Parents, students and teachers urge Farmington board to keep 5th-grade band and protect music program

Dozens of parents, students and teachers urged the Farmington School Board to preserve the district’s fifth-grade band program and to rescind any recommendation that would eliminate grade-5 beginner band. Speakers said early-start music instruction builds social connection, leadership, academic skills and long-term program pipeline, and they presented data and a district-commissioned consultant summary to the board.

In public comments the speakers included elementary and secondary teachers, parents and current high-school students who credited early band with social-emotional benefits and long-term engagement in school. Crystal Ludgate, a 20-year Farmington resident and parent, described music as “one of the deepest ways we connect,” and said a proposed cut to 5th-grade band would damage recruitment and the entire music pipeline. High-school students including Mallory Ludgate and members of the wind ensemble described outreach to elementary students and said early-start band was the reason many of them continued into high-school ensembles.

Consultant findings and board timeline

A community-organized group led by parents and music boosters engaged a national consultant to analyze the music program. Jeremy Mann summarized the consultant’s forthcoming report, which the board was told would be delivered on Friday. Mann said the report documents participation, staffing and economic considerations, and he said the report concludes the elimination of grade-5 band would have “a devastating impact” on the program.

Mann told the board the consultant’s analysis found that, across grades 5–12, about 51% of students participate in band or choir; specifically, of 471 grade-5 students, 62% are currently in band. The presentation estimated that eliminating grade-5 band would reduce participation in grades 6–12 by about 65% and cited high student-to-teacher ratios in music: the report summary cited roughly 7.3 FTE band staff for about 1,342 band students (approximately 184 pupils per music teacher).

Requests from advocates

Speakers asked the board to take four actions: form a music task force to study and recommend music-program actions; review the consultant report as part of any scheduling or restructuring decisions; actively involve music faculty in scheduling and program decisions; and rescind the district recommendation to eliminate the grade-5 band curriculum.

Board and administration response

Administrators acknowledged the group’s work and said the district had convened a consultant and would deliver the consultant’s written report to the board. Board members repeatedly thanked speakers for coming and said the full budget and schedule discussion would continue at upcoming finance committee and board meetings in February.

Ending

Speakers and attendees left materials and photos with the board and asked for follow-up; advocates urged continuing public engagement and said they would attend the district’s upcoming budget listening sessions.