September 2007 News
Friday, September 21, 2007
Instrumental Music in the Santa Barbara Elementary School District
Correction: Due to an error, Santa Barbara Education Foundation support of the elementary program was inadvertently deleted from the original article. The correction is reflected in the text below.
In the 2006-07 school year, the elementary music program provided instruction to students in grades 4-6 in each of the ten non-charter elementary schools. Instruction was provided by four full-/part-time music teachers, which was the equivalent of three full-time teachers (i.e., FTEs, an acronym for full time equivalents). Due to budget constraints, the 2007-08 school year started with two full-time music teachers in the elementary district rather than three FTEs. The result was that we were unable to provide music instruction for all elementary schools.
The plan is to increase and enrich the elementary instructional music program by providing the following services at all ten non-charter schools:
- classroom instrumental music instruction for all fourth-grade students once per week;
- instrumental music instruction for all continuing fifth- and sixth-grade students once per week;
- all-district orchestra and band once per week and special events during the year.
In order to meet the three-point plan, the projected budget is $256,000. The current available funding is $157,000. With additional Santa Barbara Education Foundation support of $25,000 this leaves a shortfall of $74,000.
At the September 11, 2007 meeting of the board of education, the board voted to fully fund the elementary instrumental, music program, as described above, with $74,000 coming from the elementary district’s general fund.
Assistant Superintendent Robin Sawaske stated, “We are excited about the opportunity to expand and enrich our instrumental program for elementary school students. One of the most exciting components of the program is the all-school orchestra and band. Each week, students from across the district will come together to have fun, build friendships, and create something wonderful.”
The elementary music program is now underway at several school sites and it is expected to be fully staffed in October, when the remaining positions are filled and the legal employment processing requirements have been met (e.g., fingerprint clearance).