Lecture Halls for Easton Area Schools?

Easton Area School Board member Robert Moskaitis believes he has an "outside-the-box" suggestion that may provide an answer to handling upcoming teacher cuts for next school year.

At the board's recent worksession, when faced with options to cut staff and raise taxes, Moskaitis proposed lecture halls of 50-to-100 students after Schools Superintendent Susan McGinley stated that teaching resources are going to have to be reallocated next year.

"In difficult times we have to be open to doing things differently," Moskaitis said.

McGinley, though, disgreed with the suggestion.

"We're trying to get away from lecture hall style," she responded. To have students get involved, that is what's best for students."

Then an exchange started on the topic between the two.

"Sometimes you have to do things temporary before you get to a sound financial place," Moskaitis stated.

The school board, at its meeting last week, failed to sign off on its 2013-2014 preliminary budget regarding three options that would raise taxes 2.1 percent and cut 23 staffers or a zero percent option that could reduce staff by 42. The board is also pondering a 1.7 percent tax hike.

"Academic has to be a priority," the superintendent said. "It's not my recommendation to do that. I believe students need to be engaged."

School Board member Pat Vulcano also weighed in, stating that when he taught a lecture-hall class as an adjunct professor, it was difficult to help students who were falling behind or failing academically.

"I'm simply encouraging that we use our creativity," Moskaitis stated.