Lincoln Sudbury Students, Parents Fear Music Dept. Cut

SUDBURY - Over 40 students and parents packed into a conference room at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School last Thursday night to meet with Superintendent-Principal Bella Wong to advocate against a budget cut that would eliminate a choral section and convert music teacher Michael Bunting to part time.

The cut is a result of “consistent low enrollment over the past few years” in songwriting and guitar electives and decreasing enrollment in chorus programs, Wong said in an interview. “The funding gap for the budget for next school year is in excess of $400,000.”

“As total school enrollment drops I have been monitoring class sizes across all classes to ensure best allocation of resources […] This is just the third year of having a second section of chorus. Enrollment dropped each of the two years after the first.” At a December 14 budget meeting, Wong said that the budget “moves [the school] forward in balancing the median class size [for STEM classes]” and “enhances STEM support.”

By removing 0.33 FTE credit from Bunting’s position, the proposed budget would use this cut to reallocate staffing to science, math, assistive technology, and information technology with a net 0.67 FTE increase. A typical full-time teacher holds one FTE credit.

“The number of chemistry students in each class is above national safety guidelines,” Wong said at the Thursday meeting. Students and parents alike claim this cut is not just a decrease in offered classes but calls into question the future of the program.

Madelyn Paquette, senior and choir president, said that “once you start cutting the music program, you show that isn’t as valued.”

Henry Roche, a sophomore who has been in Bunting’s chorus class and the Chamber Singers for two years, fears for the future of the chorus program, hoping that “[Wong] wouldn’t make the cuts [to the department].” Mara Huston, parent of a senior and eighth grader who both are participating in music programs, said she “wish[es] Bella was open to really digesting the thoughts and comments of this group and rethinking her proposal to the school committee.” Huston questioned if Wong had put enough effort into trying to stimulate chorus enrollment.

Wong said that “offering the course over two sections has not helped enrollment” and that “enrollment dropped after we added the second section.” While Wong argues that this is only a reduction in number of available classes, many members of the community fear the school will lose Bunting, whose position is being cut to part-time. In a statement distributed by the LSPO on Thursday night, the L-S Friends of Music said the reduction is “untenable […] financially” for Bunting. Ann Kramer, a 35 year Sudbury resident, former L-S English teacher and parent of two L-S alumni, spoke at the Thursday meeting saying that her son, a professional musician, got his start at L-S.

“Michael Bunting is amazing,” she said, “he studies with the best, he learns with the best, he’s very humble and because of that he’s always willing to learn.” Many students argue that Bunting does more than just teach music. Alanna Gold, a senior who has taken chorus for four years and participates in three A Capella groups, said that “Mr. Bunting not only taught me to read music and sing and inspired me to sing and continue music at a college level but has given me a voice and confidence.”

Paquette said “[Bunting] has created a community for [music students] here at L-S, one that we love to be a part of, and one that is part of who we are as students and young adults.” “It is a fair concern to have,” Wong said, “unfortunately, the music course the teacher is teaching are drawing low enrollment.”

Bunting teaches the music for the LSB Players’ fall musical, chaperones music events on Friday nights, leads the annual L-S Pops Concert, directs the five L-S A Capella groups, runs the Chamber Singers, and much more.

Music students and parents alike both hope that a compromise can be reached.

“There’s a better way to do this,” Keaton Silsby, a sophomore and chorus student, said.

It will be up to Superintendent Wong and the school committee as to whether a better way, one that preserves Mr. Bunting’s full-time position, can be found

Image: The Chambers Singers sing at "A Celebration of Music" on Jan. 10. Senior Ruby Carmel and Class of 2016 Alumni George Behrakis organized the concert to raise awareness of the potential cuts.