SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Spanish Fort educators have a new spelling for relief: R-E-F-E-R-E-N-D-U-M.

A collective sigh has reverberated through the feeder pattern since the March 23 passage of a 1-percent sales tax elicited the approval of Baldwin County voters, expected to funnel an additional $25 million per year into school coffers over the next three years.

“We now have the opportunity to continue building a first-class academic and athletic school and to continue with the progress we’ve made year after year,” said Coach Bryant Vincent, athletic director and football coach for Spanish Fort High School.

Countywide, the school system has lost a total of $61 million in state and local funding over the past two years, necessitating deep cuts in staff and threatening the continuation of most extracurricular activities and athletic programs.

SFHS Principal Beverly Spondike said because the school is only five years old many of the programs are still congealing making it difficult—but not impossible—to accommodate “all of our students across the spectrum” with limited funds.

It appeared as of press time that the high school’s current Advanced Placement courses and extracurricular activities and sports would be spared immediate cuts due to the tax increase.

“We’ve been very fortunate and have a healthy slate of honors classes, AP classes, electives, and we’ve added French, psychology and a peer-tutoring program,” she said.

Had the tax referendum failed, Spanish Fort’s four schools would have lost a collective 21 positions, including 4.09 at Rockwell Elementary, 2.56 at Spanish Fort Elementary, 7.98 at Spanish Fort Middle and 6.36 at SFHS.

And while the soon-to-be-generated revenue is intended to help the schools retain those positions, Spondike said there are still no guarantees until the State Board of Education finalizes its budget for the upcoming school year.

Indeed, Baldwin County Schools spokesman Terry Wilhite said in addition to the locally funded cuts, the system also faces the loss of as many as 126 positions countywide once the state reconfigures statewide student-teacher ratios as well as the loss of as many as 230 non-tenured teachers who have not yet completed three years in their current positions.

In addition, Spondike said the fate of extracurricular athletic supplements, however, remains at the Baldwin County Board of Education’s discretion, but she has been told by various coaches and advisers that cutbacks in funding won’t necessarily kill the programs.

“In some cases you’re talking about the main bread winner for a family, and we understand that difficult decisions have to be made, but support at this point for the programs to continue appears strong,” she said.

Vincent said, on average, coaches bring in about $6,000 per year in supplemental pay, but most are required to coach two sports bumping that figure closer to $10,000 annually, which can make a big difference in a household budget.

Spanish Fort Middle School Principal Carol Palumbo said she is still “guessing” about the referendum’s impact on her staffing conditions until figures are finalized, but she does feel a sense of relief.

“As to my best guess, I would say that I have saved my assistant principal and guidance and will have elective classes including band, choir, art, computer, home ec(onomics) and career tech next year,” Palumbo said, adding, “I am just very grateful to the citizens of Baldwin County for their support of our schools.”

Attempts to reach Rockwell Elementary Principal Robbie Owen were unsuccessful as of press time, and Spanish Fort Elementary Principal Becky Comer declined comment until after a planned principals’ meeting shed more light on her school’s situation.

“We are so grateful that there won’t be draconian cuts, but I am not yet in a position to talk about details,” Comer said.

Spondike and Vincent agreed, however, that the most remarkable outcome from the referendum experience was the groundswell of community support it generated among the community at large.

“I have never seen a more unified effort for a common cause, and the passion and compassion shown was just staggering,” said Spondike, who has been involved with the school system as either a teacher or administrator since 1993.

“They say that tough times are the times that bring you together, but this level of response has just really given us a new vision for this community and this entire system,” she said.

Vincent said he was personally amazed by the outpouring of community support for the schools’ plight.

“To see how the people of Baldwin County value the education being provided in this system, it is definitely a relief to know our school is going to be able to continue to progress,” he said.