Our Superintendent, Dr. Jerry D. Weast, has released his proposed operating budget for next school year. The recommended budget proposes no new initiatives but allows our school and our school system to maintain the services and programs we are currently providing. The only increase – about 1 percent – is to help fund MCPS’ continued growth in enrollment.
Given the economic challenges at the state and county levels, the future of Dr. Weast’s proposal is very uncertain and before the budget receives final approval from the County Council and the Board of Education, the district could be forced to make some very difficult cuts. With his recommendation, Dr. Weast and the budget team – which included our employee associations and PTAs – released a list of areas that could be impacted should cuts to the budget need to be made. These are not final recommendations and we are hopeful that we will not need to make any reductions. We want to maintain the high level of service to our students that has yielded such outstanding results in our school and our system. However, we must be prepared.
With all of this uncertainty, it is more important than ever that our parents and community members are fully informed about the budget and know exactly how to make their voice heard. A budget website has been created that includes a video presentation by Dr. Weast; the full budget book, as well as a summary; frequently asked questions and much more. Please take the time to learn more about Dr. Weast’s proposal and make sure the members of the Board of Education and the County Council know your priorities and your concerns. You can visit the website athttp://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/.
As we all know, even in difficult times, we must continue to invest in education to secure the future of our children and our community. Thank you for your continued support!
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John D. Ewald, Principal
