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The school committee will hold budget hearings tonight at 5:30 pm and tomorrow morning, 9:00 am, in city council chambers.  It is vital that parents and concerned citizens be on hand to see where the inevitable cuts will be made.  Chapter 70 funds (the money that the State allocates for education) for Lowell are being increased by less than 1% over the current budget.  Dr. Baehr’s budget of $136,961,454 calls for 61.5 positions to be eliminated and one school, the Varnum Elementary, to be closed.  Everyone knows we are in tough fiscal times, but these cuts will surely be detrimental to the progress our schools have made and everyone should be aware of what we stand to lose. I’ve been going to budget hearings and speaking out at city council meetings in support of school funding since 2003, and while we have seen our school system improve dramatically under Dr. Baehr’s leadership, it has been in the teeth of constant funding shortfalls.  I still regret the programs and services lost in 2003 that were never replaced – things like preschool transportation, enrichment classes at the middle schools, and science teachers at the elementary schools.  In fact, the Lowell Public schools have eliminated 300 teaching, support and administrative positions since 2002!  So, let’s be informed about the budget process, let’s be aware of what is being lost and ask ourselves as a community what we are willing to pay for.