Submitted by: Joanne Magee

OCT 2019 – JAN 2020 The HS music teachers have been in discussions about examining our HS program as it exists now and seeing how we can make some changes to improve the program for the benefit of our current students, and utilizing the skills of the current music faculty. 

Meetings are held at convenient times for the team as we often have rehearsals after school and many of our faculty are part time which requires flexibility in schedules.

We discussed:

• Requirements for Band students in HS and MS such as a degree of proficiency before joining. 
• Ideal scenario/infrastructure (10th-12th grade specific)
• Lessons: Individual / Small Group for HS students in school day
• 9th grade rotation system-  possibilities  to review and alter

Mark Silberberg weighed in with his support and we are continuing conversations to look at areas where a prerequisite of proficiency is acceptable for advanced classes and that “beginner” classes can be factored in so to continue access for all students at any level.

We discussed how the 9th grade rotation can leave a student behind in a subject they had already shown great interest in in 8th grade. That some students have to wait until almost the end of the year before they take the class they love and had been taking frequently in middle school. We have been in discussion with the Visual Arts department about other models that might serve the students better.

This is to be a continued conversation as we strive for the best classes offered for our students and groups that are required to perform to have a degree of proficiency before playing in our ensembles.