A packed audience liostens to a speaker opposed to cuts in psychologist and counselor positions in Highline schools.
"Save Our Psyches."
That was the motto expressed at the Highline School Board meeting held May 12.
Nearly two-dozen psychologists and counselors employed by Highline schools attended the meeting in an effort to lobby the board to not go forward with proposed budget cuts to their departments.
A variety of budget reductions are on the table as the school district scrambles to maximize savings. The reductions in psychology and counseling would result in the loss of two special education staff members and would increase the workloads of counselors and psychologists. The district estimates the savings would be around $705,000.
About a dozen people made their cases to the board, a few of them unable to hold back tears as they argued for the value of their work and the severe consequences the cuts would have if approved.
One of the tearful ones was Caitlyn McGuire, a special education teacher at Des Moines Elementary.
She told the board that she taught a classroom full of children with "dynamic disabilities" from autism to Asperser's syndrome.
"You would think to yourself, 'That doesn't seem like a very good idea,'" she said. But she praised Highline schools for being "innovative" in the sense that they could put so many children together and turn it into an effective program.
"Please don't take a step back," she said.
People also advocated for deaf and hard of hearing students.
"[Highline schools has] 47 DHH students," said Rebecca Houghton, a psychologist who worked with deaf students in Philadelphia and joined the Highline schools in September.
"Please consider not reducing school psychology staffing [because if it happens] we would not be able to provide services to [deaf students]" she urged the board.
Also advocating on behalf of deaf services was Maureen Kiely, who works with deaf students at Bow Lake Elementary, Chinook Middle, and ACE High schools.
"Did you know 98 percent of deaf students come from families who don't sign?" she asked the board.
She told the board that if deaf services were cut, it would have a hugely negative effect on deaf students. Sign language interpreters with no psychological training would have to be brought in and she warned that this could lead to severe miscommunication between students, teachers and administrators.
Superintendent John Welch said he would take into account everyone's comments and final budget recommendations would be brought to the board on May 26.
