Students and parents urge Carmel board not to cut music and performing arts as budget debate continues

Dozens of students and parents took the podium at the Carmel Central School District Board of Education meeting to plead with trustees to preserve music, theater and extracurricular arts amid a budget shortfall.

Sam Corey, a Carmel High School student, described a recent stretch of awards and college scholarships tied to the school’s theater and music programs and told trustees that “performing arts at Carmel has changed my life and put me on track to continue what I love doing at the collegiate level.” Other student speakers described Carnegie Hall performances, All‑State invitations and scholarships the programs have produced. Parents and advisers said proposed cuts — including changes that could prevent middle‑school students from taking both chorus and band or chorus and orchestra — would weaken a feeder system that sustains high‑school arts offerings.

The board heard detailed accounts of recent achievements: students offered conservatory scholarships, multiple All‑State acceptances, and a history of high adjudication scores. Parents asked the administration to spell out the effect of proposed staffing reductions — not just full‑time equivalents but how many positions and which classes would be eliminated — and urged trustees to present a version of the budget that shows the effect of cuts on clubs, field trips and extracurricular ensembles.

Trustees acknowledged those concerns during the meeting and said the administration would provide additional budget detail. The board moved the district’s budget presentation and discussion to a Thursday work session to allow trustees more time to review documents the administration uploaded shortly before the meeting.

Next steps: the district will provide more precise staffing and program‑impact figures for trustees before the next public discussion; the board must adopt a budget or adopt a contingency plan in the coming weeks. Public comment on the budget will continue at subsequent meetings.