Parents and students within the Hollidaysburg area school district voiced their support last night for both the music and art departments during the school boards budget meeting. The Hollidaysburg Area School District is facing a nearly $3 million dollar deficit and board members have noted that other solutions must be addressed for the long-term health of the district. Last night, community members addressed an email that had circulated claiming the board was looking to make cuts, specifically within the music and art departments. However before the public comment period, Superintendent Curtis Whitesel reportedly told the group that no formal discussions among the board members had been made concerning cuts in those departments. The district does have $6.7 million in its unassigned fund. The preliminary budget shows the district taking $2.7 million from this fund to balance the budget. The board will vote to approve its final budget on June 19th.
