State cuts forcing the district to eliminate or reduce music program

Sparta - The hallways in Sparta elementary schools may seem much quieter this year, and some parents and teachers don’t necessarily like the sounds of what they hear. In the wake of last year’s budget cuts, the board of education has been forced to eliminate the fourth-grade choir and cut music classes in half for students in grades 4-5. Now, some parents and teachers close to the program have begun to make waves of their own. “The general music class is for every student in the district, and we’ve lost that - that’s what’s so critical,” said during a recent school board meeting Melva Cummings, a music instructor in the district. ‘This is where music starts; were the children learn the fundamentals of music so they can go on and play in the band and choir.” Sparta Schools Superintendent Thomas Morton pointed to state aid cuts and the need to reduce teaching positions as the driving force behind the decision. In June, the music teacher from the Helen Morgan School retired, but the school board, faced with state-mandated spending caps, elected not to fill the position in an attempt to maintain smaller class sizes at the K-5 level. As part of the reorganization, the fourth- and fifth-grade music programs at the Alpine and Helen Morgan schools were reduced from two to one period per week and the combined fourth grade choirs, which had been meeting prior to morning classes, was cut completely. Kathleen Monks, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and development, said only a limited number of students had participated in the choir. Despite the cutbacks, Monks said all fourth-grade students would participate in a choir concert this year, beginning with the Alpine School in December followed by Helen Morgan in the spring. By eliminating the choir, Cummings said the students are deprived of an opportunity to develop and enhance their communication skills. “There is a difference between a kid getting up in class and singing and having a choral program,” said Cummings. “In over 33 years in teaching in Sparta, I can’t tell you how many times I have a student who says, ‘I can’t do it.’ And all of a sudden, they get on that stage and it changes their whole life.” Cummings said the reduced time for general music instruction makes it that much more difficult for students to grasp basic concepts when first introduced to instrumental and string programs. Monks said the decision to integrate the choir program into fourth-grade music classes was made collaboratively with faculty. She said skills that are introduced and practiced for the choir concerts are included in the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards to meet the requirements of a general music class. Although school board members trumpeted the contributions and the need to protect and maintain the music program, they acknowledged the changes were necessary when looking ahead to further reductions in state aid and next year’s budget. “I appreciate and respect the importance that the people have for the music program,” said school board member Paul Johnson. “But you have to look at the freight train that is coming at us. You say we’ve got to find the money, but, geez, I wish I could find it.”