Can't stop the music
Published on May 28th, 2003
STONEHAM, MA - While none of this year's budget cuts was music to anyone's ears, elimination of the fifth grade Instrumental Music Program was a devastating piece of news to many.
The realization of this was especially poignant on Thursday when Stoneham Public Schools Director of Performing Arts Bob Lague put together a video presentation for the School Committee showcasing the enormous talent of some of Stoneham's finest student musicians.
In the first presentation, School Committee members viewed the Stoneham High School Chorale's recent performance at Disney World, an event Lague described as outstanding.
The second presentation was a clip of Channel 5's A-Plus segment which recently featured the best high school trumpet player in the country, Stoneham High School Senior Eric Blackman.
"We're very proud of Eric. He began in our fifth grade program," Lague said of his student who will attend Lague's alma mater next year, The New England Conservatory.
However, the success of future Stoneham music students, some say, is in jeopardy with the elimination of the fifth grade Instrumental Music Program next year. The tough budget climate made the cut inevitable as the School Committee tried to preserve the integrity of the classroom as well as teaching jobs with the limited funds available next year.
However, according to Stoneham Music Parents Association President Mel Blackman (Eric's father), elimination of the fifth grade program will have far reaching effects, and could mean the demise of the high school music program.
Blackman insists that picking up an instrument in fifth grade is a far different endeavor than waiting until sixth grade or later. During the Middle School years, playing an instrument may be looked at as doing something that varies from the crowd, a particular concern to Middle School age students.
"It's cooler to carry a football jersey or a baseball bat than a clarinet."
In addition, Blackman pointed out that it takes many years to become proficient at an instrument and the earlier a child starts, the better. Blackman also said that every student in the high school band picked up an instrument in fifth grade.
"Unfortunately, it's going to be seen over the long haul as really disastrous, as knocking the foundation out from under the house ...You may not have to worry about making cuts to the music program in future years. It will be fading away on its own through nonparticipation."
Music parent Judy Katz echoed Blackman's sentiments, calling the cut to the music program "devastating."
Katz pointed out to the Independent that money is poured into the town's Dare program which teaches kids what not to do, but along with that, kids need to be given something to do.
While Katz believes that sports are also important for kids, "there is something about the arts that's much more emotional."
According to another member of the Music Parents Association, Neil Grover, Stoneham's music program has been behind the programs of adjacent communities even when it was fully funded.
"How much more dismantling can the program endure?" he asked the committee.
"I one hundred percent agree with you," said committee member David Sheils. "It came down to us saying where do we cut - Math, English or Music? Unfortunately, there is no MCAS for music."
In response to Blackman's inquiry as to whether or not the fifth grade music program is on a priority list to be put back if money comes through, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Connelly stated that at one time, such a list existed in the hope that two revenue generating programs might yield as much as $200,000 for such. However, the full day Kindergarten program now looks only to break even, and revenue from the extended after school child care program is likely to approach only about $40,000.
Connelly also clarified that although offered during school hours, the Instrumental Music Program is an optional activity and not part of the curriculum until high school.
While the Stoneham Music Parents Association has supported the music program financially, through paying various district fees, providing transportation and even funding scholarships, raising the $12,000 to $15,000 needed to run a year of the fifth grade program is more than the typical bake sale or car wash could yield.
"We cannot possibly raise the funds."
Blackman said his committee is asking parents to sign a petition in support of bringing back the program. In addition, the committee is expected to discuss at it's next meeting the feasibility of seeking a grant to fund the program for a year.
Committee Chairman Marc Grimaldi stated that while the School Committee voted in favor of the cuts, it did not support all of them. To add insult to injury, Grimaldi warned that the picture looks just as bleak for the next few years.
Committee member Cheryl Walsh called the budget climate that led to the cuts "horrendous," and encouraged more parents to come forward to share ideas for alternative funding sources. In North Andover, she said, a canteen truck provides revenue for some school programs. She and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Joseph Casey have already met with some parents regarding the writing of grants. As the committee has been forced to do with athletics, assessing a fee for the music program is one idea under consideration.
Though none of her children was involved in the Stoneham High School Band, long time committee member Marie Christie always had a particular interest in it, pouring her time and energy into supporting it, even purchasing two sets of uniforms for the band that has worked hard on rebuilding itself.
"It has taken us 14 years to get us back to where we were. This cut to me was one of the more devastating ones ... I will work to the best of my ability to get that money back in there."
North East Metropolitan Regional Vocational School
During tough budget times, big ticket items become highly visible. So was the case in budget talks earlier this year when the cost of sending Stoneham students to out-of-district vocational schools came to light.
The town of Stoneham is part of the North East Metropolitan Regional Vocational School district. Each year, as part of the town budget, an assessment is paid to North East, which is located in Wakefield, enabling Stoneham students the opportunity to attend vocational school rather than Stoneham High School.
Recently, however, the School Committee took note of seven requests made by Stoneham students to attend the out-of-district Minuteman Vocational School in Lexington at a cost to the town of $14,025 per student with additional transportation charges of over $2,000 per student.
Following assurances from North East Superintendent James Pelly that his school was capable of offering the seven students the same programs as Minuteman, Connelly rejected all seven requests.
Minuteman has since acquiesced on one of the requests, but has appealed to the Department of Education on the other six.
Pelly told the School Committee on Thursday, that the major difference between Minuteman's and North East's programs is in the marketing.
According to Pelly, enrollment at Minuteman is down and the school is doing what it can, including looking outside its own district, to bring in more students. Developing courses not offered at other schools is another tactic, Pelly said.
Minuteman has also drawn students from other out-of-district towns, including Cambridge, Malden and Woburn. Currently, the DOE is reviewing a total of 167 appeals.
"I'm really surprised because now they're in Stoneham. This is a long way from Lexington," Pelly said.
He acknowledged that North East, a building originally built for 900 students and which now holds 1176, is crowded and budget cuts have prevented him from expanding curriculum as quickly as Minuteman seemingly has. However, North East is working to combat the situation by forming a collaborative with other vocational schools in order to share resources. If one school does not offer a particular major, then a student would be able to attend a collaborative school for that major. In addition, North East is in the process of adding an HVAC major. The school's next addition is expected to be a Drafting and Design.
"We do a better job. I don't see how we can't win this one," Pelly said, adding that he believes the DOE will be fair in its decision.
Connelly expects the DOE's decision on the six appeals by early June.
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