School Steve Tracy

Steve Tracy

Derby schools agonize over cuts

More than 100 parents, students and members of the community at large implored the Board of Education Thursday to keep music and the arts alive in the schools, as well as giving kids a fighting chance by keeping full-day kindergarten intact.
Teachers’ jobs, school sports and band are on the chopping block, due to the tax board approving a school budget of $17.7 million; the school board originally requested $18.5 million.
However, at press time, the board struggled to find ways to balance the budget without decimating programs, and hadn’t yet voted to adopt a final budget for 2010-2011.
Thursday’s meeting was continued from a lengthy session Tuesday, when the board debated for hours on how to solve its budget dilemma.
On a more promising note, after impassioned pleas from the public, Superintendent of Schools Steve Tracy said the district’s maintenance and buildings account, along with the professional development account, could be reduced in order to restore the music program and full-day kindergarten. Also, a $185,000 year-end surplus is anticipated, due to savings in the electricity and unemployment compensation accounts, officials said.
Prior to the board digging in to figure out how to balance the budget, the public spoke for more than 90 minutes. One speaker after another pleaded with the board to not take away the programs that mean so much to students, namely music, band and chorus.
Student Michael Elliott said if not for joining the band, and finding out how good he was at the snare drum, and piano, too, he would be on the street, getting into trouble. He lauded his music teacher, Maureen McGovern, for bringing music into his life.
“Thanks to Miss McGovern, the one thing I hold close to my heart is music,” he said. “It opened my mind to all kinds of possibilities, got me off the street and taught me to stick to something no matter what.”
McGovern said the music program has been rebuilt and is helping many students shine, and there are numerous awards and trophies to show for that. The number of students who plan to join chorus or the band next year has already doubled.
“If you cut the program, there will be no music, no concerts, no band at the football games and at parades; please don’t take this away from the students,” McGovern said.
Parent Mary Mendes broke down in tears when her son, a member of the choir, told her the program was going to be scrapped.
“Please don’t take these programs away from the kids; for some, it’s all they have,” she said.
Parents and teachers spoke just as passionately about saving full-day kindergarten.
One mother, Stacey Whelan, said her child is living proof that the program works.
“I lost faith in the school system last year, but my faith was restored this year,” she said.
That’s when her son read her an entire book on Mother’s Day about a boy and his dog, without skipping a beat.
“The child who was afraid to go to school and who could not read or write can do this now, thanks to full-day kindergarten,” Whelan added. “To take that away is not restoring faith in the Derby school system.”
The board’s mission is to cut some $850,000 from its bottom line. Tracy previously had said a cut of that magnitude would undoubtedly include layoffs and cutting sports and crucial student programs.