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Parent urges reinstatement of strings teacher and raises funding concerns for school music programs
Summary
A parent-delegation urged the board to reinstate strings teacher Barbara Kale and criticized what she described as a large funding disparity between band and strings programs, citing approximate per-student funding numbers and inviting attendance at a May 13 concert.
Melissa Reinhart, introduced by the chair as a delegation, addressed the board about staffing and funding for the Robert Seabert High School strings program and asked that Barbara Kale be reinstated as the strings teacher.
Reinhart told the board she has known Kale for years and described her as "wonderful" and "100% driven" about music education. She said Kale’s reliability and close work with students matters for continuity as students transition to high school.
Reinhart also raised budget concerns, saying she believed the band program received roughly $7,100 per enrolled student while the strings program received about $700 and then "$10 for every enrolled student" (her description emphasized that $10 per student would only buy one replacement string). "That does not get them instruments. That doesn't get them the $75 per composition of sheet music," she said.
She said much of the music equipment in prior years came from levy funds and urged the board to consider restoring parity in support for choir and strings relative to athletics and band. Reinhart also said Barbara Kale is neurodivergent and that Kale’s approach helps a large share of ensemble students who, she asserted, are neurodivergent; she stated Kale had given her permission to mention that.
Reinhart invited the board and public to attend the spring concert on May 13 at 6 p.m. at Bird (Robert Seabert High School) so they could see student work under Kale’s instruction.
Board response was limited to thanks and confirming the concert date; no formal action or funding decisions were made during the meeting.
Note on figures: the per-student funding numbers and budget descriptions were provided by a public commenter and were not verified during the meeting.
