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Parents, students and musicians urge Bismarck School Board to preserve elementary orchestra as budget decisions loom
Summary
Dozens of parents, students and local musicians told the Bismarck School Board on March 10 that cutting 4th- and 5th-grade orchestra would harm student development and the community's music pipeline; the superintendent said the orchestra decision remains under review amid broader budget pressures.
Dozens of parents, students and community musicians urged the Bismarck School Board on March 10 to keep elementary orchestra in the district amid a budget review that could reallocate staff and programming.
The board heard roughly an hour of public comment focused on the district's string program. "Music got me through engineering school," parent Michelle Harmstead told the board, arguing that 4th- and 5th-grade orchestra supports academic performance, social development and student engagement. Fifth-grader Justine McManus said, "Orchestra is a vital part of my day, and I cannot imagine having it," and other speakers recounted how early access to strings led to confidence and extracurricular opportunities.
Beverly Everett, music director of the Bismarck Mandan Symphony Orchestra and conductor of its youth orchestras, told the board that elementary string instruction in the district dates back to the 1960s and asked whether moving strings to middle school would leave Bismarck students less competitive with peers in nearby districts. Maureen Murci, concertmaster of the Bismarck Mandan Symphony and a former district orchestra teacher, explained that "the physical demands of playing a string instrument" are a primary reason many districts start strings before middle school.
Superintendent Dr. Fosnott told the board the orchestra recommendation is still on his desk and described the district's decision as driven more by staff allocation than by a net dollars-saved calculus. "It's not about saving you any money. I'm gonna spend your money regardless either way," he said, explaining the district faces staffing shortages for orchestra positions and has posted the orchestra position nationally to find qualified teachers.
Board members and the superintendent placed the orchestra discussion in the larger context of district finances. Dr. Fosnott warned of federal and state funding uncertainty (including possible reductions to Title programs and a projected 22% state funding figure referenced during remarks) and outlined competing priorities such as special education staffing, student counselors and nursing positions. He said the district has seen rapid growth in English Learner students, citing in remarks "6,45 EL students, 170 newcomers" and "55 languages" as part of the support need the district must budget for.
Speakers at the meeting urged community involvement and partnership-based solutions. Several commenters offered to share research or volunteer support; Everett and Murci volunteered to provide further technical context about string pedagogy. The superintendent said no final orchestra decision has been made and the topic remains pending as staff continue recruitment and budget work.
For now, the board did not take formal action on the orchestra program at the March 10 meeting; the superintendent said the district will continue to evaluate staffing availability, instructional impact and funding before recommending a final path.
The board moves next through scheduled budget workshops and bargaining negotiations; parents and musicians said they will continue to participate in upcoming public sessions and to share research and testimony with district leaders.
