Methuen community urges school committee to preserve fine-arts staff as FY26 cuts loom

Methuen School Committee members heard more than three hours of public testimony April 16 from parents, students and teachers urging the committee to preserve the district's fine-arts staff and programming as the district develops its preliminary FY26 budget.

Those who spoke said proposed cuts that would eliminate the fine-arts director position and reduce day-time theater classes at Methuen High School threaten school-climate benefits, extracurricular productions and student mental-health supports.

Supporters said the programs provide academic and social benefits and argued the cuts would disproportionately hurt students already at risk of disengagement.

Parents, current and former students, and teachers described the fine-arts director's role as central to coordinating music, art and theater across the district and to arranging performances and community partnerships. "Cutting the fine-arts director position would create a ripple effect of disorganization, lack of advocacy, and reduced opportunities for students like me," said Rafi Almehena, a Methuen High sophomore active in band. Several speakers named the high-school theater teacher Joni Walsh and fine-arts director Cheryl Mancini as central figures whose removal would reduce access to classes and extracurriculars.

Why it matters: dozens of speakers, many of them current students, said the arts are the reason they attend school and connect with peers. Multiple comments linked arts access to improved attendance, English-language acquisition and students' social-emotional growth; several petition drives and social-media posts were cited during testimony.

What speakers said - Students described theater, choir and band as critical places to build confidence, leadership and social bonds. "Without Walsh and her classes, students next year would miss out on all she has taught me and my peers," said a senior student leader, Doro Caesar. - Parents and community advocates described alumni outcomes tied to arts coursework (college admissions, career paths in the arts and community events). "These programs are not extras. They are essentials," said Melissa Melendez, speaking as a former MPS parent and public-school administrator. - Teachers and arts advocates described district-level programming the director coordinates: district-wide student performances, instrument maintenance and budgets for transportation and field trips; they warned those functions would fall to classroom teachers if the director post were eliminated.

District context and administration response Superintendent Dr. Quang and other administrators said the FY26 proposals are preliminary. No formal decision on the fine-arts positions was made at the April 16 meeting; the committee repeatedly said it would continue negotiations with the mayor's office and the city finance team as state supplemental funding and the final state budget evolve.

Speakers and supporters pledged to continue grassroots advocacy, citing petitions and community events. Several requested that the school committee direct the superintendent and district budget staff to identify alternative savings that would spare arts and core student supports.

Ending: The committee took no vote on arts staffing at the meeting; members and the superintendent said further budget work sessions will be scheduled and that they will continue to refine scenarios as state and city figures change.