Marla Hirsch never doubted sending her two children to Churchill High School. Both participated in the high school’s International Studies Academy, the signature program that Hirsch says motivated her son to attend law school and kept her daughter from transferring to a magnet program. Hirsch witnessed the Academy galvanize her children into an early discovery of their passions.
But like other Churchill parents, last week Hirsch learned of the budget freeze affecting the high school’s Academy programs. A series of cuts reduced the signature programs’ funding by 55 percent in two years, and now the influx of money is frozen at a standstill.
"These kids have worked very hard," said Hirsch. "They should be given an opportunity to complete what they started."

HIRSCH’S DAUGHTER and other students in the International Studies program have not been able to tackle some of the Academy’s curriculum requirements this school year without the stipend funds to teachers for work outside the typical class schedule. Signature Programs Coordinator Barbara Blazer says students have missed timeline benchmarks for their annual research projects. Blazer sees the International Studies Academy deteriorating, noting the program did not admit new freshman this year and is ultimately being phased out.
But Blazer’s concern is growing for each of Churchill’s three Academies — international studies; the arts; and math, technology, and science — whose futures are now unclear.
"I’ve been waiting and waiting to hear about our budget," said Blazer, who was originally told to cut her responsibilities with the program by 40 percent for the 2008 fiscal year. Blazer watched the funds decrease until they were frozen last December, and was asked to teach 11th grade English in addition to running the programs. She now divides her time between three classes and administrative work each school day. Blazer says she understands the county was forced to make cuts with the current economic environment, but is disappointed with the impact on the Academy programs.
Marshall Spatz, budget director for Montgomery County Public Schools, said the cuts were applied to signature programs across the county. Spatz said the original budgets were large in order to obtain the resources necessary to get the signature programs up and running, and the money was reduced as the programs became successful and self-sufficient.
Spatz said the termination of a program, like that of Churchill’s International Studies, is an individual decision of the school. To Blazer, the lack of funds has left the program with no alternative and the remaining two academies survive on private donations. Spatz acknowledges the current freeze on funds is a direct result of the school system’s current fiscal situation.
"We don’t want to cut these programs," said Spatz. "But it comes down to priorities."
Nearly 530 students participate in the Academies at Churchill to pursue career initiatives and develop small learning communities. The Academy curriculum is compared to a collegiate environment, offering professional lectures, internships, competitions, and in-depth research. Students have worked with professionals at outlets including the National Institute of Health and the Smithsonian, while maintaining GPA minimums based on the requirements of their specific Academy.

WHEN THE PROGRAM began, Blazer and her staff marketed the Academy work at the local middle schools, for students to apply and be accepted. She says the program has grown reputable and now thrives on word of mouth as it is embraced by students seeking an enrichment experience.
"The students are passionate about what they’re doing and you can tell it comes from the heart," said Saida Dim, a Spanish teacher who dedicated four years to the International Studies Academy before it came to a halt.
To parents who have witnessed this success in their own Academy students, the programs remain a priority. Sandy Bonner, mother to a senior in the Arts Academy, says the signature program offers a full-circle curriculum to teenagers incorporating higher-level education and professional direction.
"The dedication level is extraordinary," said Bonner. "It’s a commitment that goes beyond taking a class."
Parents, like Bonner and Hirsch, are taking an activist stance in light of the frozen funds. They collectively believe the Academies require a modest budget and the program benefits outweigh the cost. After the information on the signature programs’ struggle became public, parents worked at forming a committee to lobby for support of the programs. They will meet for the second time in two weeks in hopes of determining a course of action that will convey the importance of the signature programs and its impact on students.
"If the result of the programs is a dedicated kid who will make contributions to society, that’s a great product of our school system," said Bonner. "If you take it away, you’re missing this whole other dimension of what Churchill has to offer."