With the 2024-2025 school year quickly approaching its end, many concerns have been raised about the upcoming school year, which is set to start in August. Due to massive budget cuts and layoffs, as well as the retirement or sabbatical of seven teachers, multiple classes are now at risk of being discontinued.
At this time, the most recent update for course selections is still uncertain. Generally, courses usually require at least 25 students to express interest by signing up during the designated course selection period. If the requirement isn’t met, there is a high chance the course won’t be offered the following year, and the section will have to be closed.
A good example of the problems facing certain classes is AP Physics C, which has approximately 33 students signed up. However, Physics 1 teacher, Mr.O, is leaving Galileo at the end of this school year, and the school’s administration will have to work to find a replacement, or else that poses a threat to whether or not AP Physics C will happen next year. Unfortunately, the administration has also confirmed that AP African American Studies and AP Chemistry will no longer be offered due to the combination of a lack of interest & teacher cuts.
On the bright side, the new classes that will be introduced as extra options this year include Cybersecurity Honors, which has around 43 people who have signed up. As students are able to email their counselors to change their course requests, these numbers may fluctuate depending on which classes students may find hold greater priority than other classes. Additionally, although Mr. Machtay is retiring, Dr. Rodgers confirmed that there will be a replacement teacher hired to teach the Film Studies classes.
“There are conflicts involving natural attrition because there are often unprecedented scheduling conflicts that can result in students having to choose between two courses, so we always have to account for that possibility,” said counselor Mr. Chu.
Aside from the budget constraints that affect classes being offered next year, the counseling department is also in danger of being drastically affected. The SFUSD announced a cut of $1.3 million in funds for positions, which has had a large impact on many counselors at Galileo. Counselor Ms. Eggerson shares her uncertainty about her job. Because she was new, she was afraid that if Galileo decided to cut counselors, she would be the first one cut. She shares, “Since I was concerned, I explored other job opportunities, but I found out that the status of counselor layoffs is still shaky and uncertain.”
