Centralia School District Superintendent Mark Davalos discusses changes to the district’s music program last March.
Teachers, students and parents spoke out during a Centralia School Board meeting Wednesday evening, after a “confidential” document leaked, in which Superintendent Mark Davalos wrote that the district would make major changes to its elementary music program next year.
Under the new proposal from Davalos, band, strings and choir would move from a requirement for fifth and sixth-grade students to an optional afterschool program.
Currently, fifth and sixth-grade students receive the instruction every day for 30 minutes during school. Under Davalos’ proposal, the music instruction would take place twice per week — on different days for each grade — at one location after school.
The regular school board meeting Wednesday evening was the first time Davalos proposed changes to the music program during a public meeting. However, Davalos gave a document with a “CONFIDENTIAL” stamp on it to some of the music teachers in the district early last week.
Davalos read a memorandum during the public meeting that suggested the same changes to the music program, as well as changes to the bus and bell schedule.
“A memorandum I intend to share with all staff after today — so tomorrow morning if I don’t hear any suggested changes to the information I provide — I intend to put this out to staff and to press and share the information publicly tomorrow morning,” Davalos told the school board.
Davalos read the full memorandum during the meeting.
“I am not making a change that will end the access to music instruction,” read Davalos. “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.”
Centralia School Board student representative Jaelyn Friberg, a Centralia High School student who sits with the Centralia School Board and participates in board discussions, was the first to speak out against the proposed change. Centralia School Board member Lori Fast asked if the proposed change was a result of the projected budget issues and lack of instruction time. Davalos said yes to both.
“The idea of duplicating that program at five schools is not an easy one,” Davalos said.
Fast asked twice if changes to the music program was a board decision, before Davalos said, “It’s not up for a vote.”
Centralia School Board vice president Jami Lund asked questions to clarify the exact changes. Centralia School Board member Kim Ashmore said he wanted to have more discussion and hear if there were other suggestions during the public comment section. Centralia School Board president Bob Fuller did not comment on the change, and board member Amy Buzzard was not present.
About 15 people stood up to speak against altering the music program in the Centralia School District during the public comment portion, which lasted about an hour.
“I think it’s really important we have that every day because as little kids it’s hard to remember,” said Centralia High School sophomore Jordan Blaettler. “... I think it’s important we have the repetition every day.”
Blaettler noted that the school board discussed increased student behavioral issues during band instruction, and that those issues weren’t only in the music classes.
“It’s also like that in the classroom, and not just in music,” Blaettler said. “... With you guys saying you don’t want it to affect high school and middle school, this is affecting that because people aren’t going to want to be in band if it’s going to be ... after school.”
Four music teachers in the Centralia School District spoke during the public comment section about changes to the music program. Instrumental music teacher Louie Blaser began his comment with background of music instruction in the district.
“We work to eliminate roadblocks and I just wanted the district to know I tried to anticipate these roadblocks last year by researching all of last year and writing that proposal,” said Blaser in reference to a proposal he wrote to the district to advocate for daily music instruction. “... What worries me, as a teacher, is we have a trend in our district of administrators coming up with suggestions and then a couple days later it is set in stone. That is not how a music program can be supported. There needs to be more collaboration. Yes, we had a meeting two weeks ago. That was the first meeting we ever had between us as instrumental music teachers and the superintendent. It’s a very frustrating thing to wait 10 months after I submitted the plan and have no collaborative conversation.”
Multiple people asked for more transparency from the school board and superintendent for district decisions. A couple asked for a public hearing for the changes to the music program or a town hall type event to discuss options. The board did not comment on changes to the music program after the public comment portion and it was still unclear after the meeting if Davalos intended to share the memorandum with community members.
