Fourth Grade Orchestral Music Preserved

The Orff-Schulwerk program, which teaches music theory and notation, will be integrated into fourth grade vocal music classes next year; playing recorder and singing will be added to instrumental music classes.

The new plan for changes to the fourth grade music program follows an from parents and supporters of music education over a suggestion included in May 25 elementary school newsletters that the Orff-Schulwerk program would replace the traditional orchestral instrument lessons.

"We heard the community's real commitment to offering opportunities to play real instruments in fourth grade," said Principal Julie Valdez, who worked with the other elementary school principals and the music faculty to come up with the program. "The opportunities to play will be comparable to what they're experiencing now."

Fourth graders will still get 30 minutes a week of instrumental music instruction taught by Cathy DeVos and Dorothy Falarski and 30 minutes a week of vocal instruction taught by Adrian Behrendt.

The changes to the music program did originate at a tri-school site council meeting in February as part of a discussion on how the elementary schools could cut costs and help close the . But, according to school board member June Monach, that discussion evolved into consideration of curriculum.

"There is a small budgetary impact, but the real driver is program improvement," Monach said.

The adjustments will save the district about $9,000 as Andria Mullan, who also teaches music at Piedmont High School and Piedmont Middle School, shifts to a consultant role at the elementary level.

"$9,000 aside, would [the administrators and faculty] still be recommending this change, my understanding is that the answer is yes," Monach said. "It's not about the money. It's about wanting to get more students engaged in being able to play an instrument with better foundation."

The new plan for the music program will be on the school board's agenda for their next meeting, June 22.