Dresden Budget: What the Community Thinks

by Sarah Ramírez

“It’s hard to believe that your input is going to make a difference, but I’d like to believe it does, because it’s so important to our community.” A Dresden Cost Reduction Committee member passed a name sheet around a table surrounded by people of the community, students and parents, and teachers and staff. 

“We’re going to begin by saying what we like about the Dresden School District,” continued the Committee member after everyone in the small group had introduced themselves, “and then we will talk about how the schools can be improved and how we can reduce costs to lower the budget.” Immediately, the group erupted with chatter as ideas and comments were shared and argued. This, like many of the other small groups in the library and cafeteria, was the scene of the Dresden Budget Meeting on Thursday, September 30th, a meeting open to the community to discuss ways to lower the school budget.

Before they were split into small groups, community members were seated in the auditorium to view a presentation by the Dresden Cost Reduction Committee. Immediately following the presentation was a heated Q&A; in which Committee members were grilled about the veracity of their figures and their failure to take into account the inflation that has occurred over the past years. When questions started to turn into angry comments, the Committee members promptly went on to their final (and likely most important) part of their meeting: The small group discussions.

After being split up by random numbers on name-tags handed out after the large meeting, community members were asked to discuss three questions: What do you like about the Dresden School District? How do you think it could improve? In what ways could the budget be lowered? Community members immediately jumped into discussion. 

Most of the positive aspects of the Dresden School District that were mentioned were typical; the elective offerings are great, parents and teachers love the small classes, and many commented on the high quality of the teaching. The small groups stressed that the diversity and variety of offerings engage the students in a healthy and positive way. But one problem does arise: How can we keep all these excellent elements of the school, but still reduce costs? 

Community members immediately took control of the discussion when the question was raised of lowering costs. Suggestions were endless, ranging from summer school and night classes to online textbooks and more emails to lower postage costs. There was also mention of “adopting” a classroom or object, in which someone would donate money to have there name on a piece of furniture or to have “their” classroom, therefore raising money to help with budget costs. This idea was adopted from the Howe Library and their bricks named after different families of the Upper Valley. 

By the end of the small groups, several lists were compiled of ideas for budget reduction. What started out as a bitter, argumentative meeting ended in a peaceful discussion of ideas and motives. So, what does this mean for the future of Hanover High? For now, this is all speculation, but in the end, the ideas of the community and the students might be what saves our schools.