By Mikaela STONE

This week’s Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) meeting, held on Tuesday night, highlighted budgetary concerns that left all parties frustrated.

Parents, students and teachers showed up at the meeting in Glendale to express support of the current seven period system at GUSD middle and high schools. While no official decisions were made, the discussion showed how concerned for the future are all stakeholders in the district.

The GUSD used emergency COVID funds to establish a seventh period for three years to help students reintegrate to life after quarantine. The new system saw a boost to student mental health, creative expression and the ability to tackle electives as well as time consuming commitments such as the dual language immersion program. The highest rated high school in GUSD, Clark Magnet, already had a seven period block schedule.

The board extended the seventh period system a fourth year but, with financial issues plaguing the district, it was time to review this decision. A seventh period costs $5.3 million each year. With expenses rising on all fronts, the school district believes changes have to be made.

Regardless whether schools return to six period days, the board still plans to turn to layoffs to additionally cut costs. This comes just one week after the Glendale Teachers Association (GTA) rallied for wages that keep up with the cost of living. The GTA labor report recognized the board members have inherited a difficult situation that is not their fault, but reiterated that teachers expect better from GUSD.

For their part, students consider a seventh period to be a way to help them “find themselves.” One student noted, “It will be hard to choose between my passion, which is dance, and my culture, which is Spanish.”

A mother pointed out that her son, bullied for being gay, only felt comfortable in his theater elective.

Allen Freemon, a Crescenta Valley High School teacher, admitted that while he had previously opposed the seventh period, he saw how it benefited his students –especially vulnerable students with IEPs and other specialized learning plans who deserve to have their needs met while also being able to enjoy an elective.

The parents who spoke during public comment agreed that seventh period needed to stay but that money should not come from teachers’ salaries.

Parent Bess demanded that the board “make cuts as far from classrooms as possible.”

Two parents suggested creating a budget committee that allowed all stakeholders to have input on how the school district can save money.

GUSD board president Shant Sahakian agreed with the budget committee suggestion. Other board members hoped to include community members and labor partners in future discussions.

“I don’t think anyone on this dais thinks it’s great to cut opportunities for students,” board member Ingrid Gunnell said though she believes keeping the seventh period may prove difficult “unless we find a lot of money in this district or one of us wins the $5 million lottery.”

She fears that if the GUSD cannot stabilize its finances it may follow in the footsteps of districts such as the San Francisco Unified School District, which required mayoral intervention following budget failure resulting in teacher vacancies and school closures.

However, even amid tensions, the board welcomed student board member Lily Tanossian, Clark Magnet senior and ASB president, while her family cheered her on. She and her peers are brainstorming themes and questions for the upcoming student voice panel.

Further voices will soon be sought as the school board considers adding parent opinions to curriculum discussions by either including them on textbook committees or creating a specified committee for parent voices on learning material.

In other news, the volunteer-run Adelante Latinos council celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month working to uplift Latino students with this year’s theme “shaping the future together.” Members want Latino students to know anything is possible. A celebration of the month takes place at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 at Crescenta Valley Park, 3901 Dunsmore Ave.

In support of GUSD alumni entering the workforce and academia, Shant Kevorkian welcomed the community to the first meeting of the GUSD alumni association, taking place Oct. 9 at Hoover High, 651 Glenwood Road in Glendale.