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Community delivers 282-signature petition asking board to add a full-time music teacher
Summary
An unnamed resident presented a petition with 282 signatures urging Columbia CUSD 4 to create a full-time music-teacher position for 2026–27, noting program growth and citing an apparent unfilled March 2024 part-time position in the minutes.
An area resident told the Board of Education he submitted a petition with 282 signatures asking the district to create and approve a full-time music-teacher position in time for the 2026–27 school year.
The petitioner said the district's music program faces staffing pressures: Miss Hughes is retiring, current teachers are stretched across multiple schools and next year's marching band could top 120 students. He told the board he had found a March 2024 board minute referencing approval of a part-time music-teacher position but said, to his knowledge, that position had not been filled.
The petitioner stressed the educational value of music programs — discipline, teamwork and opportunities for students — and asked the administration to prioritize staffing so the new auditorium and other facilities are fully used. He said he had discussed the matter with band teachers and district staff and asked the board to consider the petition and support summer-band needs.
Why it matters: Staffing in fine-arts programs affects student opportunities, safety in large ensembles and program quality. The petition quantifies community support (282 signatures) and requests a specific action (add a full-time position).
What the board said: The petition was accepted and will be scanned and provided to the board; the public transcript does not record a formal board response or commit funding or job creation during the meeting.
