JEFFERSON TWP — Future students at Knoch High School may not be able to take French classes for much longer.

More than 50 parents, students and teachers packed the Knoch Middle School library Wednesday night during the South Butler County School Board meeting to defend the French curriculum.

The board will vote next week on the district’s 2015-16 budget, which includes phasing out French classes in the next five years.

Increasing health care and pension costs, paired with decreasing student enrollment, played a large role in the proposed cuts.

“In the past decade, we’ve lost about 500 students” in the school district, said David Zupsic, assistant superintendent.

And it’s expected to decrease more in the coming years.

“The current senior class has 239 students. And current enrollment in kindergarten is 141,” he said. “If I look at the high school levels right now, I see a AAA high school. And if I look at the primary levels, I see a AA school.”

The district faces a $1.5 million deficit in its $34 million preliminary budget for next school year. But that won’t be covered by a property tax increase because school board members last month voted against a millage increase.

However, some students and parents see the potential loss in the arts that could be devastating for students.

Klaudia King, a sophomore who’s in French II, said, “I’m not that great at math or science, and I find myself looking forward to the languages and English classes and history classes. And I believe the French program offers an outlet for people who don’t like math or aren’t that great at it.”

She and Maggie Blair and Jacob Love, two French III students, turned in a petition to the board, which includes 341 student signatures and 23 teacher signatures to keep the French program.