Due to low student enrollment and budget gaps, the Berlin Area School District has had to make some big budget cuts, especially in staff positions. All staff reductions were made through attrition only, meaning it was voluntary resignation or retirement. While it’s normal for school districts to make yearly budget cuts, the dollar amount being cut from the budget is getting progressively higher.
The school budget is planned years in advance based on anticipated student enrollment, future budgets and tax revenues, anticipated costs, and inflation. Based on these calculations, the school district pushed for a referendum in April, 2023 and November, 2024 to close the budget gaps. Both referendums failed.
“Due to these failed referendums, we have had to reduce expenses in the order of a little over $1 million this year and the same going into next year. Our projections indicated similar levels or greater going forward,” Superintendent Dr. Emmett Durtschi said.
This means that the school district is $1 million over budget. About 70-80% of these budget reductions are in staffing. While staffing levels are influenced by the budget, student enrollment also plays a key role in the reduction of staff.
“At this moment we have already reduced approximately $750,000 in staffing for next year, which is close to our target. Any additional budget-based staffing reductions this year will be through attrition only (voluntary resignations),” Durtschi said.
Two teachers affected are high school English teacher Emily Humy and middle school choir director Maggie Grewal. Both Grewal and Humy voluntarily resigned after a meeting with administration. While they aren’t the only teachers affected, they are the only ones contacted for this article.
“It was a really tough choice and I think that in a situation like this, tough decisions have to be made,” Humy said. “I think that overall the situation is being handled really well and while I’m sad to go, I understand.”
The loss of teaching positions is also hard on the administrators who have to make these decisions and then tell the staff member that they are being asked to resign.
“While I know it was the right thing to do for the financial health of the district, it was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do in my professional career,” high school Principal Bryant Bednarek said. “I pride myself on my relationships with my staff, so telling someone that I chose to be part of our teaching staff, someone that is a good teacher and a good person, that I no longer have a position for them, that’s really hard. That impacts their life. I’ll add that Mrs. Humy handled it with the utmost professionalism and maturity.”
The reduction in teaching staff not only affects high school students, staff, and activities, but the school district as a whole. For example, due to Humy leaving, the English department will no longer be taking any resource classes due to having a full schedule starting next year. On top of that there are multiple electives being cut throughout all departments, one popular elective class being cut in the English department next year is Human Spirit. Some teachers even have to teach grades they may have never taught before.
“The high school choir teacher and I received an email asking us to meet with our administration to discuss the choir program for next year. When we arrived, they informed us that starting next year, all choirs (6-12) would be taught by one person,” Grewal said. “When I was given the choice (to resign), I was overwhelmed at first. I was upset about the loss of a job I enjoyed, but also concerned about what to do next. I wanted to make sure that I made the correct decision, so I went to my coworkers and friends to ask for advice. I feel good about deciding to resign; I am glad I relied on my support system to help me.”
Due to the necessary budget cuts, there are multiple teachers who have to pick up more classes, including choir director Abbe Lane. She will be teaching four different choir classes for grades 6-12.
“I will be teaching three middle school grade-level choirs and one combined high school choir. There will still be a musical, Encore, and Show Choir. It’s really important to me that there are not many drastic changes, mainly for the students, but also because those extracurriculars are all things I love to do as well,” Lane said. “I haven’t ironed out all the kinks yet, but I’m also looking to have more student leaders in those groups, and maybe I would serve in more of an advisory role. There’s still a lot of unknowns, but I want as much of it to stay the same as possible.”
Some students worry that popular electives will be cut either due to the lack of students or the lack of teachers.
“I’ve already missed out on some electives that didn’t run because not enough people signed up,” sophomore Audrianna Reiser said. “I’m worried that it might get worse and I won’t get into the elective classes I chose for next year.”
While these budget cuts bring on big changes to how the school functions as a whole, the administration wants to assure everyone that the district will continue to focus on keeping students and staff safe.
“I recognize the impact staff reductions have on individual staff members, department teams, staff workload, class sizes, educational programs, and course offerings. It will be important that while we shrink the district we work together to continue to protect staff and student programs,” Durtschi said.
