A14- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 12, 1999 Cuts seen as death knell for school music system Drama production, other programs will also be affected TEACHERS SAY the school board’s decision to cut various music pro- grams to save money has a disastrous ripple effect on olber school pro- grams. Caledonia drama teacher Andrew Williams said stage craft classes and acling classes will suffer if the Grade 12 musical production is cancelled due to the elimination of 9th and 10th block music courses, The trustees’ decision to cut courses like stage band and choir which stu- dents take either before or after school threatens the ability to offer a musical next year since the production relies on the stage band and choirstudents. Those courses will still be offered . next year, but because trustees have limited students to eight courses a year, they’ll have to choose stage band or choir over an academic elec- tive like chemistry. Caledonia science teacher John Chen-Wing explained there’s no time in the regular schedule for students to take stage band or choir if students need to take all their science courses to get into university. Chen-Wing said trustees are more concerned about the bottom line than programs for children. “They don’t think about people and students, ’’ he said. Not having a musical production directly affects drama classes at Caledonia because from September to December Williams teaches students about stage makeup, lighting and sound in preparation for the musical. “It’s fantastic experience for them,’’ he said. Drama students had so much fun working for the musical last year that a slage craft course and an acting course have doubled in size. Williams said the musical has a huge impact on students, filling them with a sense of school pride, More than 100 of the 600 students at Caledonia are involved with the pro- duction every year. He said the money raised from the miusical’s ticket sales is also important to various school departments. ~Last yéat” thé“ production” raised” $21,000 in ticket sales and $6,000 of that went back into school programs. With bis share — about $2,000 — Williams bought video cameras, makeup and books for the students. Once the musical is gone, Williams DEIRDRE JUBA will have to take private lessons next year if she wants to keep playing trumpet now that Grade 7 band has been cut. added, it will take cnormous effort to rebuild it redevelop the production to today’s high professional standard. According to parents and teacliers, another cut that will have iasting ef- fect on students and programs is the elimination of kindergarten and Grade 6 and 7 band. Thombill Junior Secondary band teacher Mike Wen said the elimina- tion of clementary band will affect all other band programs down the line. This year about 700 Terrace and Kitimat students take elementary band. That staggering number has allowed junior secondary school band pro- grams to triple in size, Wen said. ‘When you stari them playing early enough, when they get older they’re already playing at a relatively high level,’’ Wen explained. That’s why his Grade 8, 9 and 10 bands are competing this month at the national music festival in Toronto for the fourth year. ‘We're very well received nationally,’’ he said. Wen is worried that elimiuating Grade 6 and 7 band will choke off the flow of students into into Grade 8 band, possibly threatening that pro- gram. “T would foresee lower numbers,’’ he said, ‘It would be difficult to get “enough into Grade 8 band.”’ Twelve-year-old Deirdre Juba is one of 60 students in Grade 6 band at Cas- sie Hall who won’t be offered Grade 7 band next year. She’s disappointed that she’ll have to take private music lessons if she wants lo keep leaming how to play the trumpet. And individual lessons won’t be the same experience as playing with a band. ‘Band gave me something to look forward to in school next year,’’ Juba said. Playing the trumpet, she said, fills her with pride, “It’s really cool. You see yourself getting better and improving and that makes me [eel good,”’ Juba said she'll keep practicing next year so she'll be able to continue with band in Grade 8. Cutting Grade 6 and 7 band raises fears those students will have in- adequate music instruction since music specialists for those grades were already eliminated in an earlier round of cuts last year. For some students it has cffectively eliminated music from the programs of some students, said Terrace and District Teachers Union president Frank Rowe. Where music is available, the regu- Jar classroom teacher will teach music classes as part of the fine arts cur- riculum, But it won't be the same as specialists. ‘'The fact is these teachers haven’t faught music for years and they'll have to refresh their knowledge and skills,’’? Rowe said. The school board has had to make a a number of cuts, one of which is to music programs, to eliminate the dis- trict’s $730,000 budget deficit by next year. Gone Fishing Weekend a mi Don’t Miss The Fun! Located in the Inn of the West New from BC TEL Mobility. Freedom 300 Tons of minutes. Tons of calls... 100 minutes anytime and 200 weekend minutes - with extra time just 20 cents a “yninute. And plenty of phones for you to choose from, Freedom 300 is what you've been waiting for. 300 95 =] a ha per month TER 1 cE 716 Kaith Ave. (250) 535. 513] « 4741 Lakelse Ave, (250) 635-4948 KITIMAT: 216 oe Centre # (260) 692-5000 ARNON comredt . 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