As parents and community members who value and support music and music education for all students throughout our community, we are dismayed to hear of potential cuts to the music programs, and specifically the choir programs at Chase Middle School and Ferris High School. 

We are asking you to advocate to administrators to do what they can to ensure these devastating cuts do not happen. 

Attached is a letter that you are encouraged to read to understand the proposed cuts and the potential impact of those cuts. 

Then, we are asking you to do the following: 

1) Copy the text of the letter and paste it into an email. (Text is also copied below for your convenience.)

2) Feel free to add personal comments or anecdotes at the beginning of your email. Then, send that email, with the copied text to the building administrators at Ferris and Chase.  

Here are the email addresses of the Ferris and Chase Administrators that you are encouraged to contact: 

• John O'Dell - johnod@spokaneschools.org 

• Andrew Lewis - andrewle@spokaneschools.org 

• Cindy Leonard cindyle@spokaneschools.org 

• Heather Chase

• Brooke Guske

• Jake Lemmon

3) Things to remember: 

• These decisions have been made without the full knowledge of the Washington State education budget and how that budget will impact staffing for Spokane Public Schools (and, indeed, all Washington State school districts). Therefore, it is possible that these cuts may not need to occur at all. But, we don't know that yet. 

• The building administrators listed here have been forced to make these decisions, and are all very supportive of the music programs in their buildings. So, please remember that the principals and principal assistants also do not want these cuts to happen! 

• We are asking you to send these emails and letters as a way to advocate and support music programs for our students, and provide evidence that parents, families and community members value music in our schools. Our hope is that building administrators will be given an opportunity to restore funding, if possible. So, this is a way to let them know that we support music and these programs and stand behind them! 

TEXT OF THE LETTER IS COPIED BELOW:

To: John O’Dell, Principal - Ferris High School

Andrew Lewis, Assistant Principal - Ferris High School

Cindy Leonard, Assistant Principal - Ferris High School

Heather Chase, Principal - Chase Middle School

Brooke Guske, Assistant Principal - Chase Middle School

Jake Lemmon - Assistant Principal - Chase Middle School

Thank you for the ways in which you have supported music at Ferris and Chase.  I value the music programs in the Ferris community very highly.  The tradition of excellence associated with music in our particular neighborhood is one to be proud of, but it cannot be taken for granted.  It will take intentional action on all of our parts to protect and sustain this jewel.

It is my understanding that some devastating cuts have been proposed to choir staffing and course offerings at Chase and Ferris. This is especially heartbreaking given that both Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Selfridge are relatively new in their positions and are really starting to create growth and excitement.  (Not to mention that the Canterbury Belles just won the State Ensemble Championship for the first time in Ferris’ history!) They need our support as they hit their respective strides.  I am writing today to ask you to:

Take action right now and find another way to make the cuts required.  Or..

Promise that if/when some FTE is restored to your building, you restore these programs back to their full schedule.

Devise some mechanism for students to register or waitlist for these “pending FTE” choir classes so they can be populated when the FTE returns to your building allocation.

CHOIR PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR BOTH EQUITY AND THE DISTRICT’S IRL INITIATIVE:

Having a robust choir program supports equity for students.  There are many students who come from families that do not have the resources—monetary or logistical—to support their student in doing instrumental music.  Singing in a choir is something that anyone can do (especially when they acquire skills in a choir classroom!) and it gives access to music for many students who otherwise might not be able to.  Additionally, offering choir throughout the day gives more students access and therefore strengthens this support of equity.

Singing in a choir is a fabulous way for students to have IRL community connection.  There has been this district-wide push for students to engage with real-world activities and, whenever possible, with each other.  Choir is the poster child for this kind of activity.  It is inclusive, team-building, supportive of cross-curricular educational ideas, packed full of opportunities for social-emotional education, AND it is all done while interacting with peers in an active and dynamic way.

PROTECT THE CHOIRS BEING CUT AT FERRIS AND STAND FOR CONTINUITY OF STAFFING:  

The Ferris Music Department is the gold standard of music in Spokane Public Schools and that standard includes plentiful, diverse opportunities to sing.  Cutting ANY of the choirs wounds the entire choral program and, therefore, all Ferris music students. 

The program will work best when Mr. Johnson is teaching all choirs at Ferris, rather than reassigning any classes.

GIVE EQUAL ACCESS TO MUSIC BY PROTECTING 7/8 CHOIR AT CHASE:

It is very short-sighted to offer 6th grade choir but then not offer a continuing option.

Encouraging students to sign up for 7th and 8th grade choir will take some intentional work and administrative support, but with the success Mrs. Selfridge is already having, this program will continue to grow in size and health.

Again, cutting choir, which is a musical opportunity that works for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, undermines equity for students.

Thank you for listening, and I look forward to seeing you take action to support the choirs at Ferris and Chase.  Please let me know if there is any way that I can advocate for and support these programs.