CLEARFIELD – During the public comment session Monday night, the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors was widely criticized for its previous decision to abolish an agricultural education position at the high school.
“Maybe, you all can address this (position) and get it back,” said Bill Ogden, who holds a background in agricultural education. He believed their vote may be a precursor to “shutting down” another position in the future.
Ogden said the board reached their decision due to believed declining enrollment in the agricultural education program. This past year, he said they had two teachers for 120 students.
According to him, the program will start out next year with approximately 125 students. For him, he said it doesn’t appear the numbers have declined but gone up.
He said students initially enroll in introductory courses, such as Food Science 1. He said many will continue through the program, advancing to higher level courses like Food Science 2.
“How many students will have a garden in their lifetime? How many students will raise a hog or steer,” Ogden asked. This is Clearfield County. All of this is provided to the students who opt into the program.”
Ogden said the agricultural program is a proven success with 120 students. But he said the board needs to facilitate the program toward higher levels. He said the student numbers are far from a decline and appear stable.
He said he believed the district has a strong community base to draw support from for the program. He said their decision to abolish the position was an “easy road” and “short-sighted.”
He encouraged board members to take the appropriate measures to rescind their previous decision. He said they need to staff the position in order to maintain the positive direction of the program.
In addition, Bill Mackereth, former agricultural teacher at the high school, said they had 23 students in the program when he came aboard in 1963. He indicated they then had one teacher for the program.
Mackereth said he observed the program grow to 65 students. At that time, he said the district hired a second teacher in the agricultural program.
He said students may decide to opt out of the program as a result of their decision. He said these students may also decide to enroll at the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center.
“Do you know how much it costs the district when a student goes to the vo-tech,” Mackereth asked. “How much does it cost?”
He then specifically asked board member Phil Carr, who also represents the district on the Joint Operating Committee at the CCCTC. Carr replied that it costs the district approximately $6,300 per student.
“(For every) six kids who go to the vo-tech, it would pay for a teacher” Mackereth said. “You need to think about these things folks.
“Agriculture is big. I was really disappointed that you voted the way you did. I was really disappointed in you folks.”
Mackereth also questioned the board’s information regarding the enrollment in the agricultural program. He said his enrollment sheet currently indicated that 225 students were signed up for the program.
“The numbers aren’t down. They’re up. It was expediency. Expediency,” he said of the board’s vote at the June 1 special meeting.
“Programs are for kids. Teachers teach programs. You’re going to lay off teachers but look at the millions you’re spending on beautification.”
In the agricultural program, he said students learn remedial mathematics, such as balancing a checkbook, maintaining records, reading measurements, etc.
Mackereth then referred to the board’s decision to collapse the math tutor position at the high school. He said they could use a teaching position for just remedial math.
“And, you’re going to cut a teacher,” he said.
Scott Way, of Agway, said he was an agricultural education student of Ogden’s. He said he entered the program in 1986 and completed the same in 1990.
He said he’s implemented everything that he learned over his years in the program.
“You create citizens through the Ag program,” Way said.
Following the meeting, board President Dave Glass said he didn’t believe their decision compromised educational quality in the program. He said they must always balance education with fiscal responsibility.
According to Glass, they will revisit the agricultural education position with the administration. But he said it was “unlikely” that they would rescind their previous decision.
Glass said the administration recommended abolishing the position. When faculty and staff are leaving positions, he said they look to eliminate those first under tight budget restraints.
“We don’t want to put someone out of a job,” he said, noting the agricultural teacher who was in the abolished position was leaving. He said they only saw one teacher affected by the eliminated positions.
He continued, “In a perfect world, we would keep them all. But we were facing a $300,000 deficit and a 3-mill tax increase.”
According to a prior GantDaily report, the board approved the abolishment of the agricultural education position by a 6-2 vote at a special meeting June 1.
Board members Susan Mikesell and Jennifer Wallace cast the lone opposing votes. Board member Tim Morgan was absent from the meeting.
Afterward, Wallace said she doesn’t believe in cutting staffing positions.
“I don’t feel it’s appropriate. I think there are other places (in the budget), where we can make cuts. I don’t think we should be cutting teaching positions at all,” she said.
Mikesell added the agricultural education cut would result in a course load too great for a single faculty member.
Prior to the board’s vote, they heard from Lori Clayton of the high school’s agricultural department. She voiced the same concerns as Mikesell.
“This year, we got the program back on track. It takes a while to build that momentum,” Clayton said. “I can’t teach 160 students, but I can teach about half of that.”
Clayton said she believed any staff cut would be detrimental to their program. She indicated she and her counterpart have worked well together, playing off each other’s instructional strategies.
“Two heads are better than one, I think. I fear we’ll lose students (if the board cuts the position),” Clayton said.