NORWICH – Challenged with a decrease in student participation and fewer resources, music teachers in the Norwich City School District presented enrollment data for the district's music department to members of the NCSD School Board on Tuesday.
The department's presentation focused largely on data collected for the 2013-2014 school year in all four schools in the Norwich City School District. While student enrollment in all music programs has seen an overall increases across the board in the last five years, said Norwich music teachers, enrollment this year showed a slight drop from the 2012-2013 school year.
At present, the district staffs six teachers for its music department which consists of choir, band and orchestra at Perry Browne Intermediate School and the middle and high schools; and general music education classes at the middle school, Perry Browne, and Gibson Primary.
“We are also very involved with a lot of different activities outside the school day,” explained Alyssa Jutting, instrumental music teacher at Perry Browne. Extra curriculars within the department include the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), two annual musicals, marching band, music club, elite choir, and three trips throughout the school year. She said to board members, “We really believe the music department is reaching far and wide for our students.”
More than 1,500 Norwich students participate in a music program, Jutting pointed out. Moreover, ensemble programs at Perry Browne and the middle and high schools have grown at rapid pace in recent years. Despite the decrease of approximately 10 students enrolled in band, orchestra and choir in the high school, and another 10 students in those programs at Perry Browne, more than 700 students across the district still participate in an ensemble (295 at Perry Browne, 325 at the middle school and 119 at the high school).
Said middle school choir teacher Jamie Carrier, “Our music program has really shown growth and we're hoping to continue growing … We're excited to teach kids to get involved in the arts and it's rewarding for us to see.”
Citing a growing interest in instrumental music, the NCSD music department began to collect more instruments in 2001. This year, 93 Perry Browne students (60 percent of students enrolled in the school's instrumental music programs) borrow a school instrument. Additionally, 100 middle and high school students (57 percent of students enrolled in the middle and high school instrumental music programs) borrow an instrument.
But with the growing numbers of students enrolled in ensemble programs comes the fear that the district will some day lack enough instruments to provide for students who need one, noted middle and high school band director Amy Rogers.
“Having the opportunity for everyone to be able to play an instrument is something we feel strongly about as a department,” Rogers added. “We want to be able to provide students with the tools they need.”
NCSD music teachers also cited evidence that music and arts programs improve life and career skills for 21st century students. Teachers said music in school has shown to improve creativity, innovation, leadership and productivity among students, as well as critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills.
But most noticeable for school board members during Tuesday's presentation was the absence of a jazz ensemble at NCSD this year. The jazz program, which has been led by individuals who work outside the school district in previous years, was cut this year due to a lack of time and teaching resources. Board members said they hope to see a return of the program next year, pending budget circumstances for the 2014-2015 school year.