On Thursday, March 12, the Littleton Public School district had a school board meeting, which covered numerous topics, from budget cuts to public opinions and voting on school policy. These meeting topics will and are going to have a direct impact on LHS students and teachers alike.
The meeting started with introductions of the board members, and after the award ceremony for Littleton’s students, the issue of Littleton’s school’s funding arose in talk as a pressing and imminent misfortune. With the consequences of Littleton’s enrollment decreasing and Colorado’s public education funding decreasing as well, the palpability of it all hung over the start of the meeting. The board members discussed how they need to prioritize the essential courses and how this would affect students in Littleton.
The conversation moved to allowing teachers, students, and parents of Littleton Public School to voice their opinions. Many talked about the effects of the budgets, including an LHS Student, Charlotte Fraietta. Charlotte discussed the effects the budget cuts were having on the Art Department at LHS. They said that how, since the art program was already facing courses being cut with one teacher of the three leaving because of the budget cuts, what would the amplifications be when another art teacher close to retirement retires and we’re left with only one teacher? Charlotte voiced their thoughts to the School Board on providing the support and funding necessary for the program that means so much for so many. Many people there voiced their support for keeping swimming a mandatory credit, including LHS’s own, Coach Koepke. He discussed on his support for keeping swimming a mandatory credit, he talked as well about a the survey that stated how a majority of the kids want to keep swimming as a mandatory credit, and through his teaching, he saw kids grow and work with vigor through the swimming class. There was also a couple that laid out their support for keeping swimming a mandatory credit which they said was instilled in them because their son drowned.
The vote on whether to pass BOE Policy IKF was a majority, in a 1-6 decision. The newly implemented policy will increase the mandatory graduation credits from 22 to 24 credits. The two added credits will be science and math, respectively. The additional credits will begin with the upcoming 9th graders. In the committee presenting the policy, in their slideshow, they discussed on how adding the policy will benefit Littleton’s students by preparing them for secondary education and will grant them more agency. In the one dissenting vote for the policy, they discussed on how they prioritized technology for education and wanted to see that added. The general synopsis for the majority opinion was that the additional credits will help our students excel, it’ll bring them to necessary positions for the world onwards. While there was talk on how this policy will pair with future budgeting and student attendance, the stance of the additional credits being helpful and ensuring students these tools to perform well when they enter secondary school, or the other ventures they take in life. Swimming as a mandatory credit still needs to be voted on.
