School workers face tough choices as budget cuts loom in Maryland district

Over 400 school jobs in Montgomery County, Maryland, could vanish when officials vote on Thursday. The cuts follow a budget dispute where county leaders approved only a small fraction of the school system’s funding request. Among those at risk is Kate Heald, a college and career advisor at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School. Her role helps students plan their next steps after graduation, from choosing colleges to figuring out how to pay for them. Beyond paperwork, she also arranges transportation for students who need rides to interviews or ensures translators are available for families who don’t speak English fluently. Heald has worked year-round to support students, many of whom come from tough backgrounds. She recalled how the class of 2026 stood out not just for their grades but for their kindness and teamwork. At graduation, the student body showed their appreciation by applauding Heald and other counselors who’d guided them. The moment moved her to tears. Before the ceremony, students who’d heard about possible job cuts even visited her office to ask how they could help. Some wrote letters to the school board in her defense.Despite the uncertainty, Heald accepts whatever happens with quiet resolve. Close to retirement, she worries more about younger staff starting their careers in a tough job market. She doesn’t blame local leaders for the tough decisions they face, understanding budgets are tight everywhere. Still, she hopes the school board considers the real impact on students who rely on these roles. Her final weeks of the school year brought small but meaningful victories. One student, who lost a family member, earned multiple scholarships, while another secured funding to study nursing. At graduation, the nursing student blew Heald a kiss—a simple but powerful reminder of how much these counselors mean to their students.