Groveland Twp.-Each winter many learn to ski at Mount Holly.
Yet, on Jan. 10, about 40 students hit the slopes and ‘skied to learn.?
Utilizing Global Positioning Units, two teams of Oakland Science, Mathematics and Technology Academy students skied 205 miles continuously to raise funds to keep their school open. The project raised about $3,000, enough, says Mickey MacWilliams, a parent of an OSMTech Freshman, ‘to demonstrate how serious we are about keeping the school open.?
‘The event should draw the attention of possible corporate sponsors and those involved.?
MacWilliams, is one several parents on a mission to promote the high school technology classes.
OSMTech Academy, is a shared-time program for students, grades nine through 12. Students attend OSMTech for half a day and return to their high schools for the remaining half day. Currently, Brandon, Clarkston, Holly, and Lake Orion schools send students each year to the Oakland Science, Mathematics & Technology Academy, 8211 Big Lake Road, Clarkston.
Yet, despite its success, OSMTech faces the threat of closing. State and local budget cuts are creating a shortfall for the public academy that supporters say can be rectified if funding methods are reconsidered. Currently, the state allocates $6,500 per student each school year to districts. Under the current agreement, funding is provided by Oakland Schools–which pays some start-up costs along with the home school–sending $3,900 per student, about half of the state funding.
About 125 students attend the school which emphasizes the principle that scientific and technological developments are achieved through the integration and applications of science, math and technology, research, innovation and cooperative efforts.
Under a new proposal issued last month by OSMTech parents and supporters to Oakland Schools, funding could be shifted from the home school to the vocational education millage by changing some of the curriculum requirements. The special millage was passed by voters in 2001.
‘The key element will be classifying OSMTech as a vocational program,? said Beth Nuccio, Brandon School Board president and mother of two OSMTech students. ‘Until that change the problem is dealing with the 116 families with students in the program, given some at Oakland Schools just don’t want the program.?
Nuccio and others contend that intermediate school districts, like Oakland Schools, are designed to provide programs that locals can’t, including OSMTech.
‘The program is a highly specialized class for math and science. The change in funding will help the school districts, like Pontiac who no longer participate in the program.?
Since 1998 Oakland Schools has contributed about $90,000 to the OSMTech program each year from the Science Center grant, however recent cutbacks in state funding have eliminated that source.
‘We have nowhere else to go for funding,? said Regis Jacobs, Oakland schools assistant superintendent of career-focused education and regional services.
‘We started with seven districts, now we’re down to four with Lake Orion phasing the program out over the next four years.?
Yet, Jacobs says the program can be saved with ongoing funding if the program would implement the right balance of academics and vocational teaching.
‘We have the funds to do this and provide for the 11th and 12th grades students,? added Jacobs. ‘The ninth and 10th grades would still have to be funded by the school district.?
‘It’s going to take some changes to make this work.?
A meeting is scheduled in February between Oakland Schools officials and parents to discuss the future of the school.