By:Jennifer Marino
Johnson discussed the items that would have to be removed to achieve this goal, including stringed instrument classes in third grade, foreign language at the elementary level and new capital projects. It-s either bricks or personnel, said Johnson of eliminating the capital projects. There is a possibility that the construction work will be put into a bond issue.
Parents in attendance were most concerned about the loss of stringed instrument classes in third grade, noting the irony that earlier in the meeting, students who participated in the Long Island String Festival and all-state and all-county musicians had been honored.
Ralph Campanella, acting director of music and the performing arts, addressed the issue, saying that his staff had brought the idea to him long before the tight budget was a consideration. He said that between third grade, when strings are introduced, and fourth grade, when band instruments are introduced, 85 percent of students drop stringed instruments. The staff hoped to give third-graders an overview of music and teach them how to read music.
Parent Jeanette Meoli said she was disturbed by the decision and noted that strings are more challenging, which is why they need to be started earlier. Covert PTA Vice President Shereen Allen said that many children drop strings for the more glamorous band instruments that are introduced in fourth grade. Meoli suggested that this might not happen if kids could continue two instruments in the fourth grade. Parents also expressed their anxiety that with no permanent arts director involved in the budget process, there was no advocate for music.
I appreciate the sweat [that goes into the budget], said Covert PTA Vice President Tavora Buchman, but she was concerned that these cuts could be the first step in those programs shrinking.
Allen had also been part of the movement to bring foreign language education to the elementary schools, and was distressed to see it go. She urged the district to motivate the people who are going to vote yes.
Don-t think for one second this has been easy for us to look at, said Johnson, who added that he would do a survey of nearby school districts to see what their instrument lessons are like, including whether they let students take more than one instrument and in what grade the lessons start.
Decisions on the budget will not be finalized until the April 20 preliminary budget hearing, at South Side High School on Shepherd Street at 8:30 p.m. The budget vote is on Tuesday, May 18. If the state budget is late, the date of the vote could be changed to June 8.
