D-15 Parent Starts Online Petition To Save Band, Orchestra

Potential budget cuts at Community Consolidated School District 15 has sparked an online petition that had garnered 1,209 signatures as of 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31.

The petition was started by Brenda Cyr who has two children — Ana, third grade, and Kyle, fifth grade — attending . Cyr said it would be a mistake for District 15 to cut programs such as band and orchestra in an effort to close for the 2012-13 budget year.

Cyr said her son , suffers from a medical condition that prevents him from being able to play sports.

"He was very excited about the opportunity to be in band," Cyr said, adding that her son plays the trombone. "He's genuinely sad about the possibility that it might be taken away next year. He likes his teacher. He has friends there. Band has enriched his life in ways I never imagined it would."

District 15's Superintendent Scott Thompson is expected to make a final recommendation to the school board Feb. 8. The district on .

Among the possible options presented were:

• The loss of 21 teaching positions through attrition.
• The loss of another 28 teaching positions.
• Increasing average class sizes for kindergarten to 6th grade to 28 and increasing average class sizes for 7th and 8th grade to 30.
• The loss of four staff members in art, music and physical education.
• The loss of seven staff members by eliminating band/orchestra.

Cyr said she believes other actions are possible that would have less impact on students. Cyr said if the district froze salaries across the board that would save much of the money.

"I would look at the salaries. Why not just do a pay freeze? I'm not looking to take anything away from anyone," Cyr said, adding that a freeze could save positions.

District 15 has five collective bargaining units, the largest being the teachers' union. Any such freeze would have to be negotiated. Also, the teachers union contract is up, but a new contract likely won't be negotiated until after the school board votes on budget cuts.

"Once you eliminate a program, it's really hard to get it back," Cyr said.

Cyr plans on printing out the signed petition and having it delivered to the school board at the Feb. 8 meeting.

A friend of Cyr's will deliver it for her because she will not be able to attend — her daughter has a music concert that evening.