Why I love my mom
Dear members of the Board of Education and fellow Smithtown taxpayers,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my concerns over the proposed school budget for next year. I am currently away from home caring for my elderly parents, but I was so alarmed by the proposed budget’s impact on our music program that I have asked Holly to read a statement from me if at all possible.
I am confident that the Friends of Music Officers have pulled together the facts about the tactical impact of the strategy outlined for the music program, but I believe that something more needs to be said in defense of music and our outstanding music faculty in the district.
I am a management consultant, and when I evaluate the proposed cuts from a professional point of view, I see two violations of accepted best practices in strategic planning. Typically, an organization would look to leverage and support its strengths and limit its weaknesses. After defining its goals, an organization must craft strategies to align with those goals. For a school system, goals would normally include the following:
1. Minimize impact on the students’ academic performance
2. Trim budgets in a balanced fashion
3. Safeguard areas where the district has already achieved recognition of excellence
4. Strengthen those programs that enhance the district’s ties to the community
Your proposed budget supports NONE of these goals:
1. We know that a high percentage of our students participate in the music program and we feel that the proposed cuts will dilute program quality in the elementary schools, thereby putting our high school students at risk of being unable to retain their record of excellence at the county, state and regional levels.
2. The current budget proposal makes disproportionate cuts to the music faculty. Given the number of students that participate in music, I can only say emphatically that this is not acceptable.
3. Recently, we have achieved national level recognition for our music program. Your proposed budget indicates that you do not wish to retain this recognition.
4. Our music students share their talent freely with the community in town parades and when they perform for our senior citizens. The senior citizens are particularly effusive in their praise. This is a significant way for that tax payer constituency to receive value back from the school system.
Now I need to take off my management consulting hat and say a few words as a parent. My son has just completed his college auditions, and the training he and his classmates have received in the music program have allowed them to compete for admission to the top tier music programs and conservatories. They are recognized equals of students in pre-conservatory programs who have years of master class training under their belts. I fear that the class of ’06 musicians may be the last Smithtown students who can succeed in this very competitive arena.
Someone needs to speak for these wonderful students, because they receive disproportionately scant recognition for their talent and achievement. There is no “Music page” in the local paper tracking their weekly activities. We hear constant praise of athletic programs and their ability to instill cooperation, teamwork and character into our young people. Our young musicians learn all this and more as they grow up in our music program.
Look no further than how music helped them through their grief when they suddenly lost one of their finest stars, Christina Poggioli this year. Look at how they all pulled together and persevered when Mrs. Oill was out on a medical emergency this year.
Look at the shining example our dedicated music faculty provides them. We had an accompanist rush to Smithtown from her retirement to fill in at the gala, we had a pit conductor support two performances of our spring musical at SHS West when he was nearly crippled with back pain. Our kids are better human beings because these wonderful teachers provide such a shining example to them. They encourage and advocate and support these kids and make that music suite a second home for them. I am profoundly grateful for the mentoring they have provided to my son over the last four years. They are in a unique position to know and love and support our kids, because they are with them through all their high school years.
Please reconsider your budget proposal. This budget is one that will plunge us into a nightmare. If you go forward with this, I am going to issue the board a challenge. I want you to attend the final SHS West concert this year and look our students in the eye when they sing this song, which captures the essence of that nightmare in the first verse:
I dreamed a dream, a silent dream of a land not far away where no bird sang, no steeples rang, and teardrops fell like rain. I dreamed a dream; a silent dream. I dreamed a dream of a land so filled with pride that every song, both weak and strong, withered and died. I dreamed a dream No hallelujah; not one hosanna! No song of love, no lullaby. And no choir sang to change the world. No pipers played, no dancers twirled. I dreamed a dream; a silent dream.
Awake, awake! Soli deo gloria! Awake, Awake! Awake my soul and sing, the time for praise has come. The silence of the night has passed, a new day has begun! Let music never die in me; forever let my spirit sing! Wherever emptiness is found let there be joy and glorious sound. Let music never die in me; forever let my spirit sing! Let all our voices join as one to praise the giver of the sun! Awake, awake! Let music live!
I hope to see you all at the concert.
Respectfully yours,
Joanne Wortman
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my concerns over the proposed school budget for next year. I am currently away from home caring for my elderly parents, but I was so alarmed by the proposed budget’s impact on our music program that I have asked Holly to read a statement from me if at all possible.
I am confident that the Friends of Music Officers have pulled together the facts about the tactical impact of the strategy outlined for the music program, but I believe that something more needs to be said in defense of music and our outstanding music faculty in the district.
I am a management consultant, and when I evaluate the proposed cuts from a professional point of view, I see two violations of accepted best practices in strategic planning. Typically, an organization would look to leverage and support its strengths and limit its weaknesses. After defining its goals, an organization must craft strategies to align with those goals. For a school system, goals would normally include the following:
1. Minimize impact on the students’ academic performance
2. Trim budgets in a balanced fashion
3. Safeguard areas where the district has already achieved recognition of excellence
4. Strengthen those programs that enhance the district’s ties to the community
Your proposed budget supports NONE of these goals:
1. We know that a high percentage of our students participate in the music program and we feel that the proposed cuts will dilute program quality in the elementary schools, thereby putting our high school students at risk of being unable to retain their record of excellence at the county, state and regional levels.
2. The current budget proposal makes disproportionate cuts to the music faculty. Given the number of students that participate in music, I can only say emphatically that this is not acceptable.
3. Recently, we have achieved national level recognition for our music program. Your proposed budget indicates that you do not wish to retain this recognition.
4. Our music students share their talent freely with the community in town parades and when they perform for our senior citizens. The senior citizens are particularly effusive in their praise. This is a significant way for that tax payer constituency to receive value back from the school system.
Now I need to take off my management consulting hat and say a few words as a parent. My son has just completed his college auditions, and the training he and his classmates have received in the music program have allowed them to compete for admission to the top tier music programs and conservatories. They are recognized equals of students in pre-conservatory programs who have years of master class training under their belts. I fear that the class of ’06 musicians may be the last Smithtown students who can succeed in this very competitive arena.
Someone needs to speak for these wonderful students, because they receive disproportionately scant recognition for their talent and achievement. There is no “Music page” in the local paper tracking their weekly activities. We hear constant praise of athletic programs and their ability to instill cooperation, teamwork and character into our young people. Our young musicians learn all this and more as they grow up in our music program.
Look no further than how music helped them through their grief when they suddenly lost one of their finest stars, Christina Poggioli this year. Look at how they all pulled together and persevered when Mrs. Oill was out on a medical emergency this year.
Look at the shining example our dedicated music faculty provides them. We had an accompanist rush to Smithtown from her retirement to fill in at the gala, we had a pit conductor support two performances of our spring musical at SHS West when he was nearly crippled with back pain. Our kids are better human beings because these wonderful teachers provide such a shining example to them. They encourage and advocate and support these kids and make that music suite a second home for them. I am profoundly grateful for the mentoring they have provided to my son over the last four years. They are in a unique position to know and love and support our kids, because they are with them through all their high school years.
Please reconsider your budget proposal. This budget is one that will plunge us into a nightmare. If you go forward with this, I am going to issue the board a challenge. I want you to attend the final SHS West concert this year and look our students in the eye when they sing this song, which captures the essence of that nightmare in the first verse:
I dreamed a dream, a silent dream of a land not far away where no bird sang, no steeples rang, and teardrops fell like rain. I dreamed a dream; a silent dream. I dreamed a dream of a land so filled with pride that every song, both weak and strong, withered and died. I dreamed a dream No hallelujah; not one hosanna! No song of love, no lullaby. And no choir sang to change the world. No pipers played, no dancers twirled. I dreamed a dream; a silent dream.
Awake, awake! Soli deo gloria! Awake, Awake! Awake my soul and sing, the time for praise has come. The silence of the night has passed, a new day has begun! Let music never die in me; forever let my spirit sing! Wherever emptiness is found let there be joy and glorious sound. Let music never die in me; forever let my spirit sing! Let all our voices join as one to praise the giver of the sun! Awake, awake! Let music live!
I hope to see you all at the concert.
Respectfully yours,
Joanne Wortman