This story sounds all too familiar to families at many other specialized programs throughout Montgomery County - especially the sister high school programs at Blair, Poolesville, and Richard Montgomery.
Unlike the programs at the other high school magnet programs, when this program loses a teacher, the number of students who can attend is also cut. For example, at Blair, a non-magnet teacher can teach a magnet course. James Schafer, MCPS Teacher of the Year, joined the magnet staff this way. At Richard Montgomery, the school opens the program to other students willing to accept the challenge from already enrolled students.
But Einstein? Lose a teacher and lose the classes. Students need an art teacher to teach art.
Is cutting the VAC at Einstein really the way to solve a tough budget situation? As this blog has stated many times in previous postings, classroom cuts are not the way out of MCPS's budget crisis.
Here is some background information:
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2) The two VAC teachers won the Montgomery County Executive’s Award for excellence in education last October, and Ike Leggett personally presented the county's most prestigious award to the VAC teachers in a ceremony at Strathmore Hall. Kristy Callaway, executive director of the International Network of Schools for the Advancement of Arts Education, who charts trends in the field, called the VAC among the "top-tier programs" of its kind anywhere.
3). Cutting the VAC staff in half isn't fair. It exceeds other program reductions and imperils the VAC's future. The VAC has only two teachers, no administrative funding support, and no transportation funding. It is already as lean as possible.
4) The VAC serves Montgomery County. Students from 11 high schools attend the VAC this year. Unlike other magnets, it accepts sophomores and juniors. It is also unusually diverse for a magnet: 43% of the 74 students this year are students of color.
5) The VAC serves Einstein. VAC students perform well academically, and garner awards and recognition for the school. They paint murals and posters, design sets, and otherwise help to enliven the school and other community facilities. The annual art show attracts outside interest to Einstein.
6) The VAC gives aspiring artists, fashion designers, film makers, and art educators a place to thrive —including many who otherwise might struggle. Many large school systems offer special schools for the arts, but our school district - the largest in Maryland and the 16th largest in the country - offers only a two-teacher program for our top art students. It deserves our support.
7). One teacher should not teach all the students in an intense, four-year program of two to three periods a day. Two teachers allow complementary, alternating semesters These two teachers meet with every parent, and help all their students to apply for scholarships and other honors. The results are remarkable.