By AUDREY LAMBERT, CHS Class of 2026 and Student Government President
Most students never think twice about a decline in the school budget until their favorite clubs, school trips, and programs begin to disappear, but what if things have always been this way? While budget discussions are far from my typical writing focus, the impact they have on Cumberland High School students and faculty is significant enough to merit my attention.
As a senior myself, I observed a shift in per-student spending when we could no longer afford graduation stoles, class dues for caps and gowns became mandatory, supplies became limited, and senior activities were few and far between.
Even more so as I grew older, I began to notice that the school’s workload was increasing without enough staff to manage it. It seems as though our staff is being embarrassingly underpaid for working additional hours to keep up with the insurmountable workload. For years, our teachers have performed exceptionally under the stress of a low budget.
Now, Cumberland’s culture is being undermined by high turnover, while need-based student interventions are neglected due to the loss of full-time teaching positions. From a student perspective, it is unsettling to watch more teachers and their expertise leave the school than come in.
Most students would also be surprised to know that for decades, Cumberland has had the lowest per-pupil expenditure of any district in the state. For a select number of seniors including myself, there have been signs throughout their past four years at Cumberland that warrant a higher budget. They became visible when clubs struggled to stay active, and teachers no longer had the time or resources to stay after school and support extracurriculars. On the other end, expenses once covered by the school are now continuously pushed onto these students and their families.
Last week, fellow Cumberland senior Sophie Thibault and I reflected on our experiences at the high school and the events we had the chance to participate in. She emphasized the traditions and opportunities that have made this high school memorable, such as prom, variety show, spirit week, and student government. Now, it is activities like these that are at risk of being terminated due to budget constraints.
“I am worried that my little brother won’t be able to share the same moments and memories from high school that I now have for a lifetime,” said Sophie.
Looking toward the future, seniors are worried that the underclassmen, like Sophie’s brother, will be living a different version of high school for the next four years. Teachers with a passion to make a difference are now being stretched until they break, staff positions are disappearing while class sizes grow, and student initiatives are severely underfunded. Unfortunately, even the simpler parts of high school life may begin to change, including students’ sense of belonging and their opportunity to discover interests while forging meaningful friendships along the way. This will be the standard of education at Cumberland High School if the budget does not go up 4 percent this year.
On Wednesday, May 27, teachers, students, and staff are attending the next Town Council meeting at McCourt Middle School, located at 45 Highland Ave. in Cumberland. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m and discuss the School Committee’s request for an increase in the education budget aimed at strengthening school programs throughout the district. Community members who care deeply about Cumberland schools are encouraged to attend and voice their support for Cumberland students, educators, and services.
