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Keep Arts in Schools: Advocates Make the Case
CCSD Research Shows String Students Score Higher on Tests
Research gathered by Jim Braunreuther, CCSD Fine Arts Coordinator, shows that during the 2004-2005 school year, students of the arts in grades 6-8 scored higher on PACT English/Language Arts and Math tests than non-arts students. Furthermore, string orchestra students in middle school scored higher than other arts students as well as non-arts students.
Email From Superintendent
Dr. McGinley sent this email out to all CCSD employeed on January 30, 2009.
Dr. Jesselson Pens Amazing Article
Dr. Robert Jesselson, Carolina Distinguished Professor at USC, has come to the aid of the CCSD String Orchestra program in his awesome article. Read it, share, it, and keep the conversations going!
Next School Board Meeting Monday February 23, 2009 at 5:15 pm
The agenda for the February 23 meeting has not been posted at the time of this notice. Students and parents are urged to go out once more and show support for the string orchestra program in Charleston County. Plan on being in front of 75 Calhoun Street at 4:45 pm with signs and banners. Petitions will be there for everyone to sign. Let's keep our campaign in the public eye!
McGinley Plan for CCSD Cost Containment and Cost Reduction Measures
Students and Parents Demonstrate at School Board Meeting
A good crowd of students and parents began the campaign to Save Our Strings by demonstrating in front of 75 Calhoun Street at the January 26 school board meeting. News channels 4 and 5 were present to document the event and the first showings of support gave us big smiles. We have just begun to make our voices heard!
Outpouring of Support is Spectacular!
Concern and caring from members of the Charleston community shows that we have a multitude of supporters for the Charleston County String Orchestra Program! Over 190 members have joined the Facebook cause, "Save Our Strings," and the cause has just begun to grow. To become a member of Facebook, or to join the cause and show your support, go to Facebook.com and search for the Group, "Save Our Strings."
If you would like to be included in the email list to be kept up to date on alerts and support events, please visit the Contact Us page here on the Save Our Strings website and fill out the form. Inform everyone you know of our cause and encourage them to sign up for the email alerts.
Strength for one is strength for all! And strength for all is strength for one!
Charleston County School Board Meeting
Tonight, Monday, January 26 at 5:00 pm
Although there will not be a vote on the String Orchestra program tonight (the board is making its final decision about school re-structuring), many people will gather to show their support for strings in the public schools.
Even if the school re-structuring vote is yes tonight, there is no guarantee that the school district budget will not be cut further during this school year. And wherever the budget ends up at the end of this year, the school district will have to cut another 15% for the 2009-2010 school year. At this time, the only program to be threatend with "elimination" has been the string orchestra program.
In being pro-active, we believe that the district administration and school board will begin to understand how important the string orchestra program is to the Charleston community.
Please continue to let your voices be heard!
Communication from Elliott Smalley, CCSD Executive Director of Planning, Marketing, & Communications
This email was sent to all CCSD employees on Friday, January 23, 2009. We must be making an impact!
A Letter to All Friends and Families of the Charleston County School District String Orchestra Programs
Dear String Orchestra Parents, Students, Alumni, and Friends,
The Charleston County School District (CCSD) is in a serious financial hardship, as are all school districts in South Carolina. Choices for trimming millions of dollars in the school district budget are being discussed and permanent decisions will be made shortly. As string players, orchestral musicians, and families and friends, we need to be aware that the string orchestra program in the CCSD schools is in jeopardy.
On Thursday morning, January 22, 2009, the CCSD website posted on its front page their options for budget adjustments. Included on this page was a puzzle picture of Budget Adjustment Options.
Please notice the blue puzzle piece on the bottom which is titled, "Eliminate Strings and Reduce Unified Arts." Although this is a "possible cut," our family of string players and educators in Charleston County should be greatly concerned that this is even being proposed as an option. This website is dedicated to the advocacy of the value of the string orchestra program in the public schools of Charleston County.
Parents and supporters of the string orchestra program are encouraged to become involved and stand up for the Charleston County Schools String Orchestra program. Please visit our District Contact Information page to find email addresses, phone numbers, and other information about the leaders in our school district. We need to be proactive and aware that the budget and program changes will have lasting effects upon the quality of education for our children.
Historically speaking, when a program is cut because of financial problems, it is not brought back when the money crunch eases. To quote Joni Mitchell, "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."
Please let your voice be heard in this extremely significant issue! Please contact the webmaster with ideas and information.
Thank you for your support!
