What Happened To The Music?

For the first time in recent memory, Hercules elementary schools are bereft of instrumental music.

During the 2009-10 school year, the West Contra Costa Unified School District discontinued funding for elementary school music programs. Hercules was the only city in the county that was able to continue its orchestra and band classes (although general music was eliminated) due to funds provided by the City.

Earlier this year, however, the City informed music teacher Jane Magid (who taught at Lupine Hills, Ohlone, and Hannah Ranch) that it would not be able to continue to finance her position. Efforts at parent- and grant-based funding were insufficient, and Hercules is left without instrumental music in its elementary schools.

“My career is leaving me and the opportunity to learn to play an instrument has left hundreds of elementary school students,” said Magid, who took a leave of absence from the district during which time she plans to pursue an alternate teaching credential.

A Save The Music campaign was implemented throughout the Hercules school system, and involved representatives from the Hercules Middle High School’s Hercules Music Boosters Association meeting with representatives from a group called Elementary Parents Supporting Music.

A posting from the two groups on Ohlone’s school web site states “We will be meeting in the Fall to organize fundraising and seek grants that can reduce the amount we need to contribute each month, but right now we need to demonstrate our commitment and convince the district to keep our excellent elementary music teacher, Jane Magid, teaching here in Hercules.”

However, the group’s primary goal of achieving a $40 contribution from parents of elementary school music students to keep Magid in a reduced capacity was not achieved.

The loss of the elementary school music program is projected to reverberate throughout the City at the middle and high school levels.

‘When you get rid of music at the elementary school level it’s only a matter of time before it travels up to the middle school and high school levels as well,” said Hercules Middle High School orchestra director Sharon Calonico. “I’m really worried right now. We’re working with the music boosters to think of ways to see how other schools that have lost their feeder plans have handled it.”

One possible solution is to create a before school or after school music class in which parents take up a collection to pay an instructor to teach students in school facilities with some instruments loaned from the district.

Such classes are held in other West County areas in which music programs have been cut and include schools in El Cerrito and Kensington.

However, there may be drawbacks to such a situation.

“I was always concerned that if you let people do it after school then it’s only a matter of time before the district says ‘let’s do that for everybody’ and gets rid of music altogether,” Calonico said. “It becomes a situation where there’s haves and have-nots, and people in areas with a lot of financial support find a way to make it work and keep it going.”

Interestingly enough, a choral music class has been added to fourth and fifth graders throughout the Hercules elementary schools as somewhat of a replacement for the loss of instrumental music.

According to Magid, the class and position were created for her due to unusual circumstances. Although she was a district employee her salary was being paid by the City, a fact which she believes contributed to the district’s neglect in giving her notification that she would be laid off.

“The district overlooked me and forgot to lay me off,” Magid said. “If you don’t do it by March 15 then you’re obligated to get a job next year. So they invented the job of choral teacher to make up for their mistake. The district doesn’t plan to continue that position beyond the school year.”

With the possibility of continued reductions in funding for electives in upcoming statewide school budgets, community action may be the primary difference between music programs and no music. 

“That’s not equitable for our kids,” Calonico said. “They’re incredible musicians and have so much potential. I can’t do it all; I have a full time job here. I’m hoping our elementary school students come together and get a plan like other successful after school programs throughout the district.”