To: Ms. Sandra Duckworth

From: Sarah Filkins, on behalf of Unit 4 Music Teachers

Date: February 7, 2011

We would like to offer the following considerations for any plans to redesign K-12 band and strings instruction:

·        At the elementary level, students at each school should receive band/strings instruction at least twice a week for 30 minutes. 

Four schools (Bottenfield, Carrie Busey, Dr. Howard, and Westview) have a section of strings meeting only once a week for 45 minutes.  This presents an equity concern, as students at other schools are receiving instrumental instruction twice a week for 30 minutes.  Especially in these beginning levels, regular practice and contact with a music teacher are crucial to student success.

If there are music teachers with available time in their schedules, the first priority should be scheduling all elementary classes twice a week.

·       Elementary band and strings instruction should take place during the school day. 

Currently four schools (Bottenfield, Carrie Busey, South Side, and Westview) schedule strings classes before the school day begins.  Students who ride buses or are otherwise unable to get an early ride to school are automatically excluded from the strings program.  Scheduling during the school day also allows the instrumental teacher to interact with other teachers and students and become a part of the school culture.  This is very helpful in recruiting and retaining music students.

·       We must maintain all music staff positions in order to provide the current level of quality instruction.

We are already providing a quality instrumental program at 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools with a minimal number of music teachers.  Any staffing cut will affect the quality of the entire program.  Last year the community acknowledged the need for a strong elementary foundation and asked that the program be maintained.  Student enrollment is growing in instrumental music (including guitar and music theory) at the high school level.  To effectively serve these numbers of students, we need all of the current positions.  

Music staff members are more than willing to work towards solving any scheduling and class size issues.  Instrumental music teachers have worked on this repeatedly for several years.  We are asking for help from administrators and CFT representatives to make the practical changes.  As teachers, we do not have the ability to make schedule changes for fellow teachers and building administrators.  In 2010, the school board asked district administrators to schedule elementary band and strings during the school day, and this has not yet been accomplished.  With adequate time and support, we know that we can help to redesign the delivery of instruction in a way that uses resources effectively, but also maintains the integrity of our music program.