funded by outside sources like booster clubs, and will only be cut if participation goes down. Others, such as music and drama, are considered central to the academic mission of the school. “We want to try to keep cuts away from students as much as possible and not cut programs,” said principal Dr. Rich Powers. Powers said he feels many of the extra curricular activities are an integral part in education and important to many students, and cut-
ting them will generate very little savings. The recommendations also include $256,000 in cuts to staffing, namely 16 associate positions from across the district, one elementary or secondary media specialist, and a new model of nursing staff. Of these, the proposal for the reduction of nurses is perhaps the most controversial. The proposal follows a new model that would replace the school nurses in all nine buildings with health assistants who are contracted by Black Hawk County. Three registered nurses would then circulate the district, each staffing three buildings. CFHS nurse Sue Gettman voiced concern about the proposition of this new
beyond the classroom as well. She organizes a fun trip to the prom each year, helps students run a craft show and is a coordinator of H-Unit, a group that brings general education students together with students with disabilities.” “I am honored to receive the Legend award,” Frahm said, “My goal each day is to advocate for those with mental disabilities, assist their families in anyway possible, teach students to become independent and educate the community on the issues related to people with disabilities. By receiving this award it has shown me that my efforts of assisting
those with disabilities has been successful.” For Frahm, the award is not for her, but for all the people she’s taught and worked with in her career. “The benefit of receiving the Legend award is that it is a wonderful reminder of all the families and students with disabilities I have been able to work with throughout my teaching career, and the ones I have yet to meet. My students and families have taught me that the small things in life are important, and sometimes it just takes a smile and a listening ear to brighten someone’s day,” Frahm said.
FEATURE, page 4
CFHS teacher honored with advocacy award Jayne Durnin Staff Writer
Two weeks ago Tammy Frahm, a CFHS resource teacher, won the Arc of the Cedar Valley’s Legend award. The Arc of the Cedar Valley is a non-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities as well as their families and caregivers. “The mission of Arc is to advance the total well-being, dignity, individual potential and rights of persons with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, intellectual and other related developmental disabilities and their families,” Arc board member and
resource teacher Bridget to community members and Bakula said. teachers who demonstrate Each year the ideals of the the Arc awards organization members of the as stated in the community who mission stateare advocates ment. for individuals “Mrs. with disabilities Frahm displays with the Legend many attributes award. that made her “Members of a nominee and the ARC board recipient of nominate Tammy Frahm the Legend who they feel CFHS resource teacher award,” should receive Bakula said, the award “She has based on their efforts and high expectations for all actions related to helping students and helps each those with mental disabilistudent learn to the best of ties,” Frahm said. their abilities. Mrs. Frahm The award is presented extends those expectations