Technology director Bill Herman has migrated the district's email over to Google. Our new email addresses are firstname.lastname@mgschools.net. You can still continue to use the old addresses so the change should be transparent from the outside. The change is motivated by a desire to provide a more reliable system with less maintenance and support.
Bill estimates an equivalent system hosted in house would cost $95,000 to startup and $60,000 in annual operating costs. The costs of the Google system? Zero.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Feb. 24th Board Meeting
The agenda of Wednesday's meeting has been posted here. Its a hefty agenda with a number of significant issues:
The administration has presented the case for the educational benefits of putting all the sixth graders together in Glacial Drumlin school. It is my understanding that this isn't a significant budget issue, but a practical and educational one. I think we need to do a better job decoupling this from the budget discussion and spend more time educating and hearing from the public on this issue.
Although these items will be discussed, no decisions will be made.
Several of the budget items involve our music programming. An overview of the various components of structure and how the different components relate, along with an understanding of our assessments will help the board make the budget decisions.
VII. Unfinished Business
A. Discussion and Possible Approval of Location of 6th Grade Programming (30 Min)
The administration has presented the case for the educational benefits of putting all the sixth graders together in Glacial Drumlin school. It is my understanding that this isn't a significant budget issue, but a practical and educational one. I think we need to do a better job decoupling this from the budget discussion and spend more time educating and hearing from the public on this issue.
B. Discussion of Budget Reduction Proposals (20 Min)
C. Discussion of Possible Consolidation of Maywood & Winnequah Schools (30 Min)
Although these items will be discussed, no decisions will be made.
D. Discussion and Possible Approval of Addition of Modular Units in Cottage Grove (20 Min)
F. Discussion and Possible Approval of Board Rule 343.2- Guidelines for Class Size (10 Min)
VIII. New Business
A. Discussion and Possible Approval of Construction of Structure for Glacial Drumlin Garden –
Kristi Williams (10 Min)
B. Presentation by Deb Lyons: A Comparison Analysis of the United States and the Chinese
Education Systems (45 Min)
C. Presentation on Music Curriculum and Assessment– Janice Stone (15 Min)
Several of the budget items involve our music programming. An overview of the various components of structure and how the different components relate, along with an understanding of our assessments will help the board make the budget decisions.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Public hearings info.
Following is the letter sent home with students this week concerning the public hearing hearings on Saturday:
Monona Grove Public Hearing on Budget Reductions and Other Items
Saturday, February 20 - Winnequah School Cafeteria -10AM-Noon
Tour of Winnequah - 9-10AM
Decisions Facing MG Board of Education:
• Budget Reduction Items – lists available on website
• Consolidation of Maywood and Winnequah Elementary Schools, as a budget reduction item
• Addition of Modular Classrooms to Elementary Buildings in Cottage Grove
• Moving Monona 6th Grade Students to Glacial Drumlin School
Some Background
The Monona Grove School District is facing a budget shortfall, due to flattening of enrollment and the fact that expenses have increased by a greater percentage than that allowed by the state-imposed revenue limits, or the “revenue cap.” In previous years, the allowable per pupil increase has been tied to the Consumer Price Index in an effort to help schools cover annual increases in expenditures. Wisconsin Act 28, which established the state’s biennial budget for 2009-11, instead included a reduction in the amount of the per pupil revenue increase allowed by the state. The District now faces a structural deficit amounting to about one million dollars in operating expenses in each of the next five years, which is as far as we have projected. The Board needs to cut this amount or go to a referendum to request the taxpayers to allow us to raise revenue above the limit by increasing property taxes. We are attempting to make cuts this year before possibly turning to the taxpayers for help next year.
The facilities situation currently facing the MG School District is a result, in part, of new grade configurations in buildings. Glacial Drumlin School was constructed for the District’s 7th and 8th graders and for 5th and 6th graders from Cottage Grove. Formerly, all of the District’s 6th-8th graders attended Winnequah Middle School. This reconfiguration led to the closing of Nichols as a school, with Monona 3rd-5th graders moving to Winnequah to join Monona 6th graders who remained there. Currently, in terms of total numbers of students per 4K-8 building (with 50% of 4K students counted, since they are in the buildings half days), percentage of capacity in each is approximately:
Maywood-89%; Winnequah-42%; Taylor Prairie-104%; CG Elementary-106%; and GDS-97%.
The number of sections of each grade level is another factor in consideration of building capacity, as is programming. The District Office and the high school and middle school Excel/Soar program are housed at Nichols, and the Board has tentative plans to house our alternative high school there beginning next year, moving those students from their current rental space. Two rooms at Nichols are rented by CESA #2, the Cooperative Educational Service Agency which is served by MG, and the building is sometimes used for in-service programs.
Ad Hoc 4K-8 Grade Configuration Committee
During the last school year, an Ad Hoc Committee on 4K-8 Grade Configuration was established by the Board to study elementary and middle school facilities issues. Membership on this committee consisted of eight community members, including four from each community, and six teachers, administrators, and Board members, including two in each category, also representing both communities. The committee concluded its study and made recommendations to the Board last spring. Related documents, including recommendations, are posted on the district website, through the link to the “Board of Education” and then through “Committees.” The Board approved and began to follow the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee last fall. Follow-up on the recommendation to study District real estate will include investigation of the rental or sale of Nichols School.
Board Consideration and Action
The first recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee to be addressed by the Board was the recommendation to study whether to house Monona’s 7th and 8th graders in Monona instead of at the newly constructed Glacial Drumlin. A result of such a move could have been movement of Cottage Grove 4th graders to GDS in order to alleviate crowding at CG School. Results of this study were
reported to the Board on December 22, 2009. The Board received an administrative recommendation and approved the following motion on January 27, 2010: “to continue the current structure and have all 7th and 8th grade students attend Glacial Drumlin School. This recommendation is based primarily on the cost impact to the school district, as stated in the report to be $1,062,333 - $1,106,703 in one-time remodeling costs and additional annual operating expenses of from $149,983 - $194,353, not including required annual expenses for additional staffing. It is not feasible nor fiscally responsible for the School District to separate our 7th and 8th grade students.”
The Board could not formally discuss other recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee until the above decision was made. Two other recommendations were to study 6th grade programming and location, and to “maintain Winnequah and Maywood Schools until 4K-8 programming in each community is determined, or until it is fiscally not feasible to operate both buildings.” While there has been previous discussion among administrators over the past few months, these items were on the Board’s agenda for the first time for formal discussion on February 10. On Feb. 10, the Board voted to support an administrative recommendation to maintain middle school programming and structure for the District’s 6th graders and heard an administrative recommendation to move Monona’s 6th graders to Glacial Drumlin in the 2010-11 school year. While no decision was made on that move, a decision at the next Board meeting on February 24 would greatly facilitate the scheduling of these students for next year and this item likely will be voted upon then.
Consolidation of Maywood and Winnequah, Modular Units in Cottage Grove
Another administrative recommendation received Feb. 10 was that the District not add modular units to Cottage Grove School due to a lack of required infrastructure at the building, thus making such an addition more costly, and that we also not add them to Taylor Prairie School for the next year due to lack of money in the budget as well as the fact that more space will be available there due to a predicted decrease in the number of kindergarten sections. The administration has recommended consolidation of Maywood and Winnequah to gain an annual operating expense savings of an estimated $250,000. The District would incur one-time remodeling and moving expenses which are still being calculated at this time. These expenses would not add to the annual costs of delivering education to students. The budget reduction task is focused on these annual operating costs.
Board members and administrators rated the negative impact of each possible budget reduction item on each of four district goals. Then, the administrators used these survey results as one tool in developing the “Preliminary 2010-1011 Budget Reduction Proposals,” which they then presented to the Board. Consolidation of Maywood and Winnequah does not appear on this preliminary list because Board members had not received relevant impact and cost analysis in time to include it on the survey. The consolidation is included on other documents listing possible budget reduction items and was given a high rank as a reduction item by the administrative team. The Board is just beginning to formally discuss modular units and consolidation of Maywood and Winnequah.
When will decisions be made?
As stated in the Budget Calendar posted on the District website, final budget reduction decisions will not be made before March 24, 2010. Community and staff input will be received and discussions will continue until that time.
You may access related information on the District website, under links for “Budget Information,” the “Board President’s Update,” “4K-8 Grade Configuration Study Report,” and others.
Again, a public hearing to discuss budget reduction items, including school consolidation, will be held on Saturday, February 20 – 10AM-Noon, with a tour of Winnequah from 9-10AM.
You may email all Board members by using this address: mgsd_board@mononagrove.org.
-Susan Fox
President, Monona Grove Board of Education
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Several more
Another batch of the letters received by the board can be found here:
https://acrobat.com/#d=*FRhfNwTgmogj28vLiR-qw
The numbers are getting larger, so I've included a link rather than including the text. Let me know if I missed yours.
https://acrobat.com/#d=*FRhfNwTgmogj28vLiR-qw
The numbers are getting larger, so I've included a link rather than including the text. Let me know if I missed yours.
Friday, February 12, 2010
As seen on TV...
Video of the 2/10 Board meeting and the 2/09 public listening session are now on line at:
http://www.mononatv.com/
http://www.mononatv.com/
My plan
At tonight's listening session several people talked about the structural deficit problem: the fact that due to the state funding formula, we are looking at a deficit that grows by a million dollars each year for as far as the projections go. As Craig mentioned, our revenues increase by about 2% a year (less than inflation) while our expenses go up by more than 4% per year. This is the real problem that makes the issues brought up today look like child's play. Several people asked us to consider the long term, a sentiment I couldn't agree with more. Others asked us to consider an operating referendum to avoid cuts. I agree that given the current situation we will need to consider this as we move forward. But an operating referendum alone can't solve this problem - the deficit is not a one time or short term issue.
A while ago someone asked for my long term plan for solving the structural deficit. I've given this a lot of thought, and I have to say there is no magic bullet for this, I haven't heard anyone on the board or administration articulate any specific ideas that get us out of this situation. What we need more than anything is else is good ideas.
Enough introduction, this is the plan I would hope to implement:
A comprehensive plan for preserving the fiscal condition while improving outcomes of the Monona Grove School District:
1) Complete a strategic plan for the district: A strategic plan with well designed goals, reached through a process of significant district and community input, would provide a framework for all budgetary decisions on an ongoing basis. By measuring all budgetary decisions against a plan we will avoid expenditures not focused on the core mission, and have guidance for any future cuts that might be made.
2) Administrative Re-organization: The district has a talented and skilled team of highly trained educational leaders, however much of their time is spent on organizational duties that are essential, but peripheral, to the core mission of the district. A thorough review of responsibilities will reveal ways to improve both efficiency and effectiveness of our administrative teams.
3) Share Resources: Explore the possibility of consolidated support operations with neighboring school districts. Most school districts in the area are in similar straights and facing growing structural deficits, and yet all have similar needs in such areas as transportation, food service and IT. I believe that there are opportunities for significant savings if the district was to form cooperative ventures to supply support services with nearby districts. By taking advantage of increased purchasing power, reduced duplication of services and the ability to specialize in larger organizations it may be possible to improve services while reducing costs.
4) Draw on the expertise of the citizens of the district. There is no shortage of experienced professionals willing to help the district in its time of need. By focusing a board, administrative and community committee on a review of district operations and finance it may be possible to find new and creative modes of operation that will save significant money.
5) Continue and Expand Energy saving efforts. Efforts introduced over the last year successfully lowered district energy consumption at a rate that will save the district over $120,000 per year, but energy costs are still one of the largest non-educational expenditures. We need to continue and expand these efforts to improve the bottom line.
6) Referenda: Once the district has demonstrated a commitment to efficient and quality operation and has established specific well supported goals, it may be appropriate to ask district residents to help through an operating referendum that would be used to preserve and protect the features of the district we value most: small class sizes, exceptional arts programming, leadership in assessments and strong academics.
A while ago someone asked for my long term plan for solving the structural deficit. I've given this a lot of thought, and I have to say there is no magic bullet for this, I haven't heard anyone on the board or administration articulate any specific ideas that get us out of this situation. What we need more than anything is else is good ideas.
Enough introduction, this is the plan I would hope to implement:
A comprehensive plan for preserving the fiscal condition while improving outcomes of the Monona Grove School District:
1) Complete a strategic plan for the district: A strategic plan with well designed goals, reached through a process of significant district and community input, would provide a framework for all budgetary decisions on an ongoing basis. By measuring all budgetary decisions against a plan we will avoid expenditures not focused on the core mission, and have guidance for any future cuts that might be made.
2) Administrative Re-organization: The district has a talented and skilled team of highly trained educational leaders, however much of their time is spent on organizational duties that are essential, but peripheral, to the core mission of the district. A thorough review of responsibilities will reveal ways to improve both efficiency and effectiveness of our administrative teams.
3) Share Resources: Explore the possibility of consolidated support operations with neighboring school districts. Most school districts in the area are in similar straights and facing growing structural deficits, and yet all have similar needs in such areas as transportation, food service and IT. I believe that there are opportunities for significant savings if the district was to form cooperative ventures to supply support services with nearby districts. By taking advantage of increased purchasing power, reduced duplication of services and the ability to specialize in larger organizations it may be possible to improve services while reducing costs.
4) Draw on the expertise of the citizens of the district. There is no shortage of experienced professionals willing to help the district in its time of need. By focusing a board, administrative and community committee on a review of district operations and finance it may be possible to find new and creative modes of operation that will save significant money.
5) Continue and Expand Energy saving efforts. Efforts introduced over the last year successfully lowered district energy consumption at a rate that will save the district over $120,000 per year, but energy costs are still one of the largest non-educational expenditures. We need to continue and expand these efforts to improve the bottom line.
6) Referenda: Once the district has demonstrated a commitment to efficient and quality operation and has established specific well supported goals, it may be appropriate to ask district residents to help through an operating referendum that would be used to preserve and protect the features of the district we value most: small class sizes, exceptional arts programming, leadership in assessments and strong academics.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
H-I Link-
Adam has put up a detailed article concerning our deliberations last night:
http://www.herald-independent.com/main.asp?ArticleID=1536&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2
Update: Adam has corrected the story to reflect the actual timeline.
http://www.herald-independent.com/main.asp?ArticleID=1536&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2
Update: Adam has corrected the story to reflect the actual timeline.
The police stopped by...
A uniformed on-duty Monona Police officer dropped this off at my house earlier today:
I have a couple of problems with the flyer. The biggest one is that board did not decide to vote on this issue on Feb. 24th. Our budget timeline lists March 24th as the date for action. The mayor should have taken a moment to check with the district office before using city resources to send out misinformation. I questioned Rob about this, instead of taking responsibility, he blamed the Monona PTO. The date, and general tone of the flyer, give the impression that the board is trying to rush this through and hide it from the public. This isn't true.
I have a couple of problems with the flyer. The biggest one is that board did not decide to vote on this issue on Feb. 24th. Our budget timeline lists March 24th as the date for action. The mayor should have taken a moment to check with the district office before using city resources to send out misinformation. I questioned Rob about this, instead of taking responsibility, he blamed the Monona PTO. The date, and general tone of the flyer, give the impression that the board is trying to rush this through and hide it from the public. This isn't true.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tomorrow's board meeting...
Tommorrow board meeting agenda can be found here.
Items of Note:
X. Unfinished Business
A. Discussion and Possible Approval of 6th Grade Programming - Content and Location (30 Min)
In the past we have asked for an evaluation of best practices for 6th grade school programming, i.e. whether or not a middle school or elementary curriculum better serves students. The board will receive an administrative report summarizing the research and the practices of other districts.
B. Discussion of Possible Consolidation of Maywood & Winnequah Schools (30 Min)
The board will hear about the details of a possible consolidation, including the logistics of Winnequah as K-6 and any capital expenses incurred.
C. Discussion and Possible Approval of Addition of Modular Units in Cottage Grove (20 Min)
We will also hear an assesment of possible needs for additional space at Cottage Grove elementary for next year.
XI. New Business
A. Presentation by Deb Lyons: A Comparison Analysis of the United States and the Chinese Education Systems
What this district needs is new ideas for ways to provide quality education within the budget constraints. Comparison to other systems is an excellent way to develop ideas and creative solutions.
Items of Note:
X. Unfinished Business
A. Discussion and Possible Approval of 6th Grade Programming - Content and Location (30 Min)
In the past we have asked for an evaluation of best practices for 6th grade school programming, i.e. whether or not a middle school or elementary curriculum better serves students. The board will receive an administrative report summarizing the research and the practices of other districts.
B. Discussion of Possible Consolidation of Maywood & Winnequah Schools (30 Min)
The board will hear about the details of a possible consolidation, including the logistics of Winnequah as K-6 and any capital expenses incurred.
C. Discussion and Possible Approval of Addition of Modular Units in Cottage Grove (20 Min)
We will also hear an assesment of possible needs for additional space at Cottage Grove elementary for next year.
XI. New Business
A. Presentation by Deb Lyons: A Comparison Analysis of the United States and the Chinese Education Systems
What this district needs is new ideas for ways to provide quality education within the budget constraints. Comparison to other systems is an excellent way to develop ideas and creative solutions.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A few more
Dear Board Members,
I have been receiving a lot of information regarding your upcoming decisions on the following:
1. Eliminate 4th grade strings instruction.
2. Reduce middle school music staff by 1.53 positions.
3. Reduce music and related arts instruction time at the elementary school.
I would like you to know how important the current music curriculum has been for raising my children. Not only have they had the wonderful experience of learning and playing instruments in 4th grade, but have taken their experience well into their high school years and beyond.
My youngest was probably the worst violin player of her group when she started in 4th grade, but with the encouragement and patience that Jill Jensen and Carl Davick gave her, she now plays in the Chamber Orchestra. Jill Jensen is currently the director of the Silver Dimension helping to develop our 9th and 10th grade girls into a wonderful junior show choir that prepares them for the Silver Connection which is one of the best show choirs in southern Wisconsin. Because of teachers like Jill Jensen, Carl Davick and Lori Nahirniak, my daughter has learned and developed such a passion for music that she is going to major in music for college. You see its not always clear what our children will become, but providing them with opportunities made available from a program of excellence is what I think we all agree is the ultimate goal.
Yes, I do believe that our Monona Grove School District with its current music curriculum provides excellence. I support the existing music programs and hope that you all agree.
Thank you,
Deb Noltner
___________________________________________________________________
To whom it may concern,
As a former student of the Monona Grove school district, I was completely appalled to hear that the orchestra program for 4th graders may be cut. Obviously with the economy, budgets need to be smaller and smaller every year, but why is it always the arts that are cut? Orchestra is not like band, where students can begin learning to play instruments in 6th grade. Offering students another area of knowledge is fundamental. Not all students are content with academics and athletics. Music and art is crucial to their lives as well. Playing violin is an essential part of my life, and I am not even majoring in music; I just do it for fun. If I hadn't begun playing in 4th grade, I would not have had those crucial two years of the violin. I cannot believe that upcoming students will not have the opportunity that I had. It makes me honestly sick to know that orchestra will not be offered to young students anymore. I really cannot believe this is the only way. Please think o f the students when you make the future budget decision. I truly hope orchestra can be saved.
Thank you for your time, Kristyn Armstrong
_________________________________________________________________
Dear Board Members,
First, we are blessed to have a strong school district, with outstanding programs and faculty. Our communities are attractive to young families due to these programs, which include a very strong music and fine arts component. Anyone who attends the various music programs in the elementary schools of Monona (where my kids have attended) is aware of the tremendous dedication and talent which Jill Jensen brings to our schools. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, as witnessed by the large number of participants in the 4th and 5th grade strings program.
As a leader and advocate for families in the Monona community, I urge you to temporarily close Maywood rather than considering major cuts to the elementary music program. As most of us know, Nichols was temporarily closed in the 1980s, leaving Maywood and Winnequah (the middle school) to accommodate the slump in enrollment. When numbers came back up, Nichols was reopened. That was a smart move then to save money, and clearly, the district has much to save now by managing our resources wisely. With Winnequah across the street from Maywood, the decision should be easy. Kids need a nurturing environment; better to have more staff in fewer buildings to insure that they get it.
Most importantly, we have an obligation to maximize the learning opportunities for our kids. Cutting quality programs diminishes the education our kids receive. Closing a school helps to maximize opportunities for these same kids, with no real negative impact. Let's spend our precious tax dollars on quality teachers and programs, and let's remind the community that we have temporarily shut down our elementary schools before, without our community falling apart. We need the board to provide leadership to help this community to understand and accept the tough choices.
I would rather pay higher taxes to maintain quality educational opportunities for the kids of our district. You are elected representatives of our schools, and I can assure you that many people want you to demand more money. We just cannot sustain quality schools without adequate revenue. So to be clear, we need more taxation to support the public services that we demand. Let's put the issue on the ballot. Families will reward your courage and leadership.
Thank you for your service to our communities. And thanks to Jill Jensen for making music such a positive and enriching experience for the elementary children of Monona.
Sincerely,
Chad Speight
________________________________________________________________________
Thank you to Susan Fox, Superintendant Gerlach, and the school board for your honesty about the budget situation and your willingness to keep the public informed by placing information on the website. We have some terrible choices to make in the next few months, and I feel confident that you will make sound decisions, even though they will involve cuts that no one wants to see.
That being said, I am writing in support of Winnequah Music/Orchestra Teacher Jill Jensen. All three of my children are/have been students of Ms. Jensen. She is the kind of teacher that children remember and appreciate for the rest of their lives. She is a truly valuable asset to the school district. While I concede that our budget situation may result in parts of the elementary strings program being reduced, I believe that you must find a way to keep Jill Jensen’s position. Losing Jill Jensen is one budget cut that we can’t afford.
Leah Kimmell
I have been receiving a lot of information regarding your upcoming decisions on the following:
1. Eliminate 4th grade strings instruction.
2. Reduce middle school music staff by 1.53 positions.
3. Reduce music and related arts instruction time at the elementary school.
I would like you to know how important the current music curriculum has been for raising my children. Not only have they had the wonderful experience of learning and playing instruments in 4th grade, but have taken their experience well into their high school years and beyond.
My youngest was probably the worst violin player of her group when she started in 4th grade, but with the encouragement and patience that Jill Jensen and Carl Davick gave her, she now plays in the Chamber Orchestra. Jill Jensen is currently the director of the Silver Dimension helping to develop our 9th and 10th grade girls into a wonderful junior show choir that prepares them for the Silver Connection which is one of the best show choirs in southern Wisconsin. Because of teachers like Jill Jensen, Carl Davick and Lori Nahirniak, my daughter has learned and developed such a passion for music that she is going to major in music for college. You see its not always clear what our children will become, but providing them with opportunities made available from a program of excellence is what I think we all agree is the ultimate goal.
Yes, I do believe that our Monona Grove School District with its current music curriculum provides excellence. I support the existing music programs and hope that you all agree.
Thank you,
Deb Noltner
___________________________________________________________________
To whom it may concern,
As a former student of the Monona Grove school district, I was completely appalled to hear that the orchestra program for 4th graders may be cut. Obviously with the economy, budgets need to be smaller and smaller every year, but why is it always the arts that are cut? Orchestra is not like band, where students can begin learning to play instruments in 6th grade. Offering students another area of knowledge is fundamental. Not all students are content with academics and athletics. Music and art is crucial to their lives as well. Playing violin is an essential part of my life, and I am not even majoring in music; I just do it for fun. If I hadn't begun playing in 4th grade, I would not have had those crucial two years of the violin. I cannot believe that upcoming students will not have the opportunity that I had. It makes me honestly sick to know that orchestra will not be offered to young students anymore. I really cannot believe this is the only way. Please think o f the students when you make the future budget decision. I truly hope orchestra can be saved.
Thank you for your time, Kristyn Armstrong
_________________________________________________________________
Dear Board Members,
First, we are blessed to have a strong school district, with outstanding programs and faculty. Our communities are attractive to young families due to these programs, which include a very strong music and fine arts component. Anyone who attends the various music programs in the elementary schools of Monona (where my kids have attended) is aware of the tremendous dedication and talent which Jill Jensen brings to our schools. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, as witnessed by the large number of participants in the 4th and 5th grade strings program.
As a leader and advocate for families in the Monona community, I urge you to temporarily close Maywood rather than considering major cuts to the elementary music program. As most of us know, Nichols was temporarily closed in the 1980s, leaving Maywood and Winnequah (the middle school) to accommodate the slump in enrollment. When numbers came back up, Nichols was reopened. That was a smart move then to save money, and clearly, the district has much to save now by managing our resources wisely. With Winnequah across the street from Maywood, the decision should be easy. Kids need a nurturing environment; better to have more staff in fewer buildings to insure that they get it.
Most importantly, we have an obligation to maximize the learning opportunities for our kids. Cutting quality programs diminishes the education our kids receive. Closing a school helps to maximize opportunities for these same kids, with no real negative impact. Let's spend our precious tax dollars on quality teachers and programs, and let's remind the community that we have temporarily shut down our elementary schools before, without our community falling apart. We need the board to provide leadership to help this community to understand and accept the tough choices.
I would rather pay higher taxes to maintain quality educational opportunities for the kids of our district. You are elected representatives of our schools, and I can assure you that many people want you to demand more money. We just cannot sustain quality schools without adequate revenue. So to be clear, we need more taxation to support the public services that we demand. Let's put the issue on the ballot. Families will reward your courage and leadership.
Thank you for your service to our communities. And thanks to Jill Jensen for making music such a positive and enriching experience for the elementary children of Monona.
Sincerely,
Chad Speight
________________________________________________________________________
Thank you to Susan Fox, Superintendant Gerlach, and the school board for your honesty about the budget situation and your willingness to keep the public informed by placing information on the website. We have some terrible choices to make in the next few months, and I feel confident that you will make sound decisions, even though they will involve cuts that no one wants to see.
That being said, I am writing in support of Winnequah Music/Orchestra Teacher Jill Jensen. All three of my children are/have been students of Ms. Jensen. She is the kind of teacher that children remember and appreciate for the rest of their lives. She is a truly valuable asset to the school district. While I concede that our budget situation may result in parts of the elementary strings program being reduced, I believe that you must find a way to keep Jill Jensen’s position. Losing Jill Jensen is one budget cut that we can’t afford.
Leah Kimmell
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
We get lots and lots of letters-
We have received several letters over the last few days. I am posting here all of them for which I have received the author's permission for your review. I had to reformat them for this forum, so i apologize if anything got mangled in the process:
____________________________________________________________________________
Dear School Board Members,
I am writing to urge you to keep 4th grade strings and specifically Jill Jensen on board in our schools. I know how difficult and painful the process of making budget cuts is—if anything, we would all like to see more programs available to our kids, let alone cut what we already have. I am fairly new to Monona, having moved here a year and a half ago, and have been extremely impressed by the 4th and 5th grade performances organized by Jill. It is obvious that she puts in many extra hours and goes far above and beyond her duties as a classroom teacher, because it is one thing—and hard enough—to teach a group of kids the mechanics involved in learning to read and perform music. It is another thing entirely to connect with children so closely and so well as to inspire obvious the joy and enthusiasm for performing that I have seen bursting forth in every one of their concerts that I have attended.
Without ever having met Jill Jensen, I was very pleased to discover that the Monona schools had an elementary music program at all. We moved from a district in California which had no music teachers, no art teachers, no P.E. teachers, no guidance teachers, no teacher’s aides, and no school buses at the elementary level (sadly, all very typical for California). Both my older kids were so excited to start an instrument, and Jill helped them individually get up to speed, as they are of course at a disadvantage, having had no formal instruction and just jumping in here with kids who have had that advantage. She has always been very sensitive and caring towards my kids, who have had difficulty adjusting to our move on many levels. I find her very approachable for parents and kids alike, and she obviously cares about the kids in her classes.
Although Monona is not in quite as dire straits as the district we came from, I know it is still very difficult to be in the position of having to cut programs for budget reasons. Because I know firsthand what it is like in a school with no music, no art, no PE, nothing extra, just a bare bones curriculum where already overburdened classroom teachers have to take on anything and every extra thing themselves if it is to happen at all, I urge you to keep Jill Jensen and 4th grade strings in place here in the schools. As a parent I would willingly forgo busing and provide my own transportation for my kids, or increase my volunteer time at the school in order to make up for other cuts if it would keep the music program in place.
Thank you for your attention to my letter and your service to the schools,
Sincerely,
Laura Hartog
__________________________________________________________________________
Dear School Board,
I realize that the issue of closing Maywood has been on the agenda for some time, but I'm getting the sense anecdotally that this option is gaining traction. It's ironic because I went into my e-mail drafts folder and found a draft of a message to Susan Manning about this very same subject, only it was written last year. This is my second year with a child in Maywood and it's my second year facing losing the school.
My husband and I were talking about it, and he asked why the district can't sell the Nichols building and move offices into the extra space at Winnequah. I figured the school board had explored the option, but I still thought it worth bringing up. Someone mentioned that there are issues that could prevent the sale of the building--or at least make it more complicated--but I still wonder why it hasn't been fully explored or formally studied the way closing Maywood has been.
Also, if a sale isn't possible, then why not close Nichols instead of Maywood? After all, if we're going to spend a lot of money to renovate Winnequah to accommodate younger students so that we can close Maywood, I can't help but wonder if the expense wouldn't be the same or less to move the offices and close Nichols instead. There's a renovation and move either way. We'd still have to maintain an empty building either way. What I keep coming back to is that if the school district is going to own four buildings in Monona but only operate three, it makes sense that those three should be schools.
I realize that Maywood is not without its problems--I've encountered some of them this year. Yet I still passionately believe that it is a prime example of a school that works well for the majority of the students. I'm tired of seeing the vultures circling overhead. This is exhausting for the community and divisive for the district.
Best,
Jennifer Garrett
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School Board Members-
I am extraordinarily aware of the challenges you face ahead in this budget situation- and I don't envy you. All the things you are considering cutting are important and it is hard to think that we are even considering some of these cuts. But we are- and it will be tough.
I am writing to you tonight to simply say that I hope you can find a way to keep Jill Jensen employed in the district. I know that cuts throughout the music department will have repercussions throughout the music staff. But having kids gone through elementary school, middle school, and now high school, I can tell you that Jill Jensen is hands down the best music teacher in the department- bar none. Her commitment to music and her desire to have kids experience music, her ability to motivate all kids to sing and dance--(my daughter sang a solo in Schoolhouse Rock in 5th grade--absolutely amazing!).
Even more important, though, Jill truly believes that music should be available and accessible to all kids regardless of academic ability and family/financial situation. If a kid wants to play an instrument at Winnequah and cannot afford it, Jill makes it happen. If a kid has a concert and does not have a family who can get him there, Jill makes it happen. This deep belief that music should be accessible to all is not a belief held by the entire music department of MG schools- but for Jill- everyone counts.
I know this an issue of seniority, and that the rules of union are not flexible. But if there is a way to keep Jill at Winnequah, I urge you to do so- she is the hardest working teacher I know and has meant soooo incredibly much to my kids.
I know that you have heard from many folks about this and other issues- a form letter response is not necessary--- I just wanted you to know how I feel.
Good luck with these decisions- and thanks for your service to our schools. It is much appreciated.
Sue Carr
Dear Monona Grove Board members,
My name is Ami Yamamoto, and I have recently graduated from Monona Grove High School last May. I was so shocked to hear from many of my fellow graduates, current students, as well as my former orchestra teacher, Mr. Carl Davick, that the board is going to be removing the fourth grade string program. I am very, very against this. Because I have started playing violin since I was three, and because I am currently a private violin teacher for beginners, I understand how critical it is to start playing an instrument, especially strings, at an early age. The younger the better the students will absorb more materials.
From the very start of the orchestra class in fourth grade, I enjoyed being in a group where my colleagues and I got together to make music, whether it was in a classroom setting or in a small group that met once a week before school. I felt very home-like whenever I was in a musical group setting. I would hate to see wonderful opportunities that I received when I was in Nichols Elementary taken away. Some of the students who are more musically inclined join Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, or WYSO. I joined WYSO when I was in sixth grade because Mr. Davick recommended it. I am very thankful for being in an orchestral setting at school before I joined this youth orchestra because I have never done such a thing before. If you see how many students are in WYSO now days compared to ten years ago, the number has immensely increased. This should be a huge sign that more and more students, as well as their parents, are starting to appreciate music and find the importance in it. As for me, I loved playing my violin in WYSO as well as our wonderful school orchestra, that I decided to double major in violin performance and biochemistry.
I've had so many enjoyable memories with the MG orchestra. One memory that instantly pops up is the 4-12 string orchestra concert. Every year, I get to see how many people in our district is in the string program, and I am always so outraged by the size of the student body! As an elementary school student, it was the one occasion that I got to see a whole group of high school kids and play with them. It definitely inspired me to get better. As I got older, I became the one that would go over to the fourth and fifth grades to help them tune. It was so nice to think that they must feel the same way that I felt back when I was their age. When I was first introduced to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, a piece of our tradition in which every students participate, I was so excited because it was my first famous orchestral piece that I had ever played. To this day, hearing this piece still brings back great memories.
So you may say that even if we cut the elementary school strings program, we can start it from sixth grade, just like the band program. There are so many disadvantages to this. First of all, string instruments are harder to get a grasp on, compared to the band instruments. I understand this first hand, because I had played the flute for six years in MG band. The string instruments require more complex skills in both hands/arms, and the muscle memory plays a very important part in this. Not to mention that the muscle memory works the best at a younger age. Second, if a student wants to start playing a string instrument and a band instrument, like myself, it is nearly impossible to do it at the same time. It's almost like learning two languages at the same time. I just does not work. In addition, not as many students are going to pick up the string instruments because band seems more "popular".
I understand that Monona Grove is having a financial difficulty, but I want our wonderful strings program to keep growing and I will be very opposed to anything that will be in the way of doing so. It seems like music education is always one of the first program to get cut, which is incredibly not fair. I grown up to myself that I am today because of music. Because of it, I was able to be a part of the MGHS pit orchestra, show choir band, a string quartet that was the finalist of the St. Paul String Quartet Competition, and even finding gigs to play at weddings. I hope that you will keep this in mind when you are making this near future decision. I would like to see more people from MG have that same experience.
Sincerely,
Ami Yamamoto
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Thank you for the opportunity to review the discussed budget cuts.
I would be very concerned about outsourcing the custodial staff. Having worked in the corporate environment and have experienced this type of staff change I would be opposed to this option. The current staff does a fantastic job and as a parent I want to know the people that are around my children. Going with the cheaper option is not always the better solution.
The second item I would want you to consider is the walk zone and the late bus. In the world we live in most parents have both parents working and or many divorced homes. Being able to know that you child has a safe way home is very important. Some school districts offer the option of charging for bus services. Have you reviewed the potential to do this? McFarland does this and may be something for you to consider. I know that if I was told I didn’t have the option for my child to ride the bus especially a late bus once they get into high school it would be very concerning. The traffic concerns and the lack of police monitoring the major intersections in Cottage Grove is very much a concern and to have more children walking to and from home doesn't sound like a good idea. I would pay in addition to my tax dollars if I was considered part of a walk zone to provide a safer option for my children and think you should consider it.
I am also glad you are reviewing the Maywood and Winnequah consolidation and believe it should be highly considered. While I understand it is political and difficult for many that have emotional ties we need to look at the best of the worst options when faced with these financial challenges.
Kind Regards,
Kim Miller
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My name is Nora Germain.
I did not graduate from MG, but I went there my freshman and sophomore year and went to Winnequah, Nichols, and Maywood. I have been playing the violin since I was three years old. When I was old enough to be in the strings program in 4th grade, I was overjoyed. Even though my peers were just starting and I was way ahead, I felt like we were one big team together, and I could help inspire them, and feel like I succeeded. We were all a team in elementary school and in middle school, and we were all a team in high school.
To be able to help my friends learn the music and to encourage them to work on more difficult sections was a great experience for me.
My father, Glenn Germain, was a violinist in the Madison Symphony, and so was my mom. My father is a strings restorer and has repaired and donated so many instruments to the program with help from Jill and Carl. The last two summers, I taught many of the students that were in the program already or were about to enter it. My family has personally impacted the program because we all believe in it. And all of us are professionals.
Music is a fundamental energy. We make music with our heart beats, and we make music when we walk. We walk in tempo, not randomly and unpredictably. Babies crawl in tempo too, once they learn.
Allowing students to be able to express themselves with music within their normal school day is a human thing. It is a vital thing. MG helps the community by supplying it with orchestral musicians! They move on to play in WYSO and in community orchestras at UW Madison and Milwaukee and many other places. My orchestral experience at MG has definitely helped me in my life, and I am currently going for my BFA, studying jazz violin at The New School in New York City! Already so many strings programs have been shut down in the Madison area; there are hardly any left if I am correct. Letting the strings program go will be a horrible decision.
How can we let the kids in the MGSD grow up without music ACTIVELY in their lives, especially when many of them cannot afford to take lessons elsewhere? Getting rid of the program means getting rid of music in their lives, not just getting rid of music at Nichols, and, 4th and 5th graders need to get started THEN, not later, at Winnequah. Those two years of background heavily impact their development, OUR development, as musicians.
Music is one of the ONLY ways in which students in the MGSD can connect to one another without competing, without judging, without knowing about each other's school drama or financial situation or relationship status or any other grounds for feelings to be hurt.
Orchestra is a joy, no matter what your level is, and I can't imagine anyone that has participated in it could agree that getting rid of it would be a good idea.
Imagine if music had been taken away from children a long time ago... Imagine a world without swing music, without jazz music, without classical music, without opera, or broadway, or musicals? Without gypsy music or tango? No Choirs, no Medieval music?! No Hymns?
The reason why popular music is such garbage these days is because there is a severe lack of education for where music comes from, and who Bach was, and what Mozart sounds like, etc. Education is fundamental to students, and to children and young adults who will be the future of the world! Instead of practicing the 1812 Overture, students will be listening to 50 Cent who will talk about getting high and having drunk intercourse. We can do much better than that. We are a school in Wisconsin! We are expected to do much better than that!
Our orchestra is part of the future of music, and if we take that away, we are going to cause a disastrous impact that none of you will see, but I will see, and my peers who care about orchestra, will see too.
Nora Francesca Germain
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Dear School Board--
I wrote a letter to the Herald regarding the potential budget cuts for the music program, specifically the very real possibility of cutting fourth-grade strings. I've included that letter here to make sure that you are all able to see it in all its glory, as I'll likely pare it down for newpaperability. I would like to emphasize how strongly I feel about this; music was what got me through high school. Nothing else had as much meaning to me as the music program, and nothing else remained as relevant to me after I graduated. I fear that not only would a cut be an initial hit to the strength of the program, but it would also pave the way for more such cuts in the future. Thanks very much for your time.
Dear Editor--
My name is Jake DeBacher; I graduated from MG last year. I recently was very troubled to hear that the school board is seriously considering cutting the fourth- (and possibly fifth-) grade strings programs from the curriculum in order to partially solve the district's budget troubles; I sincerely hope that they reconsider this action before depreciating the value of one of our district's strongest programs.
I started strings—cello was my instrument—when most MG kids did, back in fourth grade. I don't remember exactly how many of my peers were also taking orchestra back then, but at present, about 70% of 4th graders are enrolled in the strings program. I can say without any hyperbole that being in the strings program hugely changed my entire school experience, from the time I picked it up in elementary school to the time I graduated.
The representations of the benefits, while subtle, can be easily explained. It's a well-documented fact that musical ability leads to better brain functioning; high school students that participate in musics tend to have considerably higher scores on standardized tests. In one study, second graders who were given just a few hours of piano lessons showed immediate improvement on their understanding of fractions. And while it's true that orchestra would still be available in middle school if the current program is cut back, students may be less willing to start a new instrument when it might interfere with other classes they would want to take. Additionally, students might be intimidated by the prospect of starting two instruments at once, as sixth grade is also the time when band class starts. Orchestra can also be beneficial to team- and community-buildings skills; there is little else in school that so emphasizes the importance of working well with those around you.
The benefits of an earlier orchestra education also manifest in more obvious ways. My senior year, two other Orchestrians and I formed a trio, did a bit of self-advertising, and played some commercial gigs, including a wedding and the Herb Kohl education banquet. If our musical education had started later, this probably would not have been an option. It is not only the fact that our current curriculum starts us early, but also that it is flexible for students: when I was in 4th grade, my music teacher, Jill Jensen, arranged for me to play in a smaller group setting with some other kids to allow us greater experience as musicians. I also—along with many of my classmates—have had the incredible opportunity of playing in the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, which rewards the highest level of musicianship with an awesome experience in a more intensive playing environment. In fact, Ami Yamamoto—a 2009 MG graduate—was actually selected to play as a violin soloist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in eighth grade, which was an incredible honor, not to mention an testament to our incredible strings program.
The implications of an early string program still echo in my life today. I played cello multiple years in the pit orchestra for the school musical, which I consider among greatest experiences of my high school tenure. I am currently studying undergraduate music composition, due in strong part to our orchestra program; when I was a senior, I was given the indescribable opportunity to write a piece for our orchestra, which was played at the Spring concert (and I would do a great disservice not to mention the help of the Orchestra director Carl Davick, without whom the piece certainly never would have been realized, and who gives the program as a whole so much of its value).
Music also provides a very valuable outlet for school-age kids. There are numerous opportunities that it provides, both during school and extra-curricular. One of the highlights of my middle school years was playing with the Sizzling Strings, a group that met after school on Fridays. While some people would be skeptical that kids would be willing to stay after school right before the weekend, everyone that participated absolutely loved the group, and it allowed for a large amount of interaction between grade levels that middle school otherwise largely lacks. The orchestra also provides another source of camaraderie between all grades in the annual 4-12 concert, which takes place in the spring; each grade plays a short set, from 4th-grade unison to12th-grade masterworks, and culminates with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, played by all grades together, a truly awe-inspiring experience. I still remember the amazement I felt in fourth grade, playing with hundreds of other musicians. This concert is an amazing way to really determine the true power of our orchestra program; it shows the immense progress that is made after each year of orchestra.
I could easily go on for many more paragraphs about the benefits of the program. Every music teacher I've had since grade school has provided a valuable role model for me and hundreds of others. Music provides a huge outlet for the development of creative talents. It is an opportunity to make new friends and expand social circles. If you need further proof of how the program is beneficial, just sit in on a rehearsal. I have no doubt that its importance is self-evident.
I understand that the budget issues facing the school board are great. I acknowledge that academics generally take precedence over the music program, and that in the end, a cutback might be the only plausible way to keep the budget in check. But I truly beg the board to consider every possibility before making that decision, as the implications would be unfortunate. Music was unequivocally the greatest aspect of my high school experience, and I cringe to think of how I would have developed differently had it not played such a large role. Cutting the program back now might set a precedent for similar cutbacks in the future, a truly deplorable idea. And kids would likely be less likely to pick up the instrument in the first place if the time for them to do so is delayed. Protect the interests of the students, and ensure that the strings program remains intact.
Jake DeBacher
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Dear School Board Members & Superintendent,
We heard that in MG budget discussions, the school board is considering cutting Jill Jensen’s position.
Ms. Jensen is a passionate and compassionate teacher who does an outstanding job instilling a love of learning music in young children. At the middle school winter strings concert, the orchestra was asked for a show of hands for how many students had come through Nichols Elementary and how many had come through Cottage Grove Elementary. The vast majority (approximately ¾) of the hands raised were Monona children who had learned strings from Ms. Jensen. That show of hands is a direct reflection of Ms. Jensen’s influence on and importance to the MG strings program. And having such a strong strings program is something that sets the MG school district apart from other districts.
Here’s what my kids have to say about Ms. Jensen.
Eli, 8th grade: She was always so fun! Ms. Jensen made learning an instrument enjoyable. She motivated me to practice because I knew it would please her, and in the process, I improved my cello skills. She is so happy, loving and funny. She is one of my favorite teachers.
Micah, 6th grade: She is fun and she puts me in a good mood. I don’t think I would have stuck with playing the string bass without Ms. Jensen. Younger kids coming through Winnequah would really be missing out if they didn’t have her for a teacher.
Sincerely,
Sally Buffat
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Dear School Board Members,
I am writing to urge you to keep 4th grade strings and specifically Jill Jensen on board in our schools. I know how difficult and painful the process of making budget cuts is—if anything, we would all like to see more programs available to our kids, let alone cut what we already have. I am fairly new to Monona, having moved here a year and a half ago, and have been extremely impressed by the 4th and 5th grade performances organized by Jill. It is obvious that she puts in many extra hours and goes far above and beyond her duties as a classroom teacher, because it is one thing—and hard enough—to teach a group of kids the mechanics involved in learning to read and perform music. It is another thing entirely to connect with children so closely and so well as to inspire obvious the joy and enthusiasm for performing that I have seen bursting forth in every one of their concerts that I have attended.
Without ever having met Jill Jensen, I was very pleased to discover that the Monona schools had an elementary music program at all. We moved from a district in California which had no music teachers, no art teachers, no P.E. teachers, no guidance teachers, no teacher’s aides, and no school buses at the elementary level (sadly, all very typical for California). Both my older kids were so excited to start an instrument, and Jill helped them individually get up to speed, as they are of course at a disadvantage, having had no formal instruction and just jumping in here with kids who have had that advantage. She has always been very sensitive and caring towards my kids, who have had difficulty adjusting to our move on many levels. I find her very approachable for parents and kids alike, and she obviously cares about the kids in her classes.
Although Monona is not in quite as dire straits as the district we came from, I know it is still very difficult to be in the position of having to cut programs for budget reasons. Because I know firsthand what it is like in a school with no music, no art, no PE, nothing extra, just a bare bones curriculum where already overburdened classroom teachers have to take on anything and every extra thing themselves if it is to happen at all, I urge you to keep Jill Jensen and 4th grade strings in place here in the schools. As a parent I would willingly forgo busing and provide my own transportation for my kids, or increase my volunteer time at the school in order to make up for other cuts if it would keep the music program in place.
Thank you for your attention to my letter and your service to the schools,
Sincerely,
Laura Hartog
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Dear School Board,
I realize that the issue of closing Maywood has been on the agenda for some time, but I'm getting the sense anecdotally that this option is gaining traction. It's ironic because I went into my e-mail drafts folder and found a draft of a message to Susan Manning about this very same subject, only it was written last year. This is my second year with a child in Maywood and it's my second year facing losing the school.
My husband and I were talking about it, and he asked why the district can't sell the Nichols building and move offices into the extra space at Winnequah. I figured the school board had explored the option, but I still thought it worth bringing up. Someone mentioned that there are issues that could prevent the sale of the building--or at least make it more complicated--but I still wonder why it hasn't been fully explored or formally studied the way closing Maywood has been.
Also, if a sale isn't possible, then why not close Nichols instead of Maywood? After all, if we're going to spend a lot of money to renovate Winnequah to accommodate younger students so that we can close Maywood, I can't help but wonder if the expense wouldn't be the same or less to move the offices and close Nichols instead. There's a renovation and move either way. We'd still have to maintain an empty building either way. What I keep coming back to is that if the school district is going to own four buildings in Monona but only operate three, it makes sense that those three should be schools.
I realize that Maywood is not without its problems--I've encountered some of them this year. Yet I still passionately believe that it is a prime example of a school that works well for the majority of the students. I'm tired of seeing the vultures circling overhead. This is exhausting for the community and divisive for the district.
Best,
Jennifer Garrett
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School Board Members-
I am extraordinarily aware of the challenges you face ahead in this budget situation- and I don't envy you. All the things you are considering cutting are important and it is hard to think that we are even considering some of these cuts. But we are- and it will be tough.
I am writing to you tonight to simply say that I hope you can find a way to keep Jill Jensen employed in the district. I know that cuts throughout the music department will have repercussions throughout the music staff. But having kids gone through elementary school, middle school, and now high school, I can tell you that Jill Jensen is hands down the best music teacher in the department- bar none. Her commitment to music and her desire to have kids experience music, her ability to motivate all kids to sing and dance--(my daughter sang a solo in Schoolhouse Rock in 5th grade--absolutely amazing!).
Even more important, though, Jill truly believes that music should be available and accessible to all kids regardless of academic ability and family/financial situation. If a kid wants to play an instrument at Winnequah and cannot afford it, Jill makes it happen. If a kid has a concert and does not have a family who can get him there, Jill makes it happen. This deep belief that music should be accessible to all is not a belief held by the entire music department of MG schools- but for Jill- everyone counts.
I know this an issue of seniority, and that the rules of union are not flexible. But if there is a way to keep Jill at Winnequah, I urge you to do so- she is the hardest working teacher I know and has meant soooo incredibly much to my kids.
I know that you have heard from many folks about this and other issues- a form letter response is not necessary--- I just wanted you to know how I feel.
Good luck with these decisions- and thanks for your service to our schools. It is much appreciated.
Sue Carr
Dear Monona Grove Board members,
My name is Ami Yamamoto, and I have recently graduated from Monona Grove High School last May. I was so shocked to hear from many of my fellow graduates, current students, as well as my former orchestra teacher, Mr. Carl Davick, that the board is going to be removing the fourth grade string program. I am very, very against this. Because I have started playing violin since I was three, and because I am currently a private violin teacher for beginners, I understand how critical it is to start playing an instrument, especially strings, at an early age. The younger the better the students will absorb more materials.
From the very start of the orchestra class in fourth grade, I enjoyed being in a group where my colleagues and I got together to make music, whether it was in a classroom setting or in a small group that met once a week before school. I felt very home-like whenever I was in a musical group setting. I would hate to see wonderful opportunities that I received when I was in Nichols Elementary taken away. Some of the students who are more musically inclined join Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, or WYSO. I joined WYSO when I was in sixth grade because Mr. Davick recommended it. I am very thankful for being in an orchestral setting at school before I joined this youth orchestra because I have never done such a thing before. If you see how many students are in WYSO now days compared to ten years ago, the number has immensely increased. This should be a huge sign that more and more students, as well as their parents, are starting to appreciate music and find the importance in it. As for me, I loved playing my violin in WYSO as well as our wonderful school orchestra, that I decided to double major in violin performance and biochemistry.
I've had so many enjoyable memories with the MG orchestra. One memory that instantly pops up is the 4-12 string orchestra concert. Every year, I get to see how many people in our district is in the string program, and I am always so outraged by the size of the student body! As an elementary school student, it was the one occasion that I got to see a whole group of high school kids and play with them. It definitely inspired me to get better. As I got older, I became the one that would go over to the fourth and fifth grades to help them tune. It was so nice to think that they must feel the same way that I felt back when I was their age. When I was first introduced to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, a piece of our tradition in which every students participate, I was so excited because it was my first famous orchestral piece that I had ever played. To this day, hearing this piece still brings back great memories.
So you may say that even if we cut the elementary school strings program, we can start it from sixth grade, just like the band program. There are so many disadvantages to this. First of all, string instruments are harder to get a grasp on, compared to the band instruments. I understand this first hand, because I had played the flute for six years in MG band. The string instruments require more complex skills in both hands/arms, and the muscle memory plays a very important part in this. Not to mention that the muscle memory works the best at a younger age. Second, if a student wants to start playing a string instrument and a band instrument, like myself, it is nearly impossible to do it at the same time. It's almost like learning two languages at the same time. I just does not work. In addition, not as many students are going to pick up the string instruments because band seems more "popular".
I understand that Monona Grove is having a financial difficulty, but I want our wonderful strings program to keep growing and I will be very opposed to anything that will be in the way of doing so. It seems like music education is always one of the first program to get cut, which is incredibly not fair. I grown up to myself that I am today because of music. Because of it, I was able to be a part of the MGHS pit orchestra, show choir band, a string quartet that was the finalist of the St. Paul String Quartet Competition, and even finding gigs to play at weddings. I hope that you will keep this in mind when you are making this near future decision. I would like to see more people from MG have that same experience.
Sincerely,
Ami Yamamoto
________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for the opportunity to review the discussed budget cuts.
I would be very concerned about outsourcing the custodial staff. Having worked in the corporate environment and have experienced this type of staff change I would be opposed to this option. The current staff does a fantastic job and as a parent I want to know the people that are around my children. Going with the cheaper option is not always the better solution.
The second item I would want you to consider is the walk zone and the late bus. In the world we live in most parents have both parents working and or many divorced homes. Being able to know that you child has a safe way home is very important. Some school districts offer the option of charging for bus services. Have you reviewed the potential to do this? McFarland does this and may be something for you to consider. I know that if I was told I didn’t have the option for my child to ride the bus especially a late bus once they get into high school it would be very concerning. The traffic concerns and the lack of police monitoring the major intersections in Cottage Grove is very much a concern and to have more children walking to and from home doesn't sound like a good idea. I would pay in addition to my tax dollars if I was considered part of a walk zone to provide a safer option for my children and think you should consider it.
I am also glad you are reviewing the Maywood and Winnequah consolidation and believe it should be highly considered. While I understand it is political and difficult for many that have emotional ties we need to look at the best of the worst options when faced with these financial challenges.
Kind Regards,
Kim Miller
_____________________________________________________________________________
My name is Nora Germain.
I did not graduate from MG, but I went there my freshman and sophomore year and went to Winnequah, Nichols, and Maywood. I have been playing the violin since I was three years old. When I was old enough to be in the strings program in 4th grade, I was overjoyed. Even though my peers were just starting and I was way ahead, I felt like we were one big team together, and I could help inspire them, and feel like I succeeded. We were all a team in elementary school and in middle school, and we were all a team in high school.
To be able to help my friends learn the music and to encourage them to work on more difficult sections was a great experience for me.
My father, Glenn Germain, was a violinist in the Madison Symphony, and so was my mom. My father is a strings restorer and has repaired and donated so many instruments to the program with help from Jill and Carl. The last two summers, I taught many of the students that were in the program already or were about to enter it. My family has personally impacted the program because we all believe in it. And all of us are professionals.
Music is a fundamental energy. We make music with our heart beats, and we make music when we walk. We walk in tempo, not randomly and unpredictably. Babies crawl in tempo too, once they learn.
Allowing students to be able to express themselves with music within their normal school day is a human thing. It is a vital thing. MG helps the community by supplying it with orchestral musicians! They move on to play in WYSO and in community orchestras at UW Madison and Milwaukee and many other places. My orchestral experience at MG has definitely helped me in my life, and I am currently going for my BFA, studying jazz violin at The New School in New York City! Already so many strings programs have been shut down in the Madison area; there are hardly any left if I am correct. Letting the strings program go will be a horrible decision.
How can we let the kids in the MGSD grow up without music ACTIVELY in their lives, especially when many of them cannot afford to take lessons elsewhere? Getting rid of the program means getting rid of music in their lives, not just getting rid of music at Nichols, and, 4th and 5th graders need to get started THEN, not later, at Winnequah. Those two years of background heavily impact their development, OUR development, as musicians.
Music is one of the ONLY ways in which students in the MGSD can connect to one another without competing, without judging, without knowing about each other's school drama or financial situation or relationship status or any other grounds for feelings to be hurt.
Orchestra is a joy, no matter what your level is, and I can't imagine anyone that has participated in it could agree that getting rid of it would be a good idea.
Imagine if music had been taken away from children a long time ago... Imagine a world without swing music, without jazz music, without classical music, without opera, or broadway, or musicals? Without gypsy music or tango? No Choirs, no Medieval music?! No Hymns?
The reason why popular music is such garbage these days is because there is a severe lack of education for where music comes from, and who Bach was, and what Mozart sounds like, etc. Education is fundamental to students, and to children and young adults who will be the future of the world! Instead of practicing the 1812 Overture, students will be listening to 50 Cent who will talk about getting high and having drunk intercourse. We can do much better than that. We are a school in Wisconsin! We are expected to do much better than that!
Our orchestra is part of the future of music, and if we take that away, we are going to cause a disastrous impact that none of you will see, but I will see, and my peers who care about orchestra, will see too.
Nora Francesca Germain
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Dear School Board--
I wrote a letter to the Herald regarding the potential budget cuts for the music program, specifically the very real possibility of cutting fourth-grade strings. I've included that letter here to make sure that you are all able to see it in all its glory, as I'll likely pare it down for newpaperability. I would like to emphasize how strongly I feel about this; music was what got me through high school. Nothing else had as much meaning to me as the music program, and nothing else remained as relevant to me after I graduated. I fear that not only would a cut be an initial hit to the strength of the program, but it would also pave the way for more such cuts in the future. Thanks very much for your time.
Dear Editor--
My name is Jake DeBacher; I graduated from MG last year. I recently was very troubled to hear that the school board is seriously considering cutting the fourth- (and possibly fifth-) grade strings programs from the curriculum in order to partially solve the district's budget troubles; I sincerely hope that they reconsider this action before depreciating the value of one of our district's strongest programs.
I started strings—cello was my instrument—when most MG kids did, back in fourth grade. I don't remember exactly how many of my peers were also taking orchestra back then, but at present, about 70% of 4th graders are enrolled in the strings program. I can say without any hyperbole that being in the strings program hugely changed my entire school experience, from the time I picked it up in elementary school to the time I graduated.
The representations of the benefits, while subtle, can be easily explained. It's a well-documented fact that musical ability leads to better brain functioning; high school students that participate in musics tend to have considerably higher scores on standardized tests. In one study, second graders who were given just a few hours of piano lessons showed immediate improvement on their understanding of fractions. And while it's true that orchestra would still be available in middle school if the current program is cut back, students may be less willing to start a new instrument when it might interfere with other classes they would want to take. Additionally, students might be intimidated by the prospect of starting two instruments at once, as sixth grade is also the time when band class starts. Orchestra can also be beneficial to team- and community-buildings skills; there is little else in school that so emphasizes the importance of working well with those around you.
The benefits of an earlier orchestra education also manifest in more obvious ways. My senior year, two other Orchestrians and I formed a trio, did a bit of self-advertising, and played some commercial gigs, including a wedding and the Herb Kohl education banquet. If our musical education had started later, this probably would not have been an option. It is not only the fact that our current curriculum starts us early, but also that it is flexible for students: when I was in 4th grade, my music teacher, Jill Jensen, arranged for me to play in a smaller group setting with some other kids to allow us greater experience as musicians. I also—along with many of my classmates—have had the incredible opportunity of playing in the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, which rewards the highest level of musicianship with an awesome experience in a more intensive playing environment. In fact, Ami Yamamoto—a 2009 MG graduate—was actually selected to play as a violin soloist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in eighth grade, which was an incredible honor, not to mention an testament to our incredible strings program.
The implications of an early string program still echo in my life today. I played cello multiple years in the pit orchestra for the school musical, which I consider among greatest experiences of my high school tenure. I am currently studying undergraduate music composition, due in strong part to our orchestra program; when I was a senior, I was given the indescribable opportunity to write a piece for our orchestra, which was played at the Spring concert (and I would do a great disservice not to mention the help of the Orchestra director Carl Davick, without whom the piece certainly never would have been realized, and who gives the program as a whole so much of its value).
Music also provides a very valuable outlet for school-age kids. There are numerous opportunities that it provides, both during school and extra-curricular. One of the highlights of my middle school years was playing with the Sizzling Strings, a group that met after school on Fridays. While some people would be skeptical that kids would be willing to stay after school right before the weekend, everyone that participated absolutely loved the group, and it allowed for a large amount of interaction between grade levels that middle school otherwise largely lacks. The orchestra also provides another source of camaraderie between all grades in the annual 4-12 concert, which takes place in the spring; each grade plays a short set, from 4th-grade unison to12th-grade masterworks, and culminates with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, played by all grades together, a truly awe-inspiring experience. I still remember the amazement I felt in fourth grade, playing with hundreds of other musicians. This concert is an amazing way to really determine the true power of our orchestra program; it shows the immense progress that is made after each year of orchestra.
I could easily go on for many more paragraphs about the benefits of the program. Every music teacher I've had since grade school has provided a valuable role model for me and hundreds of others. Music provides a huge outlet for the development of creative talents. It is an opportunity to make new friends and expand social circles. If you need further proof of how the program is beneficial, just sit in on a rehearsal. I have no doubt that its importance is self-evident.
I understand that the budget issues facing the school board are great. I acknowledge that academics generally take precedence over the music program, and that in the end, a cutback might be the only plausible way to keep the budget in check. But I truly beg the board to consider every possibility before making that decision, as the implications would be unfortunate. Music was unequivocally the greatest aspect of my high school experience, and I cringe to think of how I would have developed differently had it not played such a large role. Cutting the program back now might set a precedent for similar cutbacks in the future, a truly deplorable idea. And kids would likely be less likely to pick up the instrument in the first place if the time for them to do so is delayed. Protect the interests of the students, and ensure that the strings program remains intact.
Jake DeBacher
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Dear School Board Members & Superintendent,
We heard that in MG budget discussions, the school board is considering cutting Jill Jensen’s position.
Ms. Jensen is a passionate and compassionate teacher who does an outstanding job instilling a love of learning music in young children. At the middle school winter strings concert, the orchestra was asked for a show of hands for how many students had come through Nichols Elementary and how many had come through Cottage Grove Elementary. The vast majority (approximately ¾) of the hands raised were Monona children who had learned strings from Ms. Jensen. That show of hands is a direct reflection of Ms. Jensen’s influence on and importance to the MG strings program. And having such a strong strings program is something that sets the MG school district apart from other districts.
Here’s what my kids have to say about Ms. Jensen.
Eli, 8th grade: She was always so fun! Ms. Jensen made learning an instrument enjoyable. She motivated me to practice because I knew it would please her, and in the process, I improved my cello skills. She is so happy, loving and funny. She is one of my favorite teachers.
Micah, 6th grade: She is fun and she puts me in a good mood. I don’t think I would have stuck with playing the string bass without Ms. Jensen. Younger kids coming through Winnequah would really be missing out if they didn’t have her for a teacher.
Sincerely,
Sally Buffat
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