Strings down but not out
To the collective disappointment of the assembled crowd, the School Committee and Administration chose not to reinstate the budget line item for the middle school strings teacher at last night's School Committee meeting. Superintendent Antonucci also stated that strings was not among his top priorities this year and that any additional monies from the state would be applied in other areas first.
Striking a more positive note, Superintendent Antonucci indicated that the strings program would continue to be offered during middle school X-block twice a week through a partnership with the Prodigy Program. The bad news is that his preliminary figures suggest that the position will cost about $6,000 and that the full cost would be borne by the strings families. Assuming that all 26 orchestra players in the incoming 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes continue with orchestra (and we certainly hope they do) this will cost each family an additional $231 in user fees.
Obviously, our work is not yet done. We need to continue to encourage our school administrators to see the true value in Westwood's strings program. We need to remain actively engaged in the budget process early on to protect our interests. And we need to look for ways to fund our strings program that won't rely entirely on an unpredictable school budget process.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to everyone who turned out last night to support our strings program and to everyone who has visited SaveOurStringsProgram.com and voiced their opinion. Through our continuing action I am confident that, over time, we can achieve our goals.
- John Craine
Comments
AD's golf cart
On the topic of budgeting, I wonder about the cost of that golf cart driven around by the high school athletic director. It's probably a sunk cost within minimal maintenance costs (at least far south of the $6000 required for this Strings program) and I'm sure it's necessary at times in transporting injured athletes to the trainer's room. However, I have attended numerous athletic events over the past couple of years and every time I am embarrassed at the use of this golf cart. For transporting equipment and emergency situations, I understand the cart is useful and probably at times necessary.... but the AD seems to drive all over the place during the game (distracting for fans trying to focus on the game) for various reasons all of which could be handled on foot.
I'm a big fan of high school athletics... and will always argue for the need for monies to be prioritized to support a strong athletic program as an extracurricular activity. In this case, the use of the golf cart seems absurd... if it must be used, keep it to a minimum and for necessary transport... not to carry our AD around to his little mid-game errands and social interactions (I'm telling you, set a video of him driving around in the cart to the Benny Hill soundtrack, and it would be hilarious TV). In all seriousness, the AD has done a good job with the athletics program... I think this is just an opportunity to cut maintenance costs for the golf cart if it was used only on an as needed basis... every dollar counts (and even if it didn't cut costs, knock of all the driving around while we're trying to watch the game! If you want to talk to parents, students, reporters, or policeman on detail, then walk on over to them!).