05/20/2023
Unfortunately this flyer is being spread throughout the community and all the information on this flyer is false.
Please see below for answers to questions that will hopefully clear up all the misinformation that is being spread to the parents and community members of Wenonah:
1) The approved budget projects an increase in student enrollment (+13 students above the current year) and has budgeted to spend more on Regular Programs Instruction. The tax rate for the elemntary school is +5.3 cents under the approved budget. With this significant increase and projected increase in enrollment, what is the justification for cutting the Music Teacher position to 60%?
-Budget enrollment projections are based on actual enrollment plus a few more as new families move into town (purchase or rent) after the budget is approved, before school starts, and during the school year. Enrollment projections are always a moving target for this reason. Currently, the only grade for 2023-24 with a known decrease in enrollment is Kindergarten based on current registration. Again, as a moving target, another Kindergarten registration was just received this week.
-Now that there is ample lunch seating in the APR, the lunch periods will be reduced from 3 to 2 per day starting in September 2023. That change calculates to ten periods a week where the current music position is no longer needed for lunch duty coverage. The balance of the music position schedule, past, present and future, has actually been 60% since the large enrollment decrease that occurred about a decade ago.
2) How will the program be maintained fully next year with the reduction of the teacher to 60%? Previously I was informed that the plan for private lessons for next year would be reducing a schedule of currently 10 down to 5 (with the potential of adding up to 3 E&I periods for lessons) and that the teacher should combine advanced and beginner together into one class. Is this still the plan, and doesn't that represent a reduction in the program? Will stipends for after school classes be guaranteed?
-Currently three out of ten of the band lessons have one child, two out of ten lessons have two children, and eight out 25 students will be graduating. Depending on the upcoming 4th grade we may have to do what other schools do and combine brass instruments or woodwind instruments etc. Also know there are three lunch duty periods scheduled in the upcoming school year and can be used for lessons if absolutely necessary.
-All stipends are contracted items, therefore, after school band and show choir will not be a stipend. We will continue to do what we have done for years and readjust the teacher’s start time to accommodate after school show choir and band. The musical is a contracted stipend and will remain the same.
3) I have concerns around retaining a quality music teacher by not offering a full-time position with benefits? How will the school address the potential issue with hiring and retention around the reduced position?
-The position could be increased by 40% making it a 100% position, as in years past. The staff member would need to be dually certified to teach in other areas (examples include: special education, basic skills, world language, gifted and talented) as were past staff members.
-Another option is to look at shared services. However, the position has to be maintained at 60% to not jeopardize the integrity of the music program.
4) I have concerns around the reduction of several programs in recent years which I feel are important to the culture of the school as well as to supporting curricular learning. I also feel these are important parts of maintaining and increasing enrollment, which I understand is a concern. Is there a long-term plan in place to be able to fund a language position (full or part time) and a library program (full or part time)? Is there a plan to offer gifted and talented? If these positions and programs will not be re-instated, in what other ways is the school working to increase enrollment?
-World language has always been a part-time position and continues, this year and next, with current staff - 40% world language and 60% special education.
-The Library program has never been cut. Library standards are taught within the full year STEAM program. As required by law, all public schools must have a media specialist. In order to comply with that mandate, Wenonah participates in a shared service with Gateway for media specialist services to oversee the maintenance of the library.
-Gifted and Talented- This part of our curriculum is truly an enrichment program and at this time is done in the classroom through differentiated instruction. As you know, it will take a few years to ensure learning loss from the pandemic is stabilized. Therefore, at this time, it is best to utilize the ten periods usually designated to gifted and talented, for basic skills instruction. The goal is hopefully, if the budget stabilizes and our learning gap decreases, is to reinstate a pull out program. However, please also know much of what was being done prior to Covid in G&T is now being done in STEAM classes for all of our students.
As always if you have questions or concerns you can contact Kristine Height at [email protected]
