Trapper Creek Elementary staff may be decreased by half

MAT-SU -- Trapper Creek Elementary stands to lose nearly half its staff under the Mat-Su Borough School District's budget proposal for next year.

While the district's budget plan is status quo for most schools and programs, dropping enrollment at Trapper Creek Elementary prompted the administration to propose reducing the staffing at the school from around seven to roughly four-and-a-half positions. This would include a loss of nearly two teaching positions and a reduction in the amount of hours that a librarian and nurse are at the school.

The cost savings would be roughly $170,000, but teachers and residents in the area say it would be devastating. At last week's budget hearing, several people requested the school board reinstate at least one of the teaching positions.

"Enrollment is a problem, and we know that," said Alberta Nordberg, the teaching principal at the school. Trapper Creek has 21 students this year, which means a student-teacher ratio of 3 to 1. But according to those from the school, this meets basic staff requirements for running the school.

Calling the proposal a "massive decimation" of the school, Jill Taylor told the board that it would inevitably affect the children's scores on benchmark exams. She said even while operating in a remote, low-income area, the school has been able to excel on such tests, but with such a dramatic reduction in staff she says that would no longer be possible.

"The proposed cuts are demoralizing to staff, students, parents and community members," Taylor told the school board.

In hopes of hanging on to at least one of the teaching positions, the Trapper Creek principal has suggested changing school boundaries so as to acquire a few students from Talkeetna Elementary. Nordberg said Talkeetna staff does not feel such a change would affect their budget, and in talking with school bus drivers, Nordberg said she found that it was also feasible in terms of transportation, with some minor schedule changes.

"There are parents in the area who would like to send their kids to Trapper Creek," Nordberg said, adding that she had talked to several such families.

While the Mat-Su Borough School Board did not directly respond to the principal's plan during the meeting, members will have the opportunity to discuss it during its budget work session at 6 p.m. March 20.

District administrators say they proposed the cut because of the school's falling enrollment and pointed out that when Skwentna school, which has since closed, had 22 students, it had just two teachers.

As for the school nurse and librarian, those positions are shared with both Su Valley Jr./Sr. High School and Talkeetna Elementary, which have a combined

enrollment of nearly 300

students.

"Those other schools have increasing needs as their enrollments increase, and Trapper Creek has been decreasing," said district spokesperson Kim Floyd. "They needed to consider what was equitable to all three schools."

However, Floyd said she appreciated Nordberg's effort to come up with a plan.

"It's refreshing to have someone come before the board and provide a solution … they are willing to find some compromises and work together, and that is appreciated," she said.