[Grovenet] An Important Matter
Ed Davie
edavie at verizon.net
Thu Mar 29 17:21:58 PDT 2007
Amen!
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: Tracy Irwin
To: grovenet at rdrop.com
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
I think it does matter, but I also think it will
be a terrible shame to lose this program. Both of
my girls participate. I tried to figure out how
many students and I think it was over 400 district
wide. That was based on who showed up at
concerts, it may be more than that.
Arts are basic, music is basic. This is a
wonderful gift that public money is giving to the
future governors or our world.
The proposal to move the schedule is a failure
of imagination, not necessarily a lack of money.
My concern is that continuity will be lost at
TMUES and students will not continue with music.
It is life skill enhancing to learn to work
together as a group and studies have shown time
and time again that math skills are sharpened by
playing an instrument while young.
This is not about money, it's about test scores.
How dumb is that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Ron D'Eau Claire"
<rondec at easystreet.com>
Reply-To: Forest Grove local interests list
<grovenet at rdrop.com>
To: "'Forest Grove local interests list'"
<grovenet at rdrop.com>
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 09:40:19 -0700
>How is that, Ed?
>
>Marian asked what percentage of the students
participate in a
>publicly-funded student activity at the
school and you say it doesn't
>matter?
>
>Steve was very clear that his concern that
moving band to an after-school
>activity meant it would be easier to justify
limiting funds for the program
>should budgets grow even tighter.
>
>Surely you don't advocate opening the public
purse without asking how many
>benefit.
>
>Ron D'Eau Claire
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com
[mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
>Behalf Of Ed Davie
>Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 10:53 AM
>To: redwagon at coho.net; Forest Grove local
interests list
>Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
>
>
>That doesn't matter!
>Ed
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marian Cakarnis
> To: stevedj at teleport.com ; 'Forest Grove
local
>interests list'
> Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 10:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important
Matter
>
>
> I'm just wondering what percentage of
students
>participate in Band and
> Orchestra at Tom McCall?
> Marian
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com
>[mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
> Behalf Of STEVE JERRETT
> Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 9:01 PM
> To: grovenet at rdrop.com
> Subject: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
>
> As many of you are aware, high stakes
testing
>has dominated the educational
> landscape over the last decade. School
districts
>are pressured by State and
> Federal bureaucratic entities far removed
from
>the reality of the classroom.
>
> This narrow pursuit of proficiency
produces a
>very undesirable side-effect.
> Any subject not deemed important is
relegated to
>second class status. The
> arts-music, drama, art-are all trampled by
the
>"meeting the standard"
> stampede.
>
> This scenario is playing out now in the
Forest
>Grove School District. Test
> score are lagging at Tom McCall Middle
School.
>Feeling the pressure,
> administrators are looking for reasons for
and
>solutions to the shortfall.
> Administrative mind set, predictably,
focuses on
>the arts as an easy
> "scapegoat." Arts classes are
traditionally
>viewed by many administrators
> as superficial and expendable. The case in
point
>is no exception. Tom McCall
> Principal Al Rogers has proposed a plan to
>reduce the status of Band and
> Orchestra classes from their rightful
place in
>the school curriculum to an
> after- school activity.
>
> I am posting the following letter on
Greene
>because I know that many of you
> value a diversified educational system
that
>values all endeavors.
>
>
> To: Music Performance Students, Parents
and
>Friends of Music Education.
> Re: A Call to Action
>
>
>
> Dear Students, Parents and Friends:
>
>
> I am writing this letter to inform you of
a
>situation that could negatively
> impact the Forest Grove School District
music
>program. District
> administrators are considering a plan to
remove
>the Band and Orchestra
> classes from the regular school day at Tom
>McCall Upper Elementary School.
> This plan would reduce the status of music
>performance groups from their
> rightful place as a part of the school
>curriculum to an after school
> activity. The implementation of this
plan
>could negatively effect the
> quality our performance groups for years
to
>come.
>
> After 30 years of experience as a public
school
>music educator, specifically
> as a director of performance groups, I can
state
>with confidence that this
> move will have nothing but a detrimental
effect
>on our performance groups.
> Reduced student participation in the
elementary
>schools will impact the
> middle and high school programs for years.
The
>effects of this plan can
> never be reversed.
>
> Also, if this plan becomes reality, it
could
>have serious ramifications to
> the very survival of these valuable
programs. If
>music performance groups
> are reduced in status to an after school
>activity, they will stand a much
> greater chance of being cut in financially
hard
>times. It is imperative that
> this plan not be implemented.
>
> Therefore, I am asking each and every one
of you
>to take action to assure
> that this plan is not implemented. Here
are
>some actions that you can take
> to help assure that it is not:
>
> Write a letter to, or email our
Superintendent,
>Jack Musser, school board
> Chairwoman, Susan Winterbourne and Tom
McCall
>Principal Al Rogers. Try to
> make sure the letter arrives before the
April 9
>meeting of the Board of
> Directors. Mailing and email addresses
will
>follow this letter.
> Attend the next meeting of our Board of
>Directors on Monday, April 9, at
> 7:00 p.m. in the Grove Room at the School
>District office. You can address
> the board regarding this issue at the
beginning
>of the meeting during the
> unscheduled public appearances. Be sure
to
>sign in before the meeting to
> assure yourself a spot on the agenda.
> Give this letter to as many people you can
>between now and the April 9
> meeting. Nothing is more effective than
large
>numbers of people to support a
> cause.
>
> In closing, I urge you to help assure that
our
>music groups continue to
> thrive. Your support and involvement can
make a
>difference.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Steve Jerrett
> Parent, District Patron and Music Educator
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Contact Information:
>
> Jack Musser
> Superintendent of Schools
> Forest Grove School District
> 1728 Main Street
> Forest Grove, Oregon 97116
> Phone: 503-359-2414
> Email: jmusser at fgsd.k12.or.us
>
>
> Susan Winterbourne
> Chair, Board of Directors
> Forest Grove School District
> 1728 Main Street
> Forest Grove, Oregon 97116
> Email: swinterbourne at fgsd.k12.or.us
>
>
> Al Rogers
> Principal, Tom McCall Upper Elementary
School
> 1341 Pacific Avenue
> Forest Grove, Oregon 97116
> Email: arogers at fgsd.k12.or.us
>
>
>
>
> Steve Jerrett
> stevedj at teleport.com
> EarthLink Revolves Around You.
>
>
>
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