Many are worried about the ongoing budget cuts and fiscal cliffs, but how exactly is our school budget affected by cuts at the state and federal level?
According to Superintendent Mrs. Leah Christman, last year’s state budget for the entire district was $53,972,072, while the high school’s specific budget was $392,253.

Southern Lehigh has implemented a five-year projected budget used to plan the annual budget, Christman said. The district is working hard to keep the overall budget at level or just slightly higher for next year.

    With regards to cuts, the district emphasizes downsizing.

“The biggest changes that I have noticed are not replacing our librarian who retired.  We now share a librarian with the middle school,” high school principal Mrs. Christine Siegfried said.  “Also, not replacing an assistant principal [Mr. John Zuk] who took a position in another district.  Mr. Covelle and I have greatly felt the effects of that particular budget cut.”

Other classes, such as a research class at Liberty Bell Elementary School, are now gone. Instead, various other teachers teach research skills as they pertain to their classes.

In spite of all the changes, high school art teacher Mrs. Anne Sikorski-Schneider is optimistic.

“The future is so unpredictable that we would be remiss not to be anxious of the unknown,” she said, “but I’m the ever-optimist and there’s always a silver lining in the darkest clouds.”