PINE BUSH – At the Budget Forum on March 15 at Circleville Middle School, parents and residents once again made their voices heard regarding proposed cuts to various school programs. Things started out with talks about physical education.

Kathy Haller, Physical Education Teacher at Pine Bush High School, said, "When I started here, we had four Phys-Ed teachers and 900 students. Now, we're going to have four Phys Ed teachers and 2,100 students. I think there are safety issues. When you have 50 kids in a class, 50 kids in the weight room, 50 kids at the pool… In the winter months we're going to have 100 kids in the gym. Scheduling is going to become very difficult. With obesity reaching crisis levels we have to remember that P/E is often the only activity many kids now get. Physical education is not a club, not an elective, and it affects every student in the district."

Lynn Martin, also a Physical Education Teacher, added her agreement with Haller's statement and asked if this was what the administration wanted.

Superintendent Phil Steinberg replied, saying, "I would rather not have 50 students in P/E class. But 50 is the state limit, and I myself have run P/E classes of 50 children. I'm not saying we want that, but I know that it can be done, if things are planned and organized."

Steinberg went on to say, "I will meet with you as a department, and go over my expectations for next year."

Behind physical education came the matter of modified sports. There was even a group of students wearing white t-shirts with "Modified" in red letters. Several parents, such as Arlene Cooper and Kim Conte, spoke up in favor of having modified sports returned to the curriculum.

An amount of $66,000 was said to be the difference between having modified sports and not having them. Conte suggested that the board of education should look at this and put modified sports back in. That would raise the tax warrant from a 3.99 percent increase to something in the range of 4.15 percent.

"Why are we fixated on 3.99 percent?" asked Conte. "Why couldn't we have a proposal for 4.15 percent and include modified sports?"

Superintendent Steinberg said that it was up to the board of education. "The board could add to the budget, or cut something else instead." Steinberg also said he was aware of the need for sports in the modified grades. "We're going to figure out something — maybe intramural games between Crispell and CVMS."

Parent Doug Drossel praised Odyssey of the Mind, noting that it was an enormous benefit to the students of the district. Jim McIntyre, teacher and well known Odyssey inspiration, also spoke. He asked if it was possible to get one more Odyssey team in the high school.

"Because Odyssey has two sides to it, the engineering side and the theatrical side. To have only one team in the high school is like having a sports team that only plays defense, and doesn't have offense," said McIntyre.

Several parents asked whether more money might yet come from the state. Superintendent Steinberg said that it was possible. "Even a million dollars would be a big help. But the timing is everything. If it comes before we have to present a completed budget, then we could use it to keep things in. If it comes later, and the state doesn't have a good record on this, then it would go to the fund balance."

Kathy Pagan asked about unfunded mandates. "Can you go back to the State and ask them to allow our board to see whether we need some of these things?" Superintendent Steinberg said that "a list of the unfunded mandates would run into millions of dollars." He also noted that "we have spoken to the state and to federal lawmakers about this. We have shown them lists, and they have made promises. But, they have not delivered. The only thing, I can say to you, is you have to use your vote."