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Students and parents urge board to preserve choir and small ensemble classes amid budget pressure
Summary
Dozens of students and community members gave in-person testimony urging the Lake Oswego School Board not to reduce choir, music and small ensemble classes as the district plans operating-budget reductions; speakers said small groups build community and are stepping stones for advanced choirs.
Multiple students and parents urged the Lake Oswego School Board on Feb. 24 to preserve choir and performing-arts programming as the district plans operating-budget reductions.
Students from Lake Oswego High School described choir as a formative part of their education and social life. "Choir is a family ... it's what gets me to school," student Henry Robinson told the board, describing peer support and the pathway from entry-level choirs into advanced ensembles and a cappella groups. Several speakers said small-group choirs (freshman and lower-level ensembles) are necessary training grounds that feed larger ensembles and state-competition-level groups.
Parents and community witnesses emphasized music's broad benefits: social-emotional learning, community-building across diverse student interests and pathways to college-credit opportunities. Several speakers said cuts to small, earlier-level ensembles would damage the pipeline that produced recent state-ranked performances.
Board members and staff acknowledged the testimony and said forecasting for next school year drives staffing decisions for electives. District staff reiterated that final curricular offerings for next year will be determined after the forecasting process when student course requests have been collected; they asked students to participate in forecasting to reflect demand accurately. The board noted the district faces multi-million-dollar operating reductions but said no final elective cuts had been decided during the Feb. 24 meeting.
The board took the public comments under advisement and continued the agenda; several board members urged district staff and school counselors to communicate forecasting steps and timeline clearly to students and families.
