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Parents, students urge board to restore band as K–8 schedule change removes weekly band class
Summary
Public comment at the Sept. 10 meeting focused on the removal of scheduled middle-school band classes at West Bristol and Green Hills; parents and a student said pull‑out lessons are not equivalent to a weekly band class and asked the board to restore regular instruction and performances.
Public comment at the Sept. 10 Bristol Board of Education meeting centered on the removal of scheduled middle‑school band classes at two K–8 schools and the district’s replacement plan of limited pull‑out instruction.
A student who identified herself as Grace told the board she plays alto sax and said the switch from a scheduled band class to art “is not fair” and “Music is where I am,” adding that losing regular band instruction deprives students of a safe outlet. A parent, Kristen Bevans, said her daughter had been in honors band, had been scheduled for band this year, and was switched to art with little notice; Bevans told the board some families purchased instruments over the summer expecting band and that students who do not receive weekly instruction will fall behind.
District staff and the superintendent described a revised delivery model after budget adjustments: a part‑time instrumental teacher will provide pull‑out lessons at West Bristol and Green Hills, rotating between the two schools. Staff said the part‑time teacher will occasionally pull students together for monthly band rehearsals and allow participation in district and statewide events, but that the schools no longer have an encore elective scheduled weekly for band at those sites.
Chair Ponds told the speakers the board would look into the complaints and do better; Superintendent White and other staff agreed to follow up with families and the individual schools. The chair and staff noted that families with scheduling concerns could contact their school counselors, and the superintendent said the district is exploring fundraising and other measures to reduce program barriers.
No formal policy action or vote on the band schedule was taken at the Sept. 10 meeting. Board members and staff framed the current arrangement as a stopgap after staffing and budget changes; they asked principals and staff to explore whether the pull‑out model can be scheduled to restore an encore slot if staffing allows.
Background: earlier budget decisions led the district to not fill certain positions; staff said a previously vacant elementary band position was not filled and the middle‑school instrumental curriculum was affected by those staffing reductions.
Next steps: staff will investigate individual school schedules and family reports that some students had not received band instruction since the start of the school year and will report back to the board.
