[Grovenet] An Important Matter
Ed Davie
edavie at verizon.net
Thu Mar 29 16:54:54 PDT 2007
Lets just say that Music would be one of the last
things I would cut, right along with language and
math.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron D'Eau Claire
To: 'Forest Grove local interests list'
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
If knowing that the expenditure will benefit
students is all that's required
to obligate the funds, why do our schools have
to economize at all?
I've always had to work with a budget. That
requires allocating limited
funds where I think they are needed most, even
delaying expenditures may
cost me important benefits now and in the
future.
I don't know enough about the situation to know
whether I agree with Steve,
but I certainly understand his concern: if band
is allowed to be
marginalized as an after-school activity, it's
more likely to see funds cut
if budgets get tighter.
That's why I thought Marian asked a very
interesting, important question:
"I'm just wondering what percentage of students
participate in Band and
Orchestra at Tom McCall?"
Ron D'Eau Claire
-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com
[mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Ed Davie
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:57 AM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
I do in fact. Even if only one student
participated (not likely) it would benefit
him/her
and the rest of the school district along with
life in the real world. Rather extreme, I know,
but I've seen the results many times in the
past.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron D'Eau Claire
To: 'Forest Grove local interests list'
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:40 AM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
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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