District 158 middle schools to offer orchestra classes this fall

Huntley Community School District 158 middle schools will offer orchestra classes for the first time this fall.

Sixth-graders at Marlowe Middle School in Lake in the Hills and Heineman Middle School in Algonquin will learn to play brass, wind, string and percussion instruments.

The school board recently approved the orchestra program starting with sixth-graders in the 2015-16 school year, with plans to expand into high school over the next few years.

For the upcoming school year, the district will not hire additional music teachers, but likely will need to hire more full-time employees in the second, third, and fourth years as the program expands, said Erika Schlichter, District 158 chief academic officer.

"If we look at our whole music program in the district, our existing music staff will be able to cover that extra orchestra section," Schlichter said.

Currently, every elementary classroom has a section of music, but enrollment is expected to drop in the 2015-16 school year.

"Because of smaller enrollment at our elementary schools, we can take some of that staffing and apply it to orchestra at the middle schools," said Dan Armstrong, District 158 spokesman. "We're not cutting music at elementary."

Officials anticipate at least one orchestra section will be offered at each middle school with music teachers rotating.

"We will see what our enrollment is for sixth grade for this coming year," Schlichter said. "As we do registration in early spring, we will see what our interest level is and determine what staff we will actually need. We do anticipate that we will have quite a few students interested."

Both middle schools have some orchestra materials on hand.

The startup cost for the orchestra program is $23,000 - mostly for facilities to store instruments, purchasing sheet music and equipment maintenance. An annual sum of $3,000 will be set aside for instrument repairs. The program is being supported through grant money the district received a few years ago, a portion of which was used to purchase music stands, chairs and other equipment.

"Typically, for programs like this, students rent their primary instruments and we will have backups, if needed," Schlichter said. "They rent from external vendors. Districts don't typically maintain a full complement (of orchestra instruments)."

Orchestra will be offered as a regular music class through high school by the 2018-19 school year.

"We are really excited that we're going to be able to offer this," Schlichter said. "We have had great feedback from kids and parents. It's going to be a super opportunity for kids."