ADAMS TWP — Mars School Board members listened patiently at their Tuesday night meeting as some of the 70 residents, teachers and students in the audience voiced their opposition to the cuts in art in the 2012-13 preliminary budget, which was approved last week.

Like most other school districts in Pennsylvania, Mars faces significantly increased expenses in next year’s budget that are out of the district’s control.

Through cuts in the art programs in the primary center and high school, in addition to other cost-saving measures, the district was able to keep property taxes at 99 mills in a preliminary budget for next year of $38.8 million.

However, the budget also includes a $1.2 million deficit, which is down from the $2.5 million funding gap initially announced.

The current budget is $37.2 million.

Several high school students spoke against the board’s decision to cut the art program from five to four days per week at their school.

Junior Andrea Dean presented the board with a petition signed by more than 200 high school students that supported the continuation of the current art program.

Dean said as an advanced art student she is concerned the art cuts will preclude her from building the portfolio expected by colleges.

“Art takes much more time and patience than other subjects,” Dean said.

She said since preschool, art has been her passion.

“It is in the best interest of the Mars Area School District to keep the high school art program at five days per week,” Dean said. “The world would be an extremely boring place without art.”

Sophomore Lori Lehman told the board that art is more than a form of self-expression, it helps develop creative skills in all subjects.

“If you take away art, you’re hurting math, science and writing, too,” Lehman said. “I know the budget is a problem, but if we spend smarter, we can help save our art program.”

Rachel Stetz, president of the high school art club, said research shows art instruction strengthens critical thinking skills and fosters innovation.

Regarding the board’s focus on protecting core subjects in the district, Stetz said the national No Child Left Behind movement calls art a core subject.

Stetz also worries that cutting art now will have dire effects in the district’s future.

“These slight changes may accumulate over the years until the art program is washed out entirely,” Stetz said. “You will be sending a generation of half-stimulated students into the world.”

The teachers and parents in the crowd loudly applauded each nervous student who spoke.

One parent, Joanne Zediker, said cutting high school art to four days per week means 36 fewer days of instruction time, although course requirements will not change. Zediker also lamented the prospect of dropping high school art from a full credit to 0.8.

Zediker fears colleges will notice Mars’ lower credit value in art and assume a lack of content is the reason for it.

Zediker also said the decision to have classroom teachers provide art instruction in the primary center will overburden teachers.

Ruth Smith, whose children attend three Mars schools, disagreed with the board’s decision to cut two guidance counselors, leaving five counselors to rotate through the entire district.

Smith said the guidance cuts would affect 1,500 elementary students, and that guidance programs help students face issues such as bullying, anxiety, problems at home and other issues.

“I urge you to look at other areas than the cuts to personnel that you have proposed,” Smith said.

A few parents asked the board if they have considered a tax increase, but Mars resident Frank Moore strenuously opposed the idea.

“I don’t want any increase in my taxes,” Moore said. “Before my taxes are raised, I want any and all nonacademic teachers and activities to cease.”

Board president Dayle Ferguson said the board would take all comments into consideration, and commended the students for attending the meeting.

The board is expected to approve the 2012-13 budget on June 12.