JEFFERSON COUNTY - For the 2012-2013 school year, the state's largest school district has to cut up to $25 million from its budget because of state funding shortfalls.
Jefferson County Public Schools officials have plenty of people asking the district not to cut vital staffing for music and library programs, among other things.
Saturday, hundreds of parents attended meetings around the district voicing their concerns.
At Arvada High School, parents passionately shared their thoughts on what programs the district should not cut.
"Every one of these line items on here, if you look at that. That's an employee. Every single one," Jeffco parent Shawna Fritzler said to various people at her table.
Every single ounce of passion for Fritzler goes into making sure her first grader and the kids that come after don't lose what's good now.
"Anything that we cut and lose this year. We're not going to get it back next year," she said. "Once we cut it, it's gone."
Gone, for example, could be 12 teacher librarians from just the elementary schools alone, 20 custodians to keep the buildings clean, and nearly 19 elementary music teachers.
"I can tell you personal to me, what I don't want to see cut is elementary music," said Jeffco Public School District One Board Member Robin Johnson.
As one of five people who will have to decide what gets crossed off for the next two school years, Johnson, already has a whole host of people to give her plenty to think about.
"There's a lot of passion right now in specific areas, specific programs," Johnson said.
The proposed cuts are still up for multiple changes.
Several changes will likely take place before a final vote by the Jefferson County School Board in the spring.
"We have to work together, even if you don't have kids in school," Fritzler said. "We have to."
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