32% of Counselors Could Lose Jobs : Education: Supt. Robert A. Sanchis has proposed sweeping budget cutbacks. The district faces a projected deficit of : $6.7 million for 1992-93.

Kathleen Frazer recalls the 15-year-old girl sent to her office after a teacher noticed that the normally outgoing teen-ager had turned sullen and stopped getting good grades.

As head counselor at Hoover High School in Glendale, Frazer knew trouble when she saw it. So she sat the girl down and began asking gentle questions. Between sobs, the girl revealed she had been raped three weeks earlier. The girl was afraid to tell her parents or the police, but the trauma was destroying her.

Frazer swung into high gear. She notified the police and found that the young man was under suspicion for another rape. She helped the girl talk to her parents. She lined up counseling.

Each year, Frazer intercedes in hundreds of personal incidents, ranging from child abuse to attempted suicide. But next year, she worries that help may not be available for all Glendale students who need it. The school district has proposed budget cuts that would slash counselors by 32%, or about eight counselor positions from about 25 districtwide. For Frazer, that is an ominous statistic.

“I worry tremendously that there are going to be kids who fall through the cracks,” Frazer said. “The academically and emotionally strong kids, they don’t really need us, but that’s only 5%. The other 95% need guidance.”

Fewer counselors would be part of sweeping cuts under a proposal by Glendale Supt. Robert A. Sanchis to offset the district’s projected $6.7 million deficit for 1992-93.

The Glendale Board of Education must submit a preliminary budget to Los Angeles County by Friday but has until June 30 to approve a final budget.

The district has an annual budget of $112 million, but officials say they have been hit hard by the recession, reduced state funding and cancellation of cost-of-living increases.

Other cuts in Sanchis’ proposal:

* The equivalent of 97 jobs, including 43 teaching positions, two of the nine district psychologists and a quarter of the athletic coaches.

* An honors orchestra for junior high school students.

* $371,631 from the $500,000 budget of a highly praised dropout prevention program.

Gail Johnson, a counselor who works with at-risk students at Toll Junior High School, said the budget cuts would decimate her school’s program for troubled youths. She said the program has kept students from dropping out.

“Without a doubt, if we lose this program, the dropout rate is going to go up,” she said.

Johnson now works with 100 Toll students who are in danger of not graduating. Some are involved in gangs; others are substance abusers. Some others have threatened or tried to commit suicide.

Johnson is frustrated with the district’s plan to slash her program. She points out that it pays for itself and may even bring in revenue because the district receives about $3,000 a year in state money for each student who enrolls.

Frazer, who is president of the association that represents counselors, therapists and school nurses, said fewer counselors would mean a higher caseload for those who remain. She has seniority, however, and said her job would not be affected.

Already, Frazer said, each high school counselor is responsible for about 525 students. If the cuts go through, next year each high school counselor would have 800 students.

Frazer said she brings home about three hours of work each night and goes to campus on weekends and in the early morning to meet with parents who work days. Being responsible for more students may push the already overworked counselors over the edge, she said.

“When you go into education, you know there’s going to be homework,” she said. “But this is impossible; it physically just can’t be done. There’s not enough time.”

Frazer asked why the district can’t make more cuts in its administrative budget instead of crippling programs that help keep students in school. She isn’t alone.

Recent weeks have seen growing momentum among community members, angry parents and some school board members to save the counselors, at-risk classes and other educational programs.

Parental protests helped save a $25,000 military Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Crescenta Valley High School. The ROTC program--which serves about 150 students--was slated for elimination under Sanchis’ budget, but it was saved when Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich came up with county money.

A $20,000 ROTC program at Hoover High, with only about 40 students, however, is still on the cutting block.

Sidnie Myrick, president of the Glendale Teachers Assn., wrote Sanchis that members had “some very serious concerns regarding what was included and not included in your proposed budget recommendations.” The letter asked Sanchis to reconsider cuts that would hurt instructional programs.

Vic Pallos, the public information officer for Glendale Unified, said the district has already proposed cutting up to 25% of the district administration as part of Sanchis’ proposal, including two of its 10 top managers. The district has also proposed asking administrators to take a one-time pay cut of up to 10%, depending on their rank.