Mike Ross: CMS creates skilled workers the county needs

CHAMBERSBURG -- The head of the county's primary economic development organization this week made a case for keeping Chambersburg's Career Magnet Center intact and operating as it has since its inception five years ago.

Franklin County Area Development Corporation President L. Michael Ross told Chambersburg Area School District directors that the magnet school is an asset that has a "remarkable" student body.

"(CMS) has a culture that needs to be embodied by the rest of the district," he said. "These young people are respectful and engaged."

He said students at the magnet school represent the community's future.

Ross was one of several hundred people who packed the Chambersburg Middle School South auditorium Tuesday night to let school district directors know they were disturbed by suggestions that some programs might be eliminated at CMS in a cost-cutting move to balance the district's 2017-18 budget.

Directors combined curriculum and finance committee meetings scheduled for Tuesday afternoon into a "committee of the whole" meeting, moving it to early evening to give the public a chance to talk about the magnet school and the district's priorities.

Prior to the meeting, supporters wearing white T-shirts, emblazoned with "Magnet School Pride" on the front and a short five-year history of school on the back, gathered in the CAMS South parking lot for a "tailgate" party, playing music and cooking hot dogs for those who planned to attend the meeting.

Their message: "Leave our school alone."

The atmosphere in the parking lot, where CMS supporters started gathering more than two hours before the meeting started, was exuberant as students and their supporters grilled their hot dogs, listened to music and talked about their school to anyone that would listen.

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The school's parent-teacher-student association had spent several weeks organizing support groups and encouraging people to attend Tuesday's meeting, as well as a scheduled school board meeting set for April 26.

Eight of the board's nine members were at the combined curriculum and finance committee meeting, and their intent seemed to be to listen, then explain the financial realities of the district's tight budget and a deficit that is draining CASD's reserve fund.

During a public comment time, both students and members of the public talked about the magnet school, its offerings and its value to the community.

Students were passionate about the educational opportunities the school offers -- including AP honors classes -- and talked about their CMS experience.

Ross told the board that investment in education is the best thing for the community, calling magnet school students "exceptional."

"Our future is going to be determined by these young people," he said with a sweep of his arm toward the packed auditorium filled with students and supporters wearing the white shirts promoting the magnet school.

Ross said his organization's job is to bring employers into the area to create jobs for the future. He said there is a shortage of skilled labor to fill many of those jobs and he anticipates that shortage will grow over the next few years.

"We need the skills these students will bring to the job market," he said, telling school board members the school is "working exactly the way it was designed to work."

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At least two people representing local businesses told the board the magnet school is producing future workers with the characteristics they look for in potential employees.

After the public comment period, board directors assured the crowd they did not plan to close the magnet school, but stressed that budgetary constraints might mean taking a long, hard look at ways to save money.

The district's reserve fund has been dwindling for several years, while taxes have risen. In 2015 the board instituted a hiring freeze and spending moratorium.

Board President Dana Baker said that although those measures along with a 3 percent property tax increase in 2016 have slowed the drain on the district's reserves, it would take more than the proposed 4.5 percent tax increase this year to balance the budget.

"It's called burning our fund balance," he said. "It means there is less coming in than what we have going out, so basically we are paying bills from our savings."

Board members said they weren't going to close the magnet school, but stressed that in order to support the school system as it is currently set up, the district needed to either come up with more money or find ways to cut expenses.

More: Parents, students speak out against CMS changes

The board has talked about a number of ways to cut expenses as 2017-18 budget talks continued since a proposed budget was laid out last winter, from revamping the way the two high schools are organized and run, to eliminating or cutting back on some sports programs, and several other options in between.

Director Kevin Mintz said he was happy to see such a large crowd of enthusiastic CMS supporters turn out for Tuesday's meeting, but warned "the conversation must not stop here."

He urged those in attendance to turn out for finance committee and board meetings on a regular basis.

"If you want to improve (the district's) educational opportunities, if you want programs like CMS to continue, come to our meetings," he said.

Vicky Taylor, 717-881-5373