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310
S. 4th St. East
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
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Last updated: 04/25/2005
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Proposal - Presented to the School Board on February 19, 2004
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As presented by Shari Holston, Orchestra
Boosters Board Member:
I am here tonight, along with several other parents of orchestra students, to
express our gratitude for the support of this school district for the orchestra
program. We are also here to share with you some major concerns regarding
adequate instructional time for this growing program.
Fort's orchestra program has grown very rapidly over the past few years. We have
a wonderful orchestra director who has done an amazing job with the students in
this
program, and we are grateful to her.
Since Ms. Tricia Nielsen was hired in 1983, orchestra enrollment has literally
tripled. Today she instructs approximately 140 students at all six schools in
this district. In an effort to reach all of her students, Ms. Nielsen must
travel to four schools per day. This year the orchestra program saw a record
enrollment of 50 students in the fourth grade. If this growth continues, Ms.
Nielsen will be unable to schedule instructional time for all of the students.
With this in mind, we are hoping that the School Board will again consider the
need for additional teaching staff for the orchestra program. Mrs. Nielsen
estimates that an additional .4 teaching position would offer adequate support
by dramatically reducing wasted travel times, as well as opening up more
scheduling options for her and her students. In addition, our middle and high
school principals should gain increased master schedule options.
I would like to give you each a copy of what I have just read. On the back you
will find other substantiating information for your consideration.
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Specific issues regarding inadequate staffing
in the
School District's Orchestra program for
the 2003-04 school year and beyond.
1. The scheduling change which benefited the entire middle school this
past year, eliminated one seventh grade orchestra class period per week due
to a conflict with the elementary large group class. This change also
created less available afternoon elementary instructional time.
2. Between the growth in elementary orchestra numbers, servicing four
elementary buildings, and the need to comply with the classroom academic
requirements, scheduling options are virtually non-existent
3. Due to teacher availability; elementary small group lesson sizes have
become too large to give these beginning students the time that they
require.
4. Likewise, orchestra lessons options at the middle school are very
limited. These students receive four lessons a quarter. (Twelve per year!)
5. At this time, instructional time at the high school is limited to one
hour per day. Consequently, high school students have no scheduled lesson
times at all!
6. Also, Mrs. Neilsen does not have adequate prep time, largely due to the
amount of travel time that is required. Servicing the entire orchestra
program requires six different instructional preps for the six different
skill/grade levels in six different schools.
7. The stress of dealing with the needs of so many different schools and
students, on a daily basis, is far too great a task for one person to
continue to handle. Although this has been the case for the past eleven
years, the growth of the program has created an unworkable situation for
everyone who in involved.
8. As for the placement of this teacher within the Orchestra program,
Mrs. Neilsen hopes to be able to pair the specific strengths of the teacher
with those of the program
Thank you for your time and consideration of this request. |
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