the
hUF
Supreme Court
Supreme Court justices
make tough decisions
that affect the lives of
young people today .
Pages 8-9
Volume 84 No. 5
Grimsley High School
January 30, 2009
801 Westover Terrace
Greensboro, NC 27408
rtighLIFE
Americans are
incredibly
selfish,
never
satisfied
until they
have the best of the
best, the newest
upgrades, and the most
convenient technology.
55
Meghan Hersh
Staff Writer
Page 4
News
Illinois Governor
Rob Blagojevich stands
accused of attempting
to sell the President’s
old Senate seat.
Page 2
Opinion
President Bush
approves a second
5ailout package, this
time for the American
auto industry.
Page 6
Features
New teachers
struggle to adapt to
profession, unhappy
with requirements and
entry-level pay.
Page 11
Sports
NBA teams may be
in danger of losing
their best players
to higher paying teams
in Europe.
Page 16
Index
^ews 2-3
Opinion 4-7
Spread 8-9
"eatures 10-13
Sports 14-16
“Today I say to you that the challenges we face
are real. They are serious, and they are many. They
will not be met easily or in a short span of time.
But know this, America — they will be met.”
k
Chief Justice John Roberts swore President Barack Obama into office on Jan. 20, 2009. Millions
of Americans amassed in Washington, D.C. to watch this unprecedented event. Both supporters
and critics witnessed the first African-American to become the United States Chief Executive.
Guilford County Schools forced
to rework budget after recent cuts
HBYnANIFT.TORFTTT
News Editor
As the United States
economy continues its down
turn, the shockwaves are still
spreading their effects through
all aspects of everyday life.
Now it is the education system.
As of December 19,2008, the
Guilford County Board of Edu
cation approved a new budget
plan that will cut spending by
approximately $3.8 million.
This new plan was necessary
for two separate but important
reasons. The first and more
critical reason was the state
government made less money
last year than it had first an
ticipated. The second was 619
fewer students enrolled in
Guilford County Schools than
originally projected.
In order to cope with the
nearly $4 million in budget
cuts. Superintendent Maurice
"Mo" Green and his team cre
ated a plan that attempts to
minimize the impact on faculty
and students. Central admin
istration will feel slightly more
than half (54%) of the cuts.
while the lesser portion (46%)
will affect the schools directly.
With nearly $4 million less
to disburse, the Board of Edu
cation has agreed to do the fol
lowing; institute a hiring freeze
for non-instructional positions;
withhold approximately 25%
of funds for classroom supplies
and materials; replace overtime
with compensatory time; cur
tail travel; and delay certain
contracted services.
Maintaining a smooth and
uninterrupted school year is
one of the main intentions of
this budget plan. Each cut was
made with regards to impact on
not only the student body but
school employees as well. A
central focus while creating this
plan was to keep the entire staff
employed and not to lay off any
workers. The plan is also de
signed to minimize instruc
tional changes.
Instead of job cuts, the new
plan calls for a hiring freeze,
which will affect only non-in
structional staff members. For
example, one position being
removed is an employee who
coaches new, inexperienced
teachers. While this situation
will have no direct impact on
students, it will be necessary for
everyone to be patient as new
teachers settle in.
Such is a good example of
how the budget cuts were de
signed to minimize and distrib
ute the impact inside the class
room. Since new teachers will
be forced to adapt quicker, ex
perienced teachers will be ex
pected to assist them, and stu
dents must continue to listen
and learn while these novices
learn the ropes.
Administrators and princi
pals will feel even more pres
sure. Many programs or ser
vices that the administrative
team had intended to put into
effect this school term may
have to wait until next year.
Anything that administrators
deem non-critical will have to
wait. The distinctions do not
necessarily mean that some
programs will be abandoned
due to these budget cuts, but
rather be restructured or
simply delayed.
Although this new budget
plan will allow the school to
function on a normal level un
der tough economic times, the
battle does not stop here.
"Elected officials on the lo
cal, state, and federal levels all
must recognize the importance
of proper funding for the edu
cation system, even during
such tough economic times,"
said Green.
Other chief administrators
continue to work with officials
in order to attempt to maintain
appropriate funding.
Continuing to stress the im
portance of maintaining an ef
ficient budget, "The plan must
utilize the funds that we have
been entrusted with efficiently
and effectively," said Green.
Most people involved in the
North Carolina school system
will undoubtedly feel these
budget cuts.
Even so, "It is vital for the
new plan to allow us to
maintain a successful uninter
rupted school year. The new
budget plan is expected to keep
schools performing well and
hopefully have only a small
impact on the parties that are
affected," said Green.