No cuts to MCHS career programs
Quelling rumors of a possible cut to a beloved program, McCreary Central High School Principal Sharon Privett met with concerned citizens Tuesday afternoon before a meeting of the school’s Site Based Counsel.
Photo by Greg Bird
MCHS Principal Sharon Privett adresses students and parents who had concerns of a rumored shut down of the school’s Agriculture program. Privett assured the group that no program would be cut.
Concerns that the school was planning to cut the Agriculture program and other career and technical programs at the SBDM meeting that afternoon spurred a rash of outrage over the supposed move, and prompted Privett to host the impromptu meeting with parents before the SBDM meeting.
With more than 50 parents, students and former students filling the school’s media center Principal Privett stated the rumors were unfounded.
“I reassure you no program will be eliminated,” Privett said.
However, due to budget and staffing cuts, the school will have to look at reducing the budgets of all programs at the school, Privett explained.
“It may mean over the next two years we will have fewer field trips, new computers and toner cartridges,” she said
A reduction in staffing due to the McCreary County Board of Education eliminating all staff over the school’s allocation, and a change to the student/teacher ratio up to 29/1 for the high school, will mean the school will lose four teachers for the upcoming school year, as well as a guidance counselor, Privett explained.
While not being able to directly address the personnel affected by the changes,
Privett stated she was looking at ways to accommodate the reductions without causing too much harm to the student population.
She also assured parents that Cameron Lee, the Agriculture instructor, would still be at the school next year.
“I have no plans to change anything,” she said. “I am very pleased with his work with the program.”
Many parents and former members of the McCreary Central Future Farmers of America program expressed their support for the program, noting in particular the top three finishes in the state forestry competition over the past three years. Others commented on how the program helped pay for part of their college education, or helped them land a job after school with the skills gained through participation.
Privett said some of the options she is examining including going from a six period day up to seven to reduce class sizes, but said she would have to be mindful of a regulation not permitting teachers to have more than 150 instructional hours in a day.
Another possibility would be to eliminate common planning periods for teachers, providing more flexibility for scheduling.
‘We have to creatively look at ways to do this in our school without hurting our kids.”
Privett spoke about the benefits the programs such as Agriculture, Engineering, Drama, Madrigals, HOSA and others have on students, not only on providing pride but also giving them a leg up on future careers.
She stated the recent change in Kentucky educational standards not only emphasize preparing students for college, but also includes career and technical readiness.
“The focus is to get them ready for what they want to do,” she said.
Another issue voiced by parents and students in attendance concerned possibly changes in Dual Enrolment program due to the changes in staffing.
Privett stated there were no plans to drop dual-enrolment classes, but there will be changes as teachers will have to hold the classes during their planning periods.
