Parents Want School Officials to Fight to Maintain Schools

Parents want the School Committee to fight to keep the Watertown Schools intact, but school officials said that is not politically realistic.

A few hundred Watertown parents came to the auditorium at Watertown High School Monday night to talk about potential cuts to the schools, and to express their outrage at the possible cuts – including music programs, sports and even closing a school.

The meeting was organized by David Stokes, a Lowell School parent, who wanted to make sure parents knew what was going on before the School Committee and Town Council made their final decisions.

The message he heard was that Watertown parents will not settle for cuts in teachers, programs and definitely not closing a school.

“I thought parents needed to send a message to the School Committee and Town Council about what our priorities are,” Stokes said. “Tonight they were saying ‘What we want is level service, and if possible more.’”

Last week, , and said that it would take a budget increase of nearly 6 percent to provide level services, i.e. the same staffing and programs next year as this one. She also said she does not expect an increase that high, and a 2 percent increase may be even being optimistic.

The list of cuts with an increase of 2 percent includes the equivalent of nearly 14 full-time teachers and staff, including librarians at Hosmer and Lowell schools; cutting some or all music at elementary, middle and high schools; and French and an elective at the high school.

WHS sophomore Joe Lowry said losing music would be a huge loss for the district.

“One-third of the town is in the music program,” Lowry said. “It makes a huge difference in our lives, it makes us feel more connected to our school.”

After hearing details on potential cuts presented by Stokes, Hosmer parent Ralph Herrero said he did not want any of the choices.

“They are asking us to choose class size or cutting music and sports. I choose C, none of the cuts,” Herrero said. “If they can come up with why won’t they come up with $2 million to keep up services in the schools?”

Herrero’s comments received applause from the parents in the room. Others expressed similar sentiments, and some said they worry that people might leave town because of the decline of the schools.

School Committee Vice Chairman John Portz said, while cuts are almost unavoidable, the Watertown schools will continue to provide a good education.

“The last thing we want to do see is people leaving Watertown because they don’t think it is a good school system,” Portz said.

Erica Dorenkamp, parent of two kids at the Hosmer, asked Portz if he and the other School Committee members will fight to maintain level services in town (link to YouTube video from the meeting).

“If you are just going to ask (the Town Council and Town Manager Michael Driscoll) for (a) 2 percent (increase), not 6, then I don’ know why we need a School Committee,” Dorenkamp said. “I know Mike (Driscoll) might not give it to us, but you should ask for it.”

Portz said a 6 percent increase is rare even in a strong economy, and this year it will not happen.

“There is a political reality that fiscally we need to work within,” Portz said. “We will push as hard as we can to get as much as we can for the schools. That’s the best we can do.”