Regina Public Schools is introducing a new band program that will come into effect this fall and it’s been met with a lot of controversy.
Former Regina public school band teachers and band organizations aren’t happy with the specifics of the program, centring on the Grade 6 band model. They’ve come together to reach out to the school board with a letter, wanting the program to be paused and reshaped, but to no avail.
Although the specifics of the model remain unclear, the new band program would mean Grade 6 students would take band about four times a year at the former Dieppe School. The school division says this change is to increase opportunities for school teachers to focus on organizing timetables and give more time to core subjects.
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The current band model serves 41 per cent of Grade 6 students, with 60 per cent of students leaving the program within two years.
Former band teachers Gordon Kerfoot and Bev Brander say the issue lies with leadership and a disconnect in communication. Brander says current teachers did not know about the model at all and no feedback was taken into consideration.
Regina Public Schools says in a statement that while the board appreciates the concerns some individuals have, it is focused on prioritizing students and says the updated band program is going to bring music education to all Grade 6 students regardless of circumstance.
The Saskatchewan Band Association disagrees, and says the issue never lay with accessibility at all.
Sania Ali has more details in the video above.
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