Beattie to vote on academic program
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A new member of the A.W. Beattie Career Center Joint Committee has suggested changing the way the academic curriculum is offered at the McCandless school to an on-line learning program to address slumping enrollment and a tight budget.
Robert Wible of Avonworth, who joined the board in December, suggested last Thursday that the on-line program would take place at Beattie and utilize a guidance counselor instead of teachers.
"We need to be able to serve this population," Mr. Wible said. "We don't want to take the rug out from under these students."
The program, which has 4.5 teachers, currently costs $9,000 per student. The Pennsylvania School Code allows a local education authority to consider closing any program that loses enrollment over three years. Enrollment has dropped in six years from 85 to 33 students and only 17 students are projected to attend next year.
Beattie is best known for its 16 technical and vocational courses, which attracts 650 students who attend half-day sessions from nine North school districts.
But it also offers an academic program for students with behavioral issues an alternative education with small classes and individualized attention in mathematics, science, English, social studies and health and physical education and selected electives.
Arlene Bender, a Beattie board member representing the North Hills School District, said she would not support eliminating the academic program.
"I have seen the value of the academic program over the years that I've been a board member," Mrs. Bender said, adding that her school district has its own on-line academic program. "But not every student learns well on-line. This type of education does not satisfy the needs of all. I will never vote against the academic program."
Beattie's budget must be in place by April, which means the acamic program's fate must be decided during the board's Feb. 23 meeting.
First Published February 2, 2012 5:47 am
