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Students, parents press board to retain early-strings program and high-school librarian as budget talks continue
Summary
Dozens of students, parents and teachers used public comment on May 19 to urge the Exeter Township School Board not to cut the district's third- and fourth-grade strings program or the high-school librarian role that the administration said would be shifted under the proposed budget.
During the public-comment portion of the May 19 Exeter Township School Board meeting, a succession of students, parents and community members urged the board to preserve the district's early-strings program and the high-school librarian role that the administration has identified for a planned change as part of budget discussions.
Multiple speakers attributed later musical success to the district's third- and fourth-grade strings and fourth-grade band starts. Melissa Crotty (music teacher and department chair) and student and parent speakers said many students accepted into district, regional and state music ensembles began in the elementary string/band program. Parent Kelly Klein Carr described large increases in elementary participation across recent years and said early instruction produces academic benefits; Kelly Klein Carr told the board: "Music for them may be their road to learning to work together and building self esteem." Several student speakers, including Amy Ibsen, Riley Mazer and Andrew Schwenk, said they began instrumental study in third or fourth grade and credited those elementary programs for later achievements up to All-State recognition.
Speakers also asked the board to retain librarian Catherine ("Ms. Gajewski" in public remarks). High-school students and faculty said Ms. Gajewski provides research support, guidance through online databases and daily help that students said would not be replicable if she were reassigned to a single classroom. Andrew Schwenk, a senior who has been in Exeter's instrumental programs since third grade, said the librarian and music programs together help students develop skills beyond music, including discipline and information literacy.
Several speakers provided specific examples. Student Cooper Devlin said the librarian helped him identify books used in AP assignments; parents described the library as a daily, accessible resource where students get individualized help. Former and current teachers attending the meeting noted the district's national recognition for music education; the music department was referenced as being named by NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants) as a top community for music education in the meeting remarks.
Board members and administration responded during the budget discussion earlier in the meeting by saying the proposed budget (adopted for posting) "maintains programs as currently presented," but that it includes a planned staffing elimination through attrition and a "shift" of the high-school librarian role; administration and board members said the proposal is not final and that the final budget will be voted in June after the required posting period.
No formal board action to eliminate programs occurred during the meeting; the public comment period recorded community opposition and requests for reconsideration before the board's final June vote.
