Due to financial constraints, the Site Council has stopped funding classroom equipment in order to focus on administering funds for staff development.

The Site Council is a group of teachers, individuals and students that meets regularly to administer funds for staff development. Teachers are granted money so that they can attend classes and workshops to expand their knowledge of their subjects.

This change came into effect on Monday, November 3, at the Site Council’s monthly meeting. The council discussed whether it could afford to continue funding equipment for teachers. On occasion, the Site Council had granted money for equipment but was generally “uncomfortable” doing so. Members eventually reached an agreement that the council would have to cut equipment funding completely due to the worsening state of the economy.

The school at large faces more budgetary constraints than ever before. The main mission of the Site Council has always been to determine funding for staff development, so due to these financial constraints, the council will focus solely on this task.

Senior Jackie Radford has attended Site Council meetings since her junior year and feels the policy was needed to compensate for the “worsening of the economy and changes in state government.”

“Money is always an issue,” Jackie said. “We never get official numbers from the district or the state, [so] it’s unclear how much money we receive.”
The estimated $3,000 to $8,000 spent annually by the Site Council on classroom equipment will now be invested in staff development. Teachers that come to the Site Council in hope of obtaining new equipment will now be turned down.

Site Council Coordinator Craig Seran said that keeping a budget in mind, classroom equipment may not be as valuable as spending toward the long-term refinement of the school staff.

“Equipment is very expensive and we have limited funds,” Seran said. “If we want more bang for our buck …we’re going to spend more on staff development.”
The funding of technology in the science rooms was not arranged by the Site Council since it has only granted funds for smaller purchases.