Strapped school decides to cut back band.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

With enrollment expected to take a big hit next fall, Kelly Middle School will relegate its longtime band program to a before-school elective, a move that will dramatically reduce the amount of time students have in band class and place the program off limits to those unable to get themselves to school before buses arrive.

Principal Tim Rochholz explained the decision in a letter to parents before spring break. Money flows to schools on a per-pupil basis. With an eighth-grade class of 185 graduating this year and an incoming sixth-grade class of 151, he had to make cuts, he said.

"You have to look at where the least amount of students are affected," he said, noting that he and Vice Principal Brooke Wagner agreed that the core academic program, as well as physical education, technology and foreign languages, had to take priority. "It was a very difficult decision."

Currently, 60 sixth-graders, 35 seventh-graders and 20 eighth-graders take band classes, he said.

The move isn't sitting well with some parents and students. Parent Michael Green, who will have a second child at the school next fall, said the plan creates unacceptable inequities among Eugene middle schools. In fact, Kelly will be the only middle school next year without a band program offered during regular school hours.

"The program will be completely gutted, and North High's band program will start to feel the effects after only one year," Green said in an e-mail to The Register-Guard. "Madison (Middle School) is going extremely strong in the music department, and many parents are irked at the inequality of the two main feeders to North."

Band teacher Betty Monroe, who will lose her position at Kelly and be placed elsewhere in the district, said many students rely on the bus for transportation and won't be able to get to school early - even though they can ride free on Lane Transit.

"A lot of their parents have said that they won't let them ride the city bus at a young age, especially in the early hours of the day," said Monroe, who has taught at Kelly 13 years. "Many, many of them will not be able to continue."

Monroe said the number of beginning and advanced band classes offered will shrink from 17 to four per week under the new plan.

"It's pretty devastating to me after building it all these years," she said.

Rochholz said he's not yet sure who will teach the morning classes.

Kelly revamped its schedule four years ago, and - based largely on studies linking physical activity with academic achievement - began requiring students to take 90-minute P.E. classes every other day, more than any school in the district.

Rochholz believes it's better to keep fewer programs strong than to water down all of them. The extra P.E. is a big attraction to many families, he said, as is the school's emphasis on technology and foreign languages (either Spanish or Japanese) for every student.

Angie Anderson encouraged her sixth-grade son, Mike, to take band this year, in part because Monroe convinced her of the academic benefits of learning an instrument. He took up the trombone, and she had been considering getting him into private lessons during summer.

"He's excited about it and he's doing really well," said Anderson, who won't be able to get Mike to school early. "It feels kind of funny to really push this great opportunity and say you should take advantage of it, and now it isn't happening. It's disappointing."

While no other cuts have generated as much outcry as Kelly's plan to reduce band, most other middle schools have had or will have to trim budgets to keep pace with a districtwide enrollment decline, said Kay Mehas, director of K-8 school services.