Due to the financial downwards spiral Washington has recently taken, the Edmonds School District was forced to cut $11.5 million from its overall budget over the summer. In order to keep cuts from affecting students directly, each school has had to decrease their annual expenditures by 66 percent- from $150,000 to $50,000.

“The amount of funding we received from the state was drastically reduced to help solve the state’s $9 billion shortfall,” said Edmonds School District Assistant Superintendent Ken Limon, “In addition we will have about 200 fewer students in the district this year than last year. That means we get less money from the state as well.”

Students will see a rise in class sizes all across the board as well. Increased class size will save $2 million throughout the district, said Limon. First semester will see a P.E. class with 43 students and an English class with 35.

“I’m going to use the ‘wait until I see the whites of their eyes’ approach,” said Schwab, insinuating that although students are enrolled in certain classes now, he is hoping class sizes will balance out within the first few days of school.

The MTHS administration has developed a plan for making this reduction go as smoothly as possible. “Nothing but the bare essentials,” replied Principal Greg Schwab. “We’re all scratching our heads to figure it out,” he explained, “Nobody said this was going to be an easy thing do to.”

Everyone will be seeing changes in the coming year. Teacher, administrator and school staff work days will be reduced to save $1.5 million. District administration is being reorganized and reduced to save $500,000. Along with a handful of teachers loosing their jobs, the counseling office cut their staff from five down to four, half a full-time secretary was lost in the Administration Office, and two secretaries were lost in the Attendance Office.

One cut students will face most directly will be the school’s inability to allot each student with 100 sheets of paper per semester like they have done the past few years. Starting this semester students will have to pay $.25 for each piece of paper they print on. Students can purchase sheets of paper in $1 increments in the Main Office.

Administrators are in the process of looking for electronic alternatives for teachers to communicate with students. “I’ve been using my Swift for a couple of years,” commented Photography teacher Angelo Comeaux. Swift is a web-site run by teachers for students, where assignments are posted and available for viewing or download. Gaynelle Derr, English teacher, has also set up a group contact list with the students in her AP classes via e-mail.

“I think for us to use our technology more effectively isn’t a bad thing,” said Derr, “I’m just more concerned about those who won’t be able to afford to print homework assignments sent to them, or download assignments off a web-site.”

Teachers are being asked to turn their computers off nightly, turn their lights when they don’t need to be on, and recycle whenever possible. Administrators are also asking teachers to print less or bring in their own paper. “I am going to personally buy all of my own paper this year,” said Derr, “Especially in my AP classes; there are a lot of things I think is important for students to see as well as hear.”

Teachers are not the only ones being asked to conserve paper. During the freshmen parent orientation over the summer, parents were asked to send reams of paper in with their students. Some teachers are discussing the idea of giving students extra credit for bringing in a ream of paper to the school.

According to The Public Education Foundation for the Children of the Edmonds School District, the district-wide Music department has had to cut $200,000 from their budget. This decrease will get rid of all music transportation, instrument repair, and replacement of supplies.

The Athletic department had to cut $250,000 district-wide, affecting all levels of sports transportation. In addition to this, the Assistant Athletic Director’s job will not be replaced in January 2010.

“Hawk Talk will no longer be mailed, but sent via e-mail,” said counselor Colleen Eggers.

Repeated calls to the District office we not returned in time for press.