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SALT LAKE CITY -- The Granite School District could end up cutting music programs and closing a high school.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports the district must come up with a way to cut $6 million from its budget. That's after a recommended three-day furlough and reassignment of 89 employees. It says closing Granite High School at 3305 S. 500 East and eliminating the elementary music program would save $2.3 million.
The board will talk about it at a board meeting next Tuesday, but board members may face public outcry. Community support saved Granite from closing in 2005. It was changed to a smaller learning community.
Some students at Granite High have heard the talk of closing, and they are worried.
"With Granite, there's not a lot of people, but that's the good thing about it. You make friends so much faster and it makes you feel so much more at home," said Jennifer Burns.
She says she may go to the public hearing and speak out in support of her high school.
"I went to so many other different schools and I always sloughed and sloughed. I never wanted to go to school. But here, this school just helps you and tries to make it good for you," she said.
The district's music supervisor, Clint Frohm, is worried if elementary music is cut now, it may never come back.
District Superintendent Stephen Ronnenkamp says he has been trying to protect the classroom from budget cuts but says they are running out of options.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
