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Show April 23, 1986 Page Three The Pyramid Parents want to keep strings program in curriculum PLEASANT Parents of students enrolled in the North Sanpete School Districts orchestra program were upset when they discovered the district might not be including the strings program in the schools regular curriculum next year but instead scheduled it for the community education program. Parents of eighth grade students discovered the change only after their students were told they could not register for orchestra when scheduling their high school classes last week. Others discovered it through the grapevine. Expressions of disappointed, upset, and hate to see were comments made by parents interviewed by The Pyramid. Some parents blamed the school board for the emphasis on other programs such as New Canaan Math program which, they claim is siphoning MT. revenues away from recommends putting the string program back together if the district can find someone to teach it. Cook said the program would be the regular from dropped curriculum and placed on community education status at the of the adrecommendation ministration, in this case the district only after he had superintendent, other programs, like strings. One parent said dropping the strings program shows a lack of vision and lack of leadership on part of the ' districts administration. Others criticized the district for not being able to staff the program adequately. Still others were bitter for time and money invested in a five-yeprogram that may be suddenly dropped. Board president concerned Board President Frank Cook, shared concerns of angry parents and stressed that the board strongly checked out all the angles. Cook said he personally felt good about the program and will continue to fight to keep strings for the students.' It is my understanding, he said, that the district will continue to look Cook for a qualified instructor. added that the district would want someone who would be willing to cover all district schools, including the elementary levels. Not all optimistic But not all parents share Cooks optimism. Judi Reynolds, Spring City, whose daughter dropped out of the strings program after an embarassing Christmas concert says she was told by high school personnel that the district would fill all other vacancies first. Her daughter continues her studies privately with the Wasatch Academy strings teacher. ar Luella Hall, parent of a strings student and a teacher at Fairview Elementary says the district is going to have trouble justifying a e specialty teacher because of cut backs in federal funding. She full-tim- Supt. Johnson says program, district strings program unsettled North SanPLEASANT orchestra program petes struggling may be held under a community education curriculum beginning school year acwith the 1986-8- 7 to district Superintendent cording Harold Johnson. However, the decision to drop the strings porgram from the schools regular curriculum will come only after careful study, Superintendent Johnson said Friday, and there will be an effort to provide more opportunity for those who are interested in continuing an orchestra program. We arent making any speeches because were not really settled yet," he said and added that when the district was sure what it was going to do then parents would be advised. The strings program is not responding the way it was intended, he said, and we want to do something about it. Superintendent Johnson explained that five years ago when the strings program was begun there were about 300 students enrolled. At the beginning of the last school quarter only about 25 students were still in the program, with 15 students dropping strings this year. Staffing a challenge Were not going to say that staffing is the entire problem, but the truth remains weve had three teachers in the past three years, he said. He explained staffing a strings program has its own challenge because of the limited number of qualified instructors. To add to that obstacle, the district e cant afford to hire a strings teacher, but has to look for an instructor who can double in some other capacity. We hire the best we can get, but if we dont have the right people, the program isnt going to work. The staffing problem is one reason why a community education approach to the strings program is being considered, he said. There are a lot of qualified instructors within the community who dont have a MT. full-tim- said because of the negative experience this year her daughter, who has been in the program three years would never consider taking strings again. But Mrs. Hall suggested the district could work with South Sanpete School District and hire one strings teacher for both districts. Mrs. Hall expressed her concern with the quality of teacher needed for the program. It just breaks my heart, she said, that the district could not find a fully qualified person to teach the music program last year. Now the kids are so completely turned off, it will take somebody special to get them involved again. A Utopian task North Sanpete Middle School counselor, Gerald Rasmussen said finding someone to teach strings during the regular curriculum is a Utopian task, and that the school district is hoping they can hold strings during an eighth period class (after regular school hours; with someone from the community who is able to teach violin through the community education program. While that plan would keep the strings program alive, some parents feel the districts alternative will still deal a death blow to the orchestra because of conflicts with athletics and other school and church activities. Cultural link lost The main concern expressed by most parents who fear the district is phasing out the orchestra program is that a vital cultural link may be discontinued. Bruce Tidwell, who has two students in the districts string teachers certificate required for regular curriculum teaching, but who are well equipped to teach a specialty program. Nothing definite However, he cautioned, nothing definite has been decided and the district will be interviewing several applicants this week. We are still getting applicants in for this vacancy, he said, and we will be asking them if they can teach strings. Since a definite commitment has not been made, Superintendent Johnson said no decision has been made as to when the community education class would be held except that it would be after school. Superintendent Johnson said those parents who have concerns should contact the district office and talk to Rumors being circulated him. about the strings program are unfortunate, he said and stressed that the district was just as interested as parents in providing these says Charlene Palmer, who also has two students in the strings program, said she is willing to support the orchestra guild that was active a few years ago. It was a strong parent organization and, "1 think we. can get it going again, she said. Mrs. Palmer is sympathetic to the financial stress the school district must feel, but she, like other parents have also invested money by purchasing instruments (she has bought two violins) and by paying for private lessons. Katie Parnell, who also plays a string instrument, said she offered her assistance at the beginning of the current school year to help with students and play during per- - vested in private lessons feel their students are being cheated out of a positive music experience and that money they have spent for instruments may have been wasted. All but one said their students, even though they had a negative experience this year, wanted to be part of a strings program. Friday forum EPHRAI- M- Paul R. Warner, Director of Preservice Training at Brigham Young University, will be the guest speaker at Friday Forum on April 25, at noon, at the Ephraim LDS Institute of Religion. ofalurclay, (April 26, C'Ylorlh People program is atrocious. are always complaining that Sanpete doesnt have any culture and now the school wants to take the only bit of culture the county has and offer it after hours. Katie Pamnell, a teacher at the middle school said students have to have art and music to develop both sides of their brain and playing an instrument is a valuable way to develop these skills. Mrs. Parnells daughter, who has taken strings since fourth grade, was one of the students who dropped the program this year. Her sixth-grad- e son, who dropped out after the first month, continues to take private lessons. Other music classes dropped? Some parents also fear dropping the strings program is a prelude to dropping other music classes and worry that since band is not being offered to elementary students as it once was, that gradually band will be phased out also. But parents are not totally without Gch ool gTinpete 7 i-gUitorium m $clmission: $2.00 aJulls the dropping formances if necessary, but that help was refused by the teacher, she said. Some taking private lessons Janet Snell, Fairview, said she would be even willing to pay for her son to participate in a strings program if it wasnt too much. Her son, who also dropped out of the strings program this year, takes private lessons from a Snow College instructor. Most of the parents interviewed said their students were taking private lessons, but that they were missing out on the group experience and public performances needed to round out their music involvement. Those parents who have not in $ 1.00 sluJenls O'amily Jonaiton Sor $5-0- 0 further information contact: am 462-347- 6 appreciation for the districts dilema and are willing to do their part to help the strings program along. programs. Not sacrificing strings for math One unjustified concern he said was that the district was sacrificing its strings program for the New Canaan math program. First of all, he stressed, it isnt the New Canaan Math Program, it is the North Sanpete Math Program, and funding is being provided through state grants to conduct a pilot program. Money is not being taken away from the regular curriculum for the math program. He also said that the district was committed to providing the basic education skills of reading, writing and arithmetic because it felt these were the tools most needed by the students. In addition to a new band instructor, two other vacancies are being filled for the 1986-8- 7 school year. Katy Parnell and Catherine Ford will be leaving the North Sanpete Middle School. Mrs. Parnell and her husband are going to Spain and Miss Ford has accepted another teaching assignment, he said. Your signature on a petition could hit you with HIGHER property taxes. Coif 70 North State - Mt. Pleasant SUNDAY, APRIL 27 SPECIAL HALIBUT DINNER Complete with your phoice of drink and dessert TRY OUR DAILY SPECIALS Room and small groups CALL 462-232- 8 Rodger & Velma Johansen Uvi ....a The Utah Taxpayers Association, which represents businesses, wants you to sign a petition. They say it will cut your taxes. Yes, the petition will cut taxes for businesses. It appears that homeowners in most counties would not get a property tax break and that businesses will. Many homeowners could find themselves paying higher taxes on their homes. Nobody can say with certainty what this complicated initiative would do. Thats why were asking for an attorney generals opinion on the legal questions and an impact study on how it would affect all taxpayers. Until we get that information, ask yourself this question: . Will I be signing up for higher taxes if I put my name on a petition? Lowell Baum, Diane Allison, Rhett Potter, members.) (Paid with private funds by Citizens for Fair Taxation, Lenora Plothow, |