Centralia School District Superintendent Mark Davalos discusses changes to the district’s music program last month in Centralia.
After a contentious Centralia School Board meeting last week — in which the superintendent proposed major changes to the district’s music program — the district is halting changes amid public outcry.
“After meeting with staff and listening to community feedback, the plan continues to be debated until an accepted change can be developed,” reads a statement on the Centralia School District website in part. “Additional discussion and notice will be forthcoming.”
This statement was released at the prompting of multiple Centralia School Board members, after about 15 people showed up at the most recent Centralia School Board meeting on March 27 to voice their concern and frustration over changes to the district’s music program for fifth and sixth grade.
According to Centralia School Board member Lori Fast and an email sent to Centralia School District staff, the district plans to compile a team to preserve music education and evaluate options.
“One of the things that was frustrating to me before I was elected to the school board was I felt like there was a lack of transparency and communication when there were major decisions being made,” said Fast on Wednesday. “… This was one of those things, as a school district, we need or communities and we need our families to know what our plan is.”
Centralia School District superintendent Mark Davalos first proposed changes to the music program to some of the district’s music teachers in a memorandum marked “CONFIDENTIAL,” which leaked. Under Davalos’ proposal, band, strings and choir would move from a requirement for fifth and sixth-grade students to an optional afterschool program.
“I am not making a change that will end the access to music instruction,” read Davalos from a memo to the school board last week. “Once again, I am not making a change that will end music instruction for five-six students. … The suggestion is to move five-six band, strings and choir to an afterschool program for all five-six students who choose to participate. They will be collected at each school 15 minutes before the bell twice per week and delivered to one of the elementary schools for two one-hour sections of instruction. They will then be bussed back home to their boundary drop locations.”
Davalos said during the meeting he planned to send the memo to staff and press, unless he heard suggested changes. Multiple school board members said at the time they wanted more public input.
Davalos did not respond for request for comment Wednesday.
Fast posted a public status to her school district Facebook page Tuesday evening, after the district still had not updated Centralia community members on proposed changes to the music program.
“What I do not understand is how what should have been a collaborative, well thought-out process became a ‘plan’ to be implemented without consensus or input from stakeholders, and without a vote of the school board,” Fast’s post reads in part. “My understanding, as of today, is that a more collaborative process is now being put in place, and I am hoping to be part of that process. However, as of today there has been no statement made regarding any plans moving forward, and I am discouraged that parents and community members have been left in limbo, wondering what is happening. Families and staff members in our school district deserve a process that is thoughtful and transparent.”
Centralia School Board member Kim Ashmore said he didn’t hear about the proposed changes until a couple days after Davalos gave the “confidential” memo to a few staff members. He said that, while he doesn’t believe the change needs board approval, he wants the board to be more involved in the process.
“It felt like we didn’t get as much involvement in this process,” Ashmore said. “We have backed up a couple steps. … I’m not a band or a choir guy — you don’t want to hear me sing and I can’t play instruments — but I am an elected official and I represent the community.”
Fast said she has not received a clear answer as to whether changes to the music program would be a school board decision.
“I think that’s something that we are still a little unclear on,” Fast said. “My understanding is that a change of this magnitude regarding programmatic change or curriculum needs board approval, but there has been some question as to whether or not that’s actually the case.”
Centralia School Board vice president Jami Lund wrote in a text message that the school board has never voted on specific class offerings since he has been on the board, but that “more work will go into the solution and that is underway.” Centralia School Board president Bob Fuller and member Amy Buzzard did not respond to request for comment.
Ashmore said he asked Davalos and Ed Petersen, public relations and communications coordinator for the district, to send a press release and a note to staff about what steps the district would take next. The Chronicle did not receive a press release, but the district did post an update on its website and staff received an email Wednesday morning.
“Centralia School District, our administrators, our Board, and our staff share the opinion of our community about the value of elementary music education,” reads the email from the district to staff. “We are thankful for the community's voice and passion around the discussion about how our elementary band, orchestra, and choir programs fit into our new K-6 model. Next week, the district will convene a team including administrators and staff to work together on a solution that allows us to preserve music education while providing additional opportunities that serve the needs of all students.”
