Students and parents plead for full‑time music staffing as board reviews course lists

Students, parents and alumni used both public‑comment periods at the March 12, 2024 Board of Education meeting to press the district to commit to stronger, programmatic support for the Riverside‑Brookfield High School music program.

Seniors and parents described music teachers as critical to students’ artistic development and college preparation. Student speakers recounted intensive college audition work and credited their music teachers—named repeatedly in comments for individualized support and college preparation. Senior Lily Borowitz said music teachers “are key to our livelihood” and asked the board to “expand the resources available to students like me who are working hard at following their dreams.” Several parents echoed that plea and urged the board to prioritize three full‑time music teachers to sustain ensemble depth and sequential coursework.

Parents and community members raised specific program concerns: one father said a planned 28‑student jazz ensemble with a single teacher would be “highly unusual” and impractical for instruction across multiple instruments; speakers called for program standards for ensemble sizes and an expert review to define appropriate minimums for different types of music classes.

Administrators and the board framed the decision space differently: the staffing report shows course offerings are driven by student requests during the sectioning process; the administration noted constraints on hiring and FTE allocation and emphasized that some small, specialized classes (honors/AP, pathway standalones, or intervention courses) are intentionally preserved for curricular continuity. Board members recognized the emotional testimony and emphasized the need for programmatic planning ahead of fall staffing decisions.

The meeting produced no immediate hiring commitment. Board members asked administration to continue discussions about how to programmatically support music (and other arts) while balancing FTE and space constraints. Community advocates requested a targeted review of music program staffing models and an analysis of the financial tradeoffs for an additional full‑time position.

Closing: The board approved the under‑20 course list later in the meeting and asked administration to finalize scheduling; parents signaled they will continue to press for dedicated music staffing in follow‑up sessions.