Students plan to keep up their musical protests Monday to let the Greater Victoria School District know how they feel about possible budget cuts.
Some music programs are among the proposed cuts as the district seeks to balance the 2021-22 budget.
Students plan to be at the district’s Boleskine Road offices from 4-7:30 p.m. playing their instruments. Their efforts will directly precede Monday night’s school board meeting, which is being held virtually.
The board is facing a $7-million budget deficit, and proposed music-related cuts would save over $1 million. Services for gifted students and meal programs are among other possible cuts.
Cedar Hill Middle School music teacher Cindy Romphf, who is president of the Greater Victoria Music Educators Association, said the student musicians will gather in small groups to ensure COVID safety.
“We are also doing a car rally,” she said.
Decorating vehicles is optional. Participants can either do a drive by and honk at the district offices, or add a trip through downtown.
Romphf said the students want to bring awareness to the general public about the budget issue.
“It’s heartbreaking, just how many students and families this will affect,” she said. “I feel that our music programs are being so positive and making our district look good.”
School board chairwoman Jordan Watters stressed that nothing has been decided as far as the budget goes.
“I cannot emphasize it enough that this is a process and we’re in the middle of it, and we all fully expect there will be adjustments as we move forward,” she said. “We are listening.”
Watters said she appreciates the concern being expressed about music in schools.
“It’s great that there’s such a high level of community engagement.”
Lansdowne Middle School students also staged a pro-music rally this month with a pre-class gathering outside the school. The students, organized by the Grade 6 strings program, played their instruments and waved signs at passing traffic on Richmond Road.
