Schools
Video: New Haven’s Last Choral Festival?
NHUSD's annual choral festival was held to much fanfare Thursday morning. But due to budget cuts, it may be the school district's last.
Like every year, hundreds packed Logan’s Performing Arts Center on Thursday to watch New Haven Unified School District's annual choral festival.
The showcase featured choir performances from five elementary schools, both middle schools and .
“It’s a wonderful day to see what a great choral music program we have in this town and in our school district, and it’s a wonderful day for the kids to see what they can do from elementary age all the way through high school,” said Jennifer Carini, choir director at .
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But it could be the last, district officials said.
Faced with nearly $11 million in budget cuts for the 2012-13 school year, the district and is proposing eliminating all music and science classes from for K-8 classes, along with all electives from Alvarado and Cesar Chavez middle schools.
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Officials are urging residents to support the arts and other programs slated to be cut by helping pass .
“All of us are benefitted by a strong arts program, our students’ academics increase with a full arts program,” NHUSD Superintendent Kari McVeigh said Thursday during the choral festival.
“I hope that when people hear the music and the songs this morning that they will be convinced to do what it takes to make sure that schooling is funded at such a level that we never have to think about cutting the arts,” McVeigh added.
Click the “Play” button on the video above to learn more about the choral festival and see highlights from the performances. You can also add your own videos and photos by clicking the “Upload photos and videos” button above.