MONROE - The issue of adding a fourth position for the Monroe band program has reached its final stanza: There will be just three instructors teaching Monroe middle and high school students next year.
The school board voted Monday to not include the fourth band position in next year's budget. Board member Amy Bazley cast the single vote against the motion.
Several board members expressed support for band, but noted the program will continue to be strong with three instructors.
"It's a great program," Mary Frantz said of the band program. "With three instructors, it will still be a great program."
Many band supporters would not agree. More than 80 band parents, students and supporters attended the school board's public hearing on the fourth band position May 11, speaking passionately about the need to keep four instructors to maintain the program's high standards. Students will suffer, they said, as three instructors won't have sufficient time to maintain the program, including the private lessons now offered quarterly.
The band program was cut from three to four instructors in 2006 in reaction to budget problems. A group calling itself Community Helping Instrumental Music Education, or CHIME, formed to raise donations to fund the fourth position. The group vowed to raise $140,000 to pay for the fourth instructor's salary and benefits package for three years.
Those three years end this summer. Earlier this spring, administration officials said adding the fourth band instructor back into the budget was not a priority.
Only one band supporter, Joe Tomasiewicz, attended Monday's meeting. He did not comment.
Band supporters have said the school district has money to add the fourth instructor. Because longtime instructors Randy Sievert and Tom Schilt are retiring this year, the district can actually hire new teachers on the bottom of the pay scale and save almost $19,000 over what it paid this year with the more senior teachers on staff.
Business Manager Ron Olson said Monday that while band supporters were technically correct, their assumption didn't take all factors into consideration. First, band supporters assumed new hires would take single insurance coverage, but there's no guarantee of that, Olson said.
Another big assumption is that new hires would be entry-level on the pay scale.
"The best instructor is not necessarily straight out of college," Olson said.
In fact, earlier in the meeting, the board hired a band instructor with a masters degree and 13 years teaching experience in Orangeville, Brian Bruggeman, to fill the third instructor position.
Finally, Olson said, the numbers provided by supporters didn't account for the early retirement benefit of $6,500 per retiree.
Bazley spoke in favor of the fourth position, saying that although she initially leaned toward keeping the position out of the budget, she had a change of heart after observing band students in the classroom. She pointed out band students get a lot of individual attention and the program will be forced to undergo a lot of changes with both retirements and the elimination of a position happening at the same time. She advocated keeping the instructor for a few years rather than eliminating it now.
Bob Erb disagreed, pointing to the district's library program, which was cut and then a position restored. During the same budget cuts that affected the band program in 2006, the district eliminated all but one library director position. It realized those cuts were too deep and restored a position this year to oversee libraries at the middle school, high school and charter schools. The same scenario could happen with band, if the program is too adversely affected by having three instructors, he said.
But the majority of the board doesn't feel that will happen.
Pam Wyss, who said her family has a personal interest in the band program, agreed the program will continue to be strong without the fourth position.
"I don't believe going to three instructors will tear apart the program," she said.
The school board voted Monday to not include the fourth band position in next year's budget. Board member Amy Bazley cast the single vote against the motion.
Several board members expressed support for band, but noted the program will continue to be strong with three instructors.
"It's a great program," Mary Frantz said of the band program. "With three instructors, it will still be a great program."
Many band supporters would not agree. More than 80 band parents, students and supporters attended the school board's public hearing on the fourth band position May 11, speaking passionately about the need to keep four instructors to maintain the program's high standards. Students will suffer, they said, as three instructors won't have sufficient time to maintain the program, including the private lessons now offered quarterly.
The band program was cut from three to four instructors in 2006 in reaction to budget problems. A group calling itself Community Helping Instrumental Music Education, or CHIME, formed to raise donations to fund the fourth position. The group vowed to raise $140,000 to pay for the fourth instructor's salary and benefits package for three years.
Those three years end this summer. Earlier this spring, administration officials said adding the fourth band instructor back into the budget was not a priority.
Only one band supporter, Joe Tomasiewicz, attended Monday's meeting. He did not comment.
Band supporters have said the school district has money to add the fourth instructor. Because longtime instructors Randy Sievert and Tom Schilt are retiring this year, the district can actually hire new teachers on the bottom of the pay scale and save almost $19,000 over what it paid this year with the more senior teachers on staff.
Business Manager Ron Olson said Monday that while band supporters were technically correct, their assumption didn't take all factors into consideration. First, band supporters assumed new hires would take single insurance coverage, but there's no guarantee of that, Olson said.
Another big assumption is that new hires would be entry-level on the pay scale.
"The best instructor is not necessarily straight out of college," Olson said.
In fact, earlier in the meeting, the board hired a band instructor with a masters degree and 13 years teaching experience in Orangeville, Brian Bruggeman, to fill the third instructor position.
Finally, Olson said, the numbers provided by supporters didn't account for the early retirement benefit of $6,500 per retiree.
Bazley spoke in favor of the fourth position, saying that although she initially leaned toward keeping the position out of the budget, she had a change of heart after observing band students in the classroom. She pointed out band students get a lot of individual attention and the program will be forced to undergo a lot of changes with both retirements and the elimination of a position happening at the same time. She advocated keeping the instructor for a few years rather than eliminating it now.
Bob Erb disagreed, pointing to the district's library program, which was cut and then a position restored. During the same budget cuts that affected the band program in 2006, the district eliminated all but one library director position. It realized those cuts were too deep and restored a position this year to oversee libraries at the middle school, high school and charter schools. The same scenario could happen with band, if the program is too adversely affected by having three instructors, he said.
But the majority of the board doesn't feel that will happen.
Pam Wyss, who said her family has a personal interest in the band program, agreed the program will continue to be strong without the fourth position.
"I don't believe going to three instructors will tear apart the program," she said.