On March 9, Pembroke residents filled the Pembroke Academy gymnasium to vote on the proposed $33 million school budget, which would cause a 28% increase in property taxes.
Outraged by the tax hike, a taxpayer proposed a motion to cut the school budget by $3 million. The motion passed on a 305-134 vote. For Pembroke schools, who already spend $2,000 less than the New Hampshire state average per pupil, the budget cut has caused a lot of uncertainty for students and staff.
Pembroke’s 2024-25 school budget will require steep cuts for PA. Worries are high and morale throughout the school is down, said social studies teacher Mrs. Doyle. “Right now everyone is scared because no one is safe,” she said.
While no cuts at PA have been confirmed yet, some students are still fearful of the effects the cuts will have on their academic experience at PA. A group of freshman girls said they are worried that sports and clubs, which are a big part of the high school experience, could be affected.
“Potentially losing them makes me less interested in being here,” said a freshman girl who wishes to remain anonymous.
Social studies teacher Mr. Moher, who is also the head football coach, said that while football is important to him, academics come first when it comes to the budget.
“We are a school first,” said Mr. Moher. “As much as I love football, it doesn’t make sense to cut teachers and keep sports.”
Clubs also make a big difference for many students at PA. “Not everyone is academically involved, but with clubs they feel like they fit in at PA,” said senior David Popa.
The budget cuts also come on the heels of an incident at Winter Carnival on Feb. 23 where bullets were found below the freshmen bleachers and school administrators dismissed students halfway through the second day of events.
The 2024 Winter Carnival was completed on March 8 after students returned from Winter Break. “We tried to do the best we could, but it’s hard to recreate the experience a week later,” said headmaster Dr. Morris.
But both Dr. Morris and Mrs. Doyle believe that most of the low morale is due to the fear of budget cuts.
In 2023, Pembroke Academy was chosen as Secondary School of Year by the New Hampshire Excellence in Education Awards, and some faculty expressed concern that the budget cuts could gut the curriculum.
“My fears are that we will cut so much that we cannot offer a quality education,” said Mrs. Doyle.
