PLACENTIA : Crowd Urges Saving School Music Classes

An overflow crowd of parents, teachers and students pleaded with the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Board of Education this week to save elementary music programs that may be slashed from next year’s budget as part of several cuts proposed in programs and staff.

Ironically, the district was forced to move its hearing Tuesday from its small boardroom to the spacious, trophy-laden Valencia High School music room to accommodate a crowd of more than 200 music students, their parents and teachers.

Though officials took no action, the board scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. to take another look at the budget picture. Staff and program cuts are to be announced at the May 12 meeting.

“We will make a major budget presentation at that time to have an opportunity to update ourselves financially,� Supt. James O. Fleming told the five board members. “We don’t want to cut the music program and other programs, but when you get down to the point where we are (financially), you have to do something.�

In mid-March, district officials, anticipating a projected shortfall of at least $7 million in its $96 million budget, sent 108 preliminary layoff notices to teachers, administrators and counselors. Because of the projected shortfall, officials were forced to place on the chopping block programs that may lose teachers, such as music and physical education.

Officials estimate that the proposed cuts in the physical education and music programs would save $497,000 and $152,000, respectively.

Since layoff notices were sent in March, the district has received several retirement notices, each of which translates into one job saved. Officials also say the district has saved more money through cutting back on hiring, eliminating overtime pay and deferring some maintenance. The district will also receive a onetime contribution of $900,000 from the Public Employees Retirement System.

“We anticipate that our deficit will not be as large as it was in March,� Fleming said. “The staff has been working since January to scrounge up money to save jobs.�

When the state education budget nears passage this summer, the district could reinstate programs and teachers affected by cuts.

At Tuesday’s hearing, which lasted until midnight, elementary and high school students leaned against band room walls holding placards imploring officials to “Keep Music in Our Schools.� They applauded loudly after their classmates addressed school officials.

“We started in first grade, where we banged on drums and sang songs. That was fun,� said Abby Young, an 8th-grader at Kraemer Junior High who plays the flute and is a drum major. “I don’t think I would have played at all if I hadn’t played in elementary school.�