Looking for sense, parity in funding

At the last school board meeting, the superintendent of District 214 eliminated the Hersey guitar program and reduced the Hersey orchestra director to a part-time position. Next year in District 214, four high schools will have a full-time orchestra director and two high schools will have a part-time orchestra director. Why?

We are always going to face rising costs, lagging revenues and fluctuating enrollments. It is time for an innovative and fair solution to the problem of how to fund the fine arts programs in the district.

The district's music educators have proposed that the job of music director be changed from one of a classroom teacher to a program director. Music is both an activity and an academic class. They recommend that each high school in the district be staffed with a full-time director of the band program, a full-time director of the choral program, and a full-time director of the orchestra program.

Based on current staffing as presented by the superintendent, it has been estimated that this would only require hiring an additional 1.6 FTE (full time equivalent teacher) to fully staff all the high schools.

There is something wrong with the current staffing formula if the principals are "forced" to cut successful programs and successful teachers in order to balance the budget. Creating music program directors will insure that our future students continue to have the same quality music programs that have helped our graduates reach their full potential.

Ann Surufka

Arlington Heights