Tuesday, May 12, 2020

To All Concerned Parties,

My name is Andrew Smith and I am a senior at G. Ray Bodley High School. Next year I will be attending the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York to study Music Education. I hope to one day become an orchestra teacher in the public school system, just like the teachers who have inspired me.

I attended the virtual Board of Education meeting this evening and would like to speak to the budget. In 2011, the Board of Education faced a difficult budget year resulting in the cutting of the fourth grade orchestra program. The program cut set the district and its students up for a future of disservice and inequity in the county and state. There is such a large learning curve when it comes to string instruments and it makes it much harder to compete on a county or state level when most children start a full year earlier in third grade.

I feel a mistake of this magnitude may be upon us again with this upcoming year. As a student who has been very involved in music, I am concerned about the intention of not filling music teacher Mr. Nami’s position after his impending retirement.

A major goal of the district is cross-curricular education. Mr. Nami’s classes and teaching span further than just singing and reach into multicultural, multi-curricular learning. Choir connects all music courses, as well as our Languages Other Than English courses, foreign language, society and culture, history, and science (ie. physics of sound and vocal production). Eighty percent of every choir concert is comprised of pieces in foreign languages and I can say that this has improved my French dramatically.

While attending the NYSSMA Winter Conference All-State I was able to meet musicians from all across the state. They told me about their choirs and it made me realize that Fulton has a fantastic choral program. It makes the thought of losing Mr. Nami’s position seem like a horrible disservice to students. It would not only impact the students who are currently enrolled, but also future students, as the program and offerings are likely to deteriorate over the coming years due to lack of staff and availability.

Mr. Nami’s position involves conducting lessons, directing two choirs with approximately 60 students each, teaching two music theory courses, and serving as musical director for our spring musicals. Most of our music teachers are already stretched across multiple buildings and to add more to their plates would sacrifice quality of education and ability to help prepare students for future musical endeavors.

Mr. Nami’s dedication to his students has prepared myself and other classmates for a future in music. Superintendent Mr. Brian Pulvino stated during the May 12 Board of Education meeting that a student’s college and career readiness is the ultimate goal of the Fulton City School District. I wonder if students like myself would be so well-prepared had there been no musicals, no time for extra help, no time to prepare us for auditions for NYSSMA or colleges, or no time for lessons because my teacher was stretched across multiple buildings with minimal availability.

The Fulton Board of Education has said they support the arts. However, actions speak louder than words. Music is a universal language that reaches students of all cultures and demographics. Our choral program is one of the most special needs-inclusive areas of our school and our music program has been a point of pride for decades! The purpose of the Board of Education is to serve the best interests of Fulton students. If the high school choral position is not filled next year, the Board will have failed us.

Please support the GRB Music Department and remember to vote on the budget!

Thank you for your time,

Andrew Smith

GRB Senior

*Please note I will be contacting Mr. Pulvino and members of the Board of Education directly. I will follow up with more information about how this decision was made and I will include any other developments in a future edition of RaiderNet. I would also like to thank senior Alexis Barth for her behind-the-scenes work.

*My letter to the Board of Education is signed and supported by: Thomas Nami, Rebecca Bailey, Terrance Caviness, Kaylee Foster, Alexis Barth, Callie Smith, Robyn Smith, Alan Smith, Amy Monaghan Brown, Marc Brown, Paige Kingsley, Hope Lawton, Debra Kingsley, Griffin Mariner, Kira Whitehead, Emily Sohoski, Gabby Tomarchio, Vita-Marie Dean, Terese Dean, Megan Acker, Lisa Acker, Steve Acker, Alana White, Emily Tice, Charlie Stoutenger, Dominic Fischel, Ella Hicks, Kesley Caza, Anthony Epolito, Justin Atwater, Ronde Wood, Mary Jared, Anthony Lucas, Bernadette DeMott, Donald Austin, Wesley Van Buren, Olivia Hawthorne, Lisa Hawthorne, Leah O’Hanlon, Kieran O’Hanlon, Lori O’Hanlon, Deedee Caza, Mitchell Nagelschmidt, Zachary Vaccaro, Heidi Nagelschmidt, Marcus Wornick, Abby Pawlewicz, Alexis Pawlewicz, Erica Pawlewicz, Olivia Pawlewicz, Nick Brown, Abby Mainville, Misa Barth, Mandee Price, Samuel Wyatt, Kimberly Atwater, Marilou Sohoski, McKenna Bourgeois, Alfred Arduini, Olivia Forsyth, Madison Wilson, Mackenzie Birdsell, Leiji Yeh, Faith Sharkey, Mary Arduini, Lisa Kreinheder, Gary Kreinheder, Sam Kreinheder, Rebekah Manwaring, David Cordone, Jaidyn Perry, Leah Kingsbury, Elias Reynolds, Collin Wells, Michael Zarichny, Jenna Hotchi, Gianna Mastro, Hailey Vann, Anastacia Henly, Sarah Fisch, Dani Avery, Jasmine James, Kelsey Pickard, Isabella Cavalier, Noah Phelps, Anna Edele, Holly Bourgeois, Bob Barth, Erica Perwtiz, Jolynn Calkins, Ellen Marshall, Maryssa Woodcock, Jennifer Walts, Nancy Draughn, Katie Everett, Amanda Tombly, Sharon Butler, Alicia Vann, Betty Dunsmoor, Shaylee Cealie, Robert Spencer, Robyn Spencer, Michael Gibson, Adelle Bush, Allyson Wornick, Mason Rowlee, Sara Sundberg, Kathie Smith, Krista Vann, Sarah Smegelsky, Monica Newton, Beth Mathre, Ciara Ferguson, Deana Honeywell, Emma Francisco, Jennifer Johnson, Lindy Calkins, Tracy Loveday, Noah Cordone, Louise Ritchey, Peg Peck, Jen Marriner, Laura Miller, Susan Goutermount, Retta Rusaw, Tammy Tanner, Cecelia Louise, Holly Anderson, Aiyana Cogden, Camiel Heagel, Kimberly Anne, Mary Porter, Valerie Shue, Kelly Green, Jasmine Criswell, Molly Metcalf, Emily Porter, Hunter Dudley, Megan Johnson, Kim Manford, Summer Rae, Dolores Walrath, Peggy Wood, Edward Sohoski, Lydia Mirabito, Autumn Kennedy, Alex Blaine, Brian Newton, Alyssa Wicks, Ian Lisi