Hoping subject ends on a high note
Gary Moskowitz
BURBANK -- It’s become clear to parents and educators that in order to
bring music back to district elementary schools, it’s going to take
initiative.
The school board voted Thursday to appoint a task force of 10 to 12
members to address the issue after hearing a proposal by Greg Bowman, the
Burbank Unified School District deputy superintendent planning the return
of the music program to the primary schools.
“What we’re looking to establish is a timeline and begin some interim
implementation, thinking ahead to next year,” said Bowman, whose
strategic master plan for the district lists an elementary school music
program as one of 13 priorities. “It can be difficult to take a
theoretical idea and put it into a conceptual format.”
On June 7, Roland Armstorff and 20 other parents submitted to the
district a 15-page outline of the proposed implementation of music into
elementary school curriculum, which is under review by members of the
board.
“Our philosophy is that music isn’t just an elective, but a necessary
element of core curriculum,” Armstorff said. “Music should be treated the
same as math, English and social studies.”
In August 1991, a $100,000 districtwide elementary school music
program was terminated by the school board due to cuts in state budget.
Teachers like Chris Kneisel have reacted to the overwhelming interest
by parents to provide their children with music instruction by holding
rehearsals after school.
“We’ve been a little blinded by the trees, and it’s been very time
consuming,” said Kneisel, a third-grade teacher at Bret Harte Elementary
School. “There are many teachers and parents helping educate students
with music, and we’d like to unify our efforts.”