Hersey orchestra deserves FT leader

I attended the District 214 school board meeting April 3. My son is a freshman at John Hersey High School involved in Concert Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra.

We made a decision when he entered fifth grade to move out of the Des Plaines' school district due to budget issues and chose District 214 and Hersey because of their excellent reputation for a commitment to fine arts opportunities for all students, as well as strong academics.

I have attended a Concert Orchestra performance as a chaperone at University of Illinois where the U of I orchestra director told the students they already play at a college level. I was at a Jazz Orchestra performance at the Prospect Heights library last month where an audience member, not related to any of the students and a taxpayer, said the district must be so proud of this group, and everyone gave them an ovation for that.

I am deeply concerned that the action the Hersey administration is proposing will negatively impact the Fine Arts department and the students. Switching from a full-time resource who runs Jazz Orchestra after school and Chamber Orchestra before school to a part-time resource who, by definition, will not be able to dedicate their time to providing all the resources and mentoring to all the students who are now present will dilute the program.

Once the program starts to become diluted, it will be a downward spiral.

The district needs to continue to commit to a full-time resource to run the orchestra program so that it can continue to be a program that is a true asset to many students' high school experience at Hersey. One full-time teacher does not seem like a tremendous price to pay for the excellence that is present in the program.

Paul Marusek

Arlington Heights