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Health or music?

Date: 2/17/2009

School Committee takes input on which program to cut in FY100



By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW -- What's more important to a well-rounded education -- instrumental music or health?

The opinions vary widely, depending on who is asked. Two parents of children who were either in the fourth grade instrumental program or were in the program last year said they thought it was necessary at a school budget hearing on Feb. 4.

Another parent at that same hearing said a health program was very important, and that he's had three daughters go through Longmeadow High School without a health class.

Why the debate? The proposed School Department budget for Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) lists the elimination of the instrumental music program at Blueberry Hill, Center and Wolf Swamp schools at a savings of $48,000 and the addition of a health teacher at the high school at a cost of $50,000. Concerned parents and teachers are voicing their opinions on which program may be more needed.

"There are a number of reasons for addressing health now," School Committee chair Christine Swanson said at the budget hearing on Feb. 4. "We're seeing an increase of incidents at the high school level that could be minimized with prevention, if we give them [the students] tools."

Information provided at the hearing added that reintroducing a health program was based also on "recent data from the Department of Education...as well as numerous requests made by Longmeadow parents and local health care providers."

Debbie Taylor, president of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) and an advocate for the health program, said she was "actually quite shocked" when she saw it had been added to the FY10 proposed budget, considering the state of the economy.

"I'm very excited about it," Taylor told Reminder Publications. "I think it's gonna be good." She added that she hopes high school principal Larry Berte will take parent input on how the program should be structured and what it should cover.

The PAC has been funding health presentations for the high school in the form of assemblies for the past two years and is currently working on setting up a health resource room at the high school, where students will be able to access different health information and talk to health professionals.

Jay Burton, the father who spoke at the budget hearing of his three daughters, commended the School Committee for "realizing the importance" of the health program.

High school senior Jessica Shao said, "If [the health program] does happen, it will be beneficial because of the obesity and a lot of kids eat really unhealthy. I feel like students would not be happy with a health program because they would have less electives...but it is necessary."

Juniors Deidra Felici and Dmitriy Donskoy agreed, both saying they thought a health program would be "a good idea."

Others aren't as happy with the proposed budget's staff reductions.

Michael Mucci, chair of the Music Department at Longmeadow High School, asked the School Committee at their Feb. 9 meeting that the fourth grade instrumental music program not be cut.

"It's a mistake educationally and financially," Mucci said. "The school has tackled tough economic times before, yet through all the previous crises, the music program remained intact."

He noted that Longmeadow's music program is nationally recognized, with several groups performing at Carnegie Hall recently.

"By cutting this [fourth grade] program, you're cutting the introduction to strings and the orchestra at the same time," Mucci said. Since middle school students are more drawn to woodwind and brass instruments, the string section -- which is what fourth graders are introduced to -- would suffer the most, according to Mucci.

He described the fourth grade program as the roots of the high school music program, and "without roots, the tree will die."

"I respectfully ask that two-tenths of a percent be found in the budget that's not going to salaries be used to save the program," Mucci said.

Marcie Kearing, a kindergarten teacher at Center School, said this is not an "either/or" situation.

"To pay for the [music] program, it's a very small amount," Kearing told the School Committee. She added that starting the instrumental program in fourth grade allows the children to become passionate about music.

So which position will be funded by the FY10 budget?

"Right now, the School Committee is trying to add a full-time health teacher," Berte explained. "This is a priority to all those involved. Even though there are limited resources, health education is a priority."

"The outcome and quality of the [music] program is real," School Committee member Geoff Weigand stated at the Feb. 9 meeting. "This is something for us to be considering."

"We all acknowledge the value of the music program," Superintendent E. Jahn Hart said, "but we don't have an alternative proposal."

Swanson said she supports both the music and health programs. And, while Taylor is excited for the health program, she stated that she doesn't want to see a teacher lose a position to get the health program started.

At their Feb. 9 meeting, the School Committee approved their $31,239,339 budget for FY10, and Swanson noted that where the monies are allocated inside that budget is still "very fluid."

Amendments to the budget can be made all the way up to and during the Annual Town Meeting, which is scheduled for April 28. If the schools don't make a decision on which program to keep by then, voters can.

Staff Intern Kait Schroyer contributed to this story..