Lakewood City Schools Music Program in Jeopardy

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Tonight, I received the following message via a Facebook Event Invitation.

"After years of dedicated service to the community, two of our elementary school general music teachers are retiring. However, the board has decided to only post ONE of the two open positions and to spread the workload of the other full-time position across the rest of the music department staff. As you can imagine, this not only increases the workload for the teachers-planning and teaching courses outside their specific expertise--it also creates a complicated schedule in which the teachers must constantly travel between schools.

The result will be a weakening of the program. Teachers will be forced to eliminate extra curricular experiences for the elementary and middle school students--Cedar Point performances, Elementary Choirs, Solo & Ensemble and OMEA large group adjudicated performances, Strolling Strings, Jazz Band, Harding Singers, the middle school musicals. As these opportunities disappear, the students lose valuable opportunities to improve their musicianship--not to mention the opportunity to bond with fellow musicians and create lasting friendships. The effects of this decision will ripple out, eventually impacting the quality and availability of high school ensembles.

So what can we do to keep this from happening? How do we show our support for the program that has achieved so much and brought so much joy to this community?

Speak up, relentlessly. Superintendent Jeff Patterson and the Board needs to hear from all of us--parents of current students, teachers, alumni who have chosen to return home to make a life and raise their families in this district, Lakewood residents of all ages. We must support this program and insist that this tradition of musical excellence lives on. We must show them that our community values this music department and convince them to change their minds about this destructive decision.

Make your voice heard. If you are able, please come to the next board meeting on June 15th at 7:00pm in the Board Auditorium at the Lakewood Board of Education (1470 Warren Road).

Please spread the word. If you can't make it but your parents still live in Lakewood, please consider forwarding this invitation along to them. We need to hear from you!"

I also received a message send out to some parents from the Lakewood Music Boosters about a meeting scheduled for Around on the Corner on June 10th. I asked the Music Boosters to clarify this meeting and this was the response, " "The meeting on June 10 is to hear about the building and the funding problems regarding the performing arts wing. We are also hoping to get some information about the staffing cuts. But the big push is to attend the meeting on the 15th for the school board. That is where the community can let it's voice be heard!"

So, if you are concerned about the Music Program in Lakewood City Schools please try to attend the meeting board meeting on Monday, June 15th. Spread the word and be sure to write the members of the Board of Education and Superintendent Jeff Patterson with your comments and concerns. Contact information is the the Lakewood City Schools website.

[Michael Deneen]

Thanks for sharing, Kristine.
I'm sure there's a lot of interest in this.

Nationally, music has been proven to be an important part of a quality education.
Locally, music programs are HUGE part of our schools' identity!

[Jeff Dreger]

My eldest daughter is extremely upset and disappointed that there will no longer be a Harding Singers group next year according to what she has been told. I share her disappointment and I am concerned with the direction the schools are taking on this.

She also expressed frustration that similar staffing issues will necessitate the loss of advanced history/social studies for her next year.

In general, I am starting to feel that the schools want to do less with less while asking the existing staff to stretch themselves thin. Based on what I have hear thus far, these staffing decisions are already causing the loss of extracurricular activities and course options. I worry that it will also have the effect of lowering the morale and performance of teachers because of the increased demands. Most of our teachers do a great job, but they're only human and when some are forced to run between schools and lose prep time something has to give.

[Tim Liston]

OK so I have donned my blindfold and lit a cigarette. I know this will be 100% counter to the typical narrative on the Deck but here goes….

For starters the headline (“Lakewood City Schools Music Program in Jeopardy”) is really misleading, particularly if only one position is being eliminated. “Jeopardy” is when several positions or the entire department are threatened with elimination.

Early in her working life, my wife was an elementary music teacher, first in a small Michigan town, then in two Chicago inner-ring suburbs for two years each. In both those suburbs, she routinely traveled between schools. In one district she taught in four different schools. This was 30 years ago. How much could she accomplish? I know there were no adjudicated performances or performances at Great America, specialty ensembles, stuff like that. But all the kids got to sing, and there were performance choirs for anyone who wanted to participate. BTW, she got RIF’ed out of all three schools. It seems perhaps the Board waited to make cuts by attrition, rather than by terminating someone, quite properly I think. My wife wasn’t so lucky….

But that’s only a side note. Understand that I fully agree that a musical education, as Michael has said, is an important part of an overall quality education. But so are many endeavors, most of which are not offered in public schools at all. Is learning to sing any more important than learning to dance, play soccer, fix things or grow a vegetable garden?

As for the loss of any advanced subject matter, might I recommend khanacademy.org? I think they have 150,000 lectures online already, on every topic imaginable. There are millions of lectures online, many taught by the best. It’s gonna be a big part of the future of education, especially for middle school and beyond. And it’s free.

Now, I just got my property tax bill, as I suspect many of you did. Our property taxes here in Lakewood are up to 3.33% of the value of our homes, per year. That’s up from 1.8% when I bought my Lakewood home. Commercial rates are even higher. Lakewood has one of the very highest property tax rates in the area.

Understand that I cannot safely earn 3.33% on my retirement money. No CD’s or treasuries pay that, even for five- or ten-year terms. Yesterday’s close on a 10-year treasury was 2.4%. Even shorter duration corporates (AA and above) don’t pay 3.33% and there is still default risk. When property tax rates exceed safe rates on retirement and other savings, your property tax payment stream is worth more than your house. So effectively, the county and all the others that levy property taxes, together literally own your home. Not you. You are merely leasing it from them, mostly from the schools, even after the bank is fully-paid and you thought you “own it outright.”

I applaud Supt. Patterson and the Board of LCSD for finding ways to stem the incessant hike in school costs and our taxes, even if only modestly so far. Believe it or not, there are many of us who do not have children in Lakewood schools and holding the line is much appreciated. We deserve a fair balance. We don’t necessarily think that we should have to foot the bill for Cedar Point performances, Elementary Choirs, Solo & Ensemble and OMEA large group adjudicated performances, Strolling Strings, Jazz Band, Harding Singers, AND the middle school concert band and musicals, etc. It seems you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting someone who is perfectly OK that others foot the bill for even the bells and whistles of government-sponsored education. And who become indignant and alarmist even with small cuts (“music program in jeopardy”?). After all, “it’s for the kids.” Your kids. I get that....

So my suggestion is this. If you want to maintain the multitude of wonderful music opportunities at the elementary and junior high level, pay for some of them yourselves. Just like I did with my kids’ soccer training when they were that age. Take advantage of the many terrific youth programs offered at Beck. Just don’t imply that Lakewood school children deserve all that they now get because that’s the way it has always been. Paying for stuff out-of-pocket makes one much more discerning when it comes to “does my kid really enjoy/need this or is he/she making mommy and daddy happy.” Make tough choices. Times are getting tougher, salaries are generally stagnant but taxes, especially property taxes, are getting higher. Those of us who foot the bill with property taxes and all the various taxes are getting stretched pretty darn thin.

Thank you. I really don’t mean to offend anyone. I guess I just think people just need to lower their expectations about government “free stuff,” not just the schools, but generally. It’s out of control.

Fire away….

[Stan Austin]

Tim-- As per usual, a very thoughtful and logical and thoroughly analyzed response on your part. That's what makes discussion on the Deck so pleasurable when it is conducted on such a high level. And, kudos to Kristine for alerting the community to this issue. I know her daughter has been playing a cello that physically is bigger than she is!
I, personally, played the trombone and was on my way to being a star- a virtual Tommy Dorsey under the tutelage of Mr. Strang at Hayes and Mr. Rice at Harding until I gave it up in a flash for wrestling at LHS.
I come down on the side for maintaining the current instruction level as per Kristine's recommendation. I, too, write out a significant check each year. I vote for music.
Stan

[Ryan Salo]

After I received a Facebook notification about this topic I spoke with one of the school board members this morning and was told that they are looking to go from 2 employees to 1.5 and that there are no definite cuts to programs. I am following up with them again tomorrow to find out what discussions occurred at tonight's meeting. I will post what I learn tomorrow.

I am hoping this is just being overblown. I am all for getting more done with less as long as we don't cut these very important activities.

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Let me be clear, I was sharing a Facebook event message that I received; however, I did write the title of this post. I will be attending the meetings to learn more.

Is learning to sing any more important than learning to dance, play soccer, fix things or grow a vegetable garden?

Of course all of the activities from sports to vegetable gardens can add to the overall education of students. I would argue that it isn’t about what activity is better than another, it is about opportunity. When evaluating any program for cuts there are many considerations to be made in addition to the bottom line. Some programs, like the music program or AP classes, offer opportunities to our students that open doors to college scholarships and lay the groundwork for them to be successful after they leave high school. These programs help our students compete for the limited resources offered to students after graduation.

Another consideration when making cuts is to consider how loss opportunities may be offered in another way. Traditionally, extracurricular opportunities have attempted to fill the void left by cuts which is why we have them now in the music department. When those are gone what will replace them?

The proposed cuts limit the opportunities students have to develop musically whether they are singers, in the band, or in orchestra. Once cuts are made it is difficult to replace what is lost. For instance, cuts made to physical education and the art department several years ago resulted in elementary and middle school students having art and gym only for one quarter during the school year. Most families, I think, would agree that this situation has been frustrating as they realize kids at that age need to express themselves creatively. Considering that lunch/ recess is about 15-20 minutes—yep that is all students have to eat and get some physical activity. We are limiting and potentially damaging kids by not have formal physical education for most of the school year. Research is strong that art and physical education, along with music, improves learning and achievement for students. It’s much too simple to say that these activates are add-ons to be paid for only we can afford it. They are absolutely necessary and carry the same weight as other academic classes.

When the parents and community passed the recent levy we did so to preserve that we had whether it be the music program or others. There was no indication that any programs would be compromised by attrition or other means. Then, we turned around and passed the bond to finish building our schools. We have the resources--this community values certain things in our education. It is about where we choose to put those resources.

As for the loss of any advanced subject matter, might I recommend khanacademy.org? I think they have 150,000 lectures online already, on every topic imaginable. There are millions of lectures online, many taught by the best. It’s gonna be a big part of the future of education, especially for middle school and beyond. And it’s free.

I have often heard this argument which implies that teachers can be replaced. Online resources such as Khan Academy can be excellent as a supplementary resource, but they do not replace a good teacher working day in and day out with students. In my opinion, we can build state of the art schools (we are), give every kid a computer, and buy all of the latest/greatest curriculum and gadgets, but you cannot replace a good teacher. Ever. Good teachers are our best resource and why not invest in them? I don’t care if most of the district’s budget goes to hiring and retaining good teachers—they are the ones who are providing the great education to our kids. As Stan mentioned earlier my daughter plays the cello. I will take a great teacher working with my daughter to youtube any day. You can’t teach technique and passion passively watching someone else. Building relationships matter. You may think this is the way the pendulum in education is swinging, at it may temporarily, but I know it will swing back like many other “modern solutions”. Even Kahns needs good teachers. By the way, nothing is free and even if it was free is not better or a solution.

We deserve a fair balance. We don’t necessarily think that we should have to foot the bill for Cedar Point performances, Elementary Choirs, Solo & Ensemble and OMEA large group adjudicated.

So my suggestion is this. If you want to maintain the multitude of wonderful music opportunities at the elementary and junior high level, pay for some of them yourselves. Just like I did with my kids’ soccer training when they were that age.

Cedar Point, music competitions, Garfield Music Crew, Harding Singers, Strolling Strings, Jazz Band all are opportunities (extracurricular activities) paid for by students/families. Wait-what? Yep, all paid by students. And, I will add that the middle school choir teacher puts 2 musicals a year on at each middle school for free with no budget. It is the generosity of parents and community members that donate and help pay for these events.

Okay, so you may be wondering what music program is offered at the middle school level (in elementary one quarter of music/5th grade can start playing an instrument). Students may take choir or band or orchestra every other day. You can’t play an instrument and be in choir. If you think about it, their opportunities are already limited. The need to provide other music related opportunities as extracurricular activities is essential. However, that middle school music teacher servicing 2 middle schools and working before and after school to provide the void in opportunities cannot then be asked to also be the music teacher for the elementary schools. My goodness!! Plus, the music teachers work evenings putting on concerts—unlike other contract teachers who only are required to work one evening during the school year.

Take advantage of the many terrific youth programs offered at Beck.

My children have attended Beck and their programs are wonderful, but let’s face it, their programs aren’t free and can really add up for a family with several children. This isn’t a reasonable supplement financially to what we have provided through our public schools. Over 50% (someone correct me, if needed) of Lakewood students are on free/reduced lunch. We can have a pay-to-play system like sports but even that program gets help from the Boosters when a family cannot afford the fees. I want to live in a community with a school district where music (all programs) is available to everyone. To me, public education is the American dream and I don’t want to move into an area where are the well-off families can offer opportunities to their children. The economic gap is wide enough.

Let me add, that the Music Boosters does a really great job of raising money to help the music department. We do have a very strong department and I know that families would provide as much support financially as they possibly can if some of these cuts happen. However, you're right, our taxes are high. If we are going to be paying high taxes for a great education than that is what I want. Some cuts are necessary and make sense and some do not. In this case, not hiring a teacher doesn't outweigh the losses in opportunities for all students.

[Danielle Masters]

We homeschool but a few of my children take music classes are participate in extra curricular music programs which is allowed by Ohio law.

Lakewood has amazing an amazing music department and they have an amazing gifted program which several of my children participated in before we made the decision to homeschool.

I am disappointed in the cuts that have occurred in the gifted program and I am saddened to hear of the rumored cuts in the music department. It seems that taxes have gone up and we will have beautiful schools but what made Lakewood standout may not exist anymore and that is worrisome to me. We need strong schools and both the music department and gifted programs have been standout programs, sadly that is changing and the looser will be the community. Middle class families have choices, when we take away extra perks we risk losing those families.

Lakewood needs to figure out how to not make cuts. The music boosters raise a ton of money for programs and to see all their hard work go to waste just wouldn't be right. I'll hopefully be at both the informational meeting and the school board meeting and I hope some light can be shed on what is happening.

[Ryan Salo]

From conversations I have had it appears to be a teacher/teacher union issue rather than a board issue. While it is true there will be a cut of a half a teacher, the programs are in jeopardy due to a combination of factors. Even if they replaced the teacher the programs are still in jeopardy because they are optional activities and not something the board can force on a teacher. I have heard that the pool of available music teachers is also not very deep...

It sounds like we really need to encourage the existing music teachers to step up and offer to lead these programs. If it is a matter of compensation I wonder if we can make those activities a "pay to play" type opportunity and offer grants to those that can afford it.

On a side note, don't the music teachers have more free periods during that day than other teachers?

[Danielle Masters]

From what I learned tonight the music teachers are being asked to perform services they are not qualified to teach. They are being asked to teach special needs programs (music therapy classes) that should be taught by music therapists. They are already stepping up and can only be asked to step up so much. It is a disservice to our special needs students and our music teachers to ask them to teach programs that they are not qualified or trained to teach. This is outrageous and beyond their scope.

These programs are already pay to play and the music boosters already pick up a portion of the costs but there is only so much teachers can do when asked to teach classes that they are not qualified to teach. This is in no means meant to disparage the teachers, they are amazing teachers but they can only be asked to do so much and as a mother of a special needs child it is a slap in the face to not provide proper teachers for these students.

[Ryan Salo]

From what I learned tonight the music teachers are being asked to perform services they are not qualified to teach. They are being asked to teach special needs programs (music therapy classes) that should be taught by music therapists. They are already stepping up and can only be asked to step up so much. It is a disservice to our special needs students and our music teachers to ask them to teach programs that they are not qualified or trained to teach. This is outrageous and beyond their scope.

Are the teachers that are currently running these programs doing the music therapy classes? Is the union using these programs as leverage? Do you know why a HS teacher told they couldn't volunteer to help in the middle school groups?

These programs are already pay to play

You are correct, I have had 2 children go through all of these programs and just forgot we paid something.

Are you suggesting the district hires a therapist for a couple classes?

Don't music teachers have more free periods than other teachers? Not saying that is wrong but it kind of makes up for having evening concerts and after school classes, right?

[Scott Meeson]

An interesting read:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102752799

[Michael Deneen]

I attended the School Board meeting at Hayes tonight.
I live four houses from the school, so it was an easy trip.
Unfortunately I didn't have a camera to document the event.

There were at least 60 members of the public there showing support for the music program.
Over 15 of them spoke during the public comment.

I was extremely impressed with the many current students that addressed the meeting. They showed outstanding poise and expressed themselves quite well.

I hope the teaching position can be restored. Lakewood markets it Music Department quite heavily (including public appearances), a drop in the current Middle School program will soon be reflected at the High School level.

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

I also attended the school board meeting. First, let me say thank you to the school board who patiently allowed everyone to speak. The limit is to be 3 minutes per person; however, at 9pm there were still a few speakers.

The discussion began by Superintendent Jeff Patterson presenting numbers on current enrollment and the number of students enrolled in the music program for this year, and the number projected for next year. I didn’t write down numbers (I am certain this information can be obtained), but overall enrollment is down and so is the number of students enrolled in music. The argument presented by the administration was that based on these figures that it wouldn’t be necessary to replace the retiring elementary music teacher. On the surface, this is a compelling argument, but it certainly didn’t present the entire picture. There is much more to the story.

The big question on the table after the district’s presentation regarding staffing the music department was, “Why is enrollment down in the middle school music program?” Yes, enrollment overall is down; however, it left me wondering if there was an interest issue, cost issue (nationally music enrollment was down because families couldn’t afford it during the recession), or was it that choice/opportunities to take music was limited. As I mentioned before, at the middle school level students have to choose between orchestra, band and choir. So, for instance, if a student wants to play the violin and sing they may sign up for orchestra and then join the extracurricular choir that meets one day a week after school. Unfortunately, our school board members weren’t asking those questions. Fortunately, there were many teachers (non-music), parents and community leaders who filled in the gaps for member of the audience.

So, let’s lay down some facts before I go on.

Don't music teachers have more free periods than other teachers? Not saying that is wrong but it kind of makes up for having evening concerts and after school classes, right?

From conversations I have had it appears to be a teacher/teacher union issue rather than a board issue.

This isn’t just a union issue.Though I think school members offer this simple answer to pacify parents or to make teachers look like the “bad guys”. Also, music teachers do NOT get extra free periods, in addition, it is recognized that music teachers have unique circumstance unlike a traditional classroom teacher. They work evenings putting on concerts, travel to weekend competitions, supervise students who participate in community events All year around (like Light Up Lakewood, 4th of July parade/music, etc), and advise extracurricular activities that amount to volunteering. Unlike coaches, for example, they don’t get a stipend for these extra teaching responsibilities (concerts are compensated). Remember, sports are also considered extracurricular. Music isn’t better than sports or visa-versa. I’m just offering a perspective. I think it is important to not vilify teachers and to make the effort to dig deep to understand the entire picture.

I’ve always advocated that we should always ask, “Is the solution to a problem best for students—Do we make decisions that are best for The Kids? In this case, jeopardizing or limiting opportunities is not what’s best for students.

The plan being put forward would be that the current middle school music teacher (choir) would have to teach at both middle schools plus one elementary school instead of the district hiring to replace the retiree. This would be quite a task for this teacher and would create a situation in which one school would have to share while the others each had one full-time music teacher. Many of you may recognize that this would be difficult for this teacher, but not impossible. Here is why it is an issue.

At the middle schools next school year the day will be extended to 3pm to add extra instruction for math. At the middle schools there will be a 9th period. This extra instruction was omitted in the 1990’s when the levy didn’t pass. Currently, for teachers that “extra instruction” stayed as part of their contract and so many extracurriculars could be added after school without having to pay the teachers a stipend for advising a student club, or this case, music. Under the new plan, the music teacher could still have the extracurricular music programs, but would not be compensated (or have time). She is already adding an entire school to her load—now if she extends the day to offer students programs they currently can’t get during the school day she is a volunteer for the district.

Now, back to enrollment in the music program. Several years ago, the district made students choose between playing an instrument and choir. This had some effect on certain aspects of the program. However, this year the district obtained a grant (title 1 money) to provide math instruction/tutoring for struggling students. Great! The downside was that these students, if in music, had to choose between their music and math tutoring. It was apparent from the parents and students speaking last night that this was an excruciating decision for many families.

I don’t think it was transparent for the administration, who knew the music numbers were decimated at the middle schools due to the choice students had to make between math tutoring and music, to not put that part of the story forward in their presentation. It was very on-sided with carefully chosen information to make their case. So, if kids wanted to participate in music this year, it would have to be after school. It is unclear if extracurricular students were included in the district’s music enrollment numbers. I think not and so if you consider these kids I don’t think we have an interest issue.

Basing staffing decisions on current music enrollments doesn’t take into account that next year students can take music and benefit from the extra math instruction since the day is being extended for math. Plus, the 6th grade class entering middle school next year is large.

Overall, it is my opinion that choir, honors orchestra, jazz band, competitions, etc. ought to be offered as part of the music program. They are important enough to not have to rely on extracurricular time to provide them. However, it is also a cost-effective approach to offering opportunities in our district for ALL students. As some of the non-music teachers noted at the school board meeting, research shows that music has a positive impact on science and math development, and overall student achievement.

So, ask yourself…is not hiring one single teacher really worth what will be lost in opportunities to our students? Lakewood City Schools is redound for their music department—what loss will there be in today’s educational landscape where families have lots of choices?

Of course, the bottom line is important, but it’s not always the most important thing to consider. In Lakewood, we value music and the arts. Even if you don’t have a student in the music program, or children in the schools, it is clear that music is valued in our community. As taxpayers, or values ought to be considered and reflected in the staffing and programs the school district chooses to offer. What the administration and school board (possibly—they can reconsider) is asking of the music department, the current middle school teacher, and students isn’t reasonable. All the students/parents want is to keep the status quo--that is reasonable.

Hopefully, school board members elected to represent the view of the community will advocate and find the resources to hire one teacher. Please do contact your superintendent and elected board members to share your views and concerns. I’d like to think they listen, and since they now have been presented the whole story by parents and students who spoke to them on Monday night it may be possible for the music department, and most importantly the students, to have a happy ending.