Three individuals from the community spoke to the Polk School District board of education Tuesday night, asking them to reinstate two programs that have been cut from Cedartown High School.
Cedartown High School class of 2013 graduate Meredith Pyle implored to the board to re-establish the DECA program at Cedartown High School.
The program was cut after as part of a Reduction in Force plan passed by the board in May.
Pyle explained the skills taught in the DECA program are those of entrepreneurship and marketing in the business world.
Polk School superintendent William Hunter said in response to her concerns, the College and Career Academy would provide the same educational opportunities.
City commissioner and small business owner Jordan Hubbard also spoke at the meeting, defending the principles taught through the marketing program at CHS.
In addition, former German teacher Scott McAninch spoke at length about the German program, which also fell victim to the RIF plan adopted in May.
McAninch beseeched the board and superintendent to reconsider their decision to slash the German program, presenting letters of support for the program and statistics on the enrolment and interest.
Hunter pointed back to the virtual learning aspects of the College and Career Academy and the new methods of teaching foreign languages to students and the declining enrollment in the program.
In other business from Tuesday’s meeting, board members approved the amended student and employee tobacco use policy to include e-cigarettes as prohibited from the Polk School District.
Board members also approved the latest version of the 2014-2015 school calendar.