Medfield High Grad Speaks Up For Music Program

The following was submitted by Chris McCue

Medfield High School alumnus Matt Aucoin, ’08, who is now a composer and conductor with the Metropolitan Opera and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is helping the Medfield Music Association advocate for the elementary band, strings and chorus program at Dale Street School, which was moved out of the school day as part of a pilot program launched in September. You can view the video testimonial he provided for the Nov. 17 Medfield School Committee presentation here.

The pilot program impacts 337 students in 4th and 5th grade band, orchestra and chorus students (83% of the entire school) requiring parents to drop off their child an hour before school (7:30 a.m.) one to two times a week. This pilot was proposed and implemented without oversight or approval by the Dale Street Site Council and School Committee despite the change in school time, as well as the potential impact on budgets, teacher contracts, working conditions and other school policy areas.

So far, each of the ensembles has been losing children -- either the children decided not to enroll after hearing about the change; they dropped out after trying it; or the children just aren’t showing up because the early-morning start time doesn’t work for the children or the parents who must drive them. Some days, ensembles have been missing one-third of the students, making it difficult for teachers to make progress. If the rate of student participation continues to drop, the quality and long-term health of Medfield’s award-winning music program will be threatened – just as it was in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s when much of music instruction in the schools was held outside the school day, which ultimately led to the MHS marching band only having 18 students (today there are 65).

In his video clip, Aucoin talks about the value of music, and that clip was shown as part of the Nov. 17 School Committee presentation made to a room full of parents from Wheelock, Dale, Blake and MHS, as well as students and some alumni. The goal of the presentation was to present a common-sense approach: buy-in on the creation of a special committee or advisory council comprised of key stakeholders that would go back to the drawing board to evaluate the pilot, look at the long-term impact of the change, and make recommendations for alternative scheduling possibilities to meet Dale Street needs across all subject areas and specials.

Unfortunately, the superintendent ignored the request and School Committee members remained silent.Azsdawq21

If members of the Medfield community care about the music program and would like to play a role in the MMA campaign, just send an e-mail to mail@medfieldmusicassociation.com.