Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I am writing today as a Gloucester County Public Schools teacher. Based on the county administrator’s proposed budget, I am concerned once again about the realistic possibility of the county not fully funding the school division’s FY18 budget request.

As you know, we teachers spend countless hours above our contracted time planning, creating resources and delivering additional help to the students who so desperately need it. Many of us then leave our classrooms to volunteer to help students on the playing fields and in other groups each evening. More are struggling to work at least one, possibly two extra jobs to make ends meet.

On top of all this, we are facing possible increases in health insurance premiums and no commensurate increases in compensation. This fact is disheartening to say the least, and we have lost some amazing educators over the past few years as they leave for jobs in other school divisions that provide more lucrative compensa...