Plan C it is for music program in Dist. 204

[casey]

Plan C it is for music program in Dist. 204
By Justin Kmitch | Daily Herald StaffContact writerPublished: 5/18/2010

www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=381541&src=76

With Superintendent Kathryn Birkett holding the proverbial gun to their heads, Indian Prairie board members late Monday approved a last-ditch effort to salvage about 90 percent of the district's music program.

By a vote of 5-2, board members ushered in Plan C, the second plan presented since the district announced March 22 it would eliminate the music technique program at the middle school level.

Birkett pushed for a resolution to the plan introduced two weeks ago, saying staffing levels remained one of the lone outstanding issues of the district's $21.4 million austerity program. And Plan C reduces the number of teachers released from 19 in the initial proposal to 9. Of those 10 additional teachers, two would be specifically assigned to the elementary music program and eight would work where they were needed in the district's music program.

"At this point, school will be out before you have another board meeting and if we're going to bring any staff back, we have to ba able to bring those people back before the end of the school year," she said.

Otherwise, the district could find itself in a position of paying unemployment benefits to a teacher only to hire them right back.

Plan C also reinstates the middle school technique program to about 80-90 percent of its current instruction; reinstates the fifth-grade instrumental music program that had been restricted in a previous plan and charges a $108 fee annually for each sixth- through 12th-grade instrumental music students.

Several board members, including Cathy Piehl and Alka Tyle who voted against the plan, listed the fee as a primary roadblock despite the administration's promise that no child would be turned away from participating if their families couldn't afford the fee.

"That's a huge detriment," Piehl said. "There are going to be families who can't afford it but would never ask for money and the child is left out."

Mark Metzger agreed, calling the fee abysmal, among other things but also the difference between a thriving music program and no music program.

"It's (the fee) way too high but I don't know what else to do," he said. "If the state funding comes back, I don't have the slightest problem getting rid of that fee. The fee is wrong, but what it's doing is giving those parents the same opportunity as the athletic parents and everybody else, which is the chance to let their kid participate out of their own pocket."

Dawn DeSart agreed the plan has holes but she felt compelled to approve it based on the work and determination of administration and the music staff members.

"Plan C is not perfect but it's the best we can do with the collaboration of the administration and the music leaders in this district," DeSart said.

With the staffing head count set, after the plan's approval, Birkett said staff members will continue to work out kinks in the plan.

[doctorwho]

May 18, 2010 8:00:49 GMT -6 casey said:

Plan C it is for music program in Dist. 204
By Justin Kmitch | Daily Herald StaffContact writerPublished: 5/18/2010

www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=381541&src=76

With Superintendent Kathryn Birkett holding the proverbial gun to their heads, Indian Prairie board members late Monday approved a last-ditch effort to salvage about 90 percent of the district's music program.

By a vote of 5-2, board members ushered in Plan C, the second plan presented since the district announced March 22 it would eliminate the music technique program at the middle school level.

Birkett pushed for a resolution to the plan introduced two weeks ago, saying staffing levels remained one of the lone outstanding issues of the district's $21.4 million austerity program. And Plan C reduces the number of teachers released from 19 in the initial proposal to 9. Of those 10 additional teachers, two would be specifically assigned to the elementary music program and eight would work where they were needed in the district's music program.

"At this point, school will be out before you have another board meeting and if we're going to bring any staff back, we have to ba able to bring those people back before the end of the school year," she said.

Otherwise, the district could find itself in a position of paying unemployment benefits to a teacher only to hire them right back.

Plan C also reinstates the middle school technique program to about 80-90 percent of its current instruction; reinstates the fifth-grade instrumental music program that had been restricted in a previous plan and charges a $108 fee annually for each sixth- through 12th-grade instrumental music students.

Several board members, including Cathy Piehl and Alka Tyle who voted against the plan, listed the fee as a primary roadblock despite the administration's promise that no child would be turned away from participating if their families couldn't afford the fee.

"That's a huge detriment," Piehl said. "There are going to be families who can't afford it but would never ask for money and the child is left out."

Mark Metzger agreed, calling the fee abysmal, among other things but also the difference between a thriving music program and no music program.

"It's (the fee) way too high but I don't know what else to do," he said. "If the state funding comes back, I don't have the slightest problem getting rid of that fee. The fee is wrong, but what it's doing is giving those parents the same opportunity as the athletic parents and everybody else, which is the chance to let their kid participate out of their own pocket."

Dawn DeSart agreed the plan has holes but she felt compelled to approve it based on the work and determination of administration and the music staff members.

"Plan C is not perfect but it's the best we can do with the collaboration of the administration and the music leaders in this district," DeSart said.

With the staffing head count set, after the plan's approval, Birkett said staff members will continue to work out kinks in the plan.

OK - gee silly question - so if the savings was needed to close the budget gap- what goes in it's place ? Increase the sports fees even more ? Cut something else ?


I guess when you upset a few of the SB and Admin's pals with a cut - it gets reversed... and people wondered how MV got approved and placed in the North --

[Arch]

"Mark Metzger agreed, calling the fee abysmal, among other things but also the difference between a thriving music program and no music program."

Really? Getting rid of all of the music program was the alternative?

[al]

"The fee is wrong, but what it's doing is giving those parents the same opportunity as the athletic parents and everybody else, which is the chance to let their kid participate out of their own pocket."


See, this is what I don't get - they are comparing apples to oranges. Do students in daily P.E. pay an extra annual fee? Not to my knowledge - if they do then we personally owe Neuqua a big chunk of money. They are not talking about extracurricular music specifically, but ALL music. Is this fee then for the student who participates in curricular Band, Chorus or Orchestra? What about Music Theory? What about Theater? All are curricular.

There is already a significant fee to participate in Marching Band, much the same as there is one for Football. This is Extracurricular - a totally different animal.

Is it because daily PE is a graduation requirement?

[Arch]

Just think of any fee hike or addition of any fee as a backdoor tax.... on the flip side, it taxes those that use it.

[al]

then at the very least - to clarify - they should not be comparing it to extracurricular athletic fees. This is more akin to the Technology Fee charged for Computer Graphics for printing, or the $100/yr. we spend on books for Honors English courses to be written in (and rendered useless for later).
Even if many can afford it, do they not see that with these fees upon fees we are at risk of being priced out of certain classes? This is not college, it is a PUBLIC school. How long before parents add up the various fees and make course decisions based on them? A student in AP or Honors courses, music and driver's ed (for example) can easily see their annual fee upwards of $600, and that is all curricular - not even going into the extracurricular area. The Grammy-winning music program would simply not be where it is today without literally thousands of dollars being spent on outside private music lessons, camps and clinics.

Just because we CAN afford it doesn't mean we should (and many cannot.)

I don't know the solution, but then I'm not an elected representative or paid staff member who purports to know how to run the district. Just know that we pay more than enough in taxes, and the more we give the more they will spend.

[doctorwho]

May 18, 2010 9:28:46 GMT -6 al said:

then at the very least - to clarify - they should not be comparing it to extracurricular athletic fees. This is more akin to the Technology Fee charged for Computer Graphics for printing, or the $100/yr. we spend on books for Honors English courses to be written in (and rendered useless for later).
Even if many can afford it, do they not see that with these fees upon fees we are at risk of being priced out of certain classes? This is not college, it is a PUBLIC school. How long before parents add up the various fees and make course decisions based on them? A student in AP or Honors courses, music and driver's ed (for example) can easily see their annual fee upwards of $600, and that is all curricular - not even going into the extracurricular area. The Grammy-winning music program would simply not be where it is today without literally thousands of dollars being spent on outside private music lessons, camps and clinics.

Just because we CAN afford it doesn't mean we should (and many cannot.)

I don't know the solution, but then I'm not an elected representative or paid staff member who purports to know how to run the district. Just know that we pay more than enough in taxes, and the more we give the more they will spend.

no truer statement in this district - just drive past the monument to that on Eola-- a misinformed public gave them $124M to spend - they spent $150M...which is why we are even talking about these fees and 203 is not.

[al]

I can GUARANTEE these fees will be released in little dribs and drabs so that the average family doesn't really have the option of adding them up at once and making a decision based on that. As it is my upcoming Freshman has selected his courses for next year and we have heard nothing about any individual costs. Signed up for Marching Band and paid the first installment but that fee is "subject to change." First week of school he is guaranteed to bring home a book list for Hon. English and Social Studies to be bought. Little Technology fee here, maybe a towel fee for gym - who knows? Now we are contemplating paying for teachers with fees? What's next? we don't have significant interest in (fill in the blank) so if we want to keep the class each student has to pay X amount to take it?

Too far gone - it may take a near dismantling of the system to get it right.

Don't even get me going on the TWO home games Neuqua will be playing on their field. (Home game #3 is vs. Waubonsie so it is at NCC). Cut cut cut!

But look on the bright side, at least we have plasma TVs, smart boards and a new wind turbine to look forward to.

done ranting - i promise (for now!)

[Arch]

If you add up all the fees paid to 204 for regular participation throughout the year in the average school kid's life it's easily a grand.

That may fluctuate a couple of hundred per year +- but it's not far off.

They complained about the state not living up to its 'constitutional obligation' regarding funding but keep forgetting that right above the part they reference it also says that education shall be free in that same State Constitution.

[brant]

May 18, 2010 9:31:29 GMT -6 doctorwho said:

May 18, 2010 9:28:46 GMT -6 al said:

then at the very least - to clarify - they should not be comparing it to extracurricular athletic fees. This is more akin to the Technology Fee charged for Computer Graphics for printing, or the $100/yr. we spend on books for Honors English courses to be written in (and rendered useless for later).
Even if many can afford it, do they not see that with these fees upon fees we are at risk of being priced out of certain classes? This is not college, it is a PUBLIC school. How long before parents add up the various fees and make course decisions based on them? A student in AP or Honors courses, music and driver's ed (for example) can easily see their annual fee upwards of $600, and that is all curricular - not even going into the extracurricular area. The Grammy-winning music program would simply not be where it is today without literally thousands of dollars being spent on outside private music lessons, camps and clinics.

Just because we CAN afford it doesn't mean we should (and many cannot.)

I don't know the solution, but then I'm not an elected representative or paid staff member who purports to know how to run the district. Just know that we pay more than enough in taxes, and the more we give the more they will spend.

no truer statement in this district - just drive past the monument to that on Eola-- a misinformed public gave them $124M to spend - they spent $150M...which is why we are even talking about these fees and 203 is not.

Misinformed we were as well as tricked being led to believe we desperately needed what we now know was completely unnessessary and has led to disastrous results. Interesting how easy it is to spend other peoples money. Kind of like the SB being let loose in a casino with taxpayer money.

[EagleDad]

May 18, 2010 9:38:20 GMT -6 al said:

But look on the bright side, at least we have ... a new wind turbine to look forward to.

Why do we need a new wind turbine, is Mark Metzger leaving? (rimshot)

Sorry, couldn't resist ;D ;D