Save the Broadview Public School Music Program

It has recently come to the attention of the parents of children at Broadview Public School that the current music teacher at the school, Ms. Leslie Bricker, will be retiring at the end of this academic year and Mme. Deschambault has made the decision to not replace her.

This news came as quite a disappointment and surprise to the parents as Ms. Bricker has done a phenomenal job of providing the students with an enriched music program that includes vocal and instrumental music, musical theatre, dance, as well as music theory. Several hundred students are involved each year in the extracurricular music programs at Broadview.

It is our understanding that, despite the change in French Immersion programs, there are several schools in the OCDSB that have added a position for a music teacher next year for K-6 students. Several other schools have increased the amount of music that is being taught by a specialist. If other schools can do this (and some of those schools also had teachers who were surplus to their schools), we ask why this is not the case at Broadview.

Were the french teachers consulted about whether they wanted to teach their own music, drama and dance? Do the teachers feel comfortable doing this? NO. The choirs, musicals, and extracurricular singing outings currently offered by the dedicated music director would certainly cease to exist as French teachers couldn't reasonably be expected to juggle their classes as well as offer a high-quality music program.

Music requires knowledge of musical language and vocabulary, and requires specialized experience to deliver the curriculum, which is quite complex. Furthermore, at this age the students need more direction with music than with many other subjects. It is a skill-based discipline.

Numerous studies and brain research have been undertaken that indicate the direct correlation between performance in music and higher scores in standardized testing in Math and Language. If our school board wants to improve Math scores, we should be increasing the presence of music in our schools, taught by qualified specialists. But there is more to it than that. Music fluency increases emotional resilience, increased empathy, increased self-confidence, and increased attention span and focus. There is also no substitute for playing or singing music in a group with your peers and friends.

We do not feel that music should be cut from programs. We do not feel that music should be sacrificed for other subjects. We strongly feel that music deserves its rightful place as a full part of the academic program, taught by a qualified music specialist.