PROTECTING MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS
Hastings AMP helped organize parent and community support to protect high school band/orchestra positions when they were slated to be terminated in budget cuts for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.
The proposed school budget for 2024-25 would eliminate a teaching position in our music department. Specifically, the preliminary budget presented at the March 5 board of education meeting eliminates a .6 FTE music teaching position, which will phase out Mr. Rubino's position once he fully retires at the end of the school year. To lose that position would be a real loss for our music department and our community.
The Administration has assured the community that there will be no changes to the music program due to the cut, as the remaining music faculty will cover the required teaching schedule. However, it is clear to us that this cut to the program represents a reduced commitment by the district to music education. At a time when student interest in the Hastings music program is growing, this cut places a real burden on the current music faculty, provides less opportunity for small and individualized instruction, and makes it likely impossible for the program to innovate and expand to meet students’ needs and interests.
We understand that our hardworking Board of Education is very responsive to community priorities. We urge you to make your voice heard to help save this position and with it the depth and quality of our award-winning music program.
There are several easy actions you can take, all of them important:
Read and sign the petition linked HERE.
Send personal emails ASAP to the members of the Board of Education, to the superintendent (mckersiew@hohschools.org), and to the principal of your child's school. (A cc to hastingsamp@gmail.com would be appreciated.) The best message is a personal one, but if you want some ideas, please refer to the sample message below.
Attend the BOE meetings on March 19 and April 3, and the May 7th Public Hearing on the Budget. The March 19th meeting can be livestreamed here. Meetings are at 6:30 pm, in the Farragut Complex Lecture room.
Reach out to your personal network to encourage fellow parents, students and alumni to do the same.
*Sample Email message:
To: The Hastings On Hudson Board Of Education, Superintendent McKersie, School Principals and the HOH administration
As a taxpayer/student/alum/parent of a Hastings music student, I am writing to express my concern about the elimination of the music teaching position as proposed in the Preliminary Budget 2024-25 at the March 5, 2024 board of education meeting.
I have deep concerns about the proposed elimination of the .6 FTE teaching position in the music department, which will phase out Mr. Rubino's position once he fully retires at the end of the school year.
At a time when student interest in the Hastings music program is growing (many sections are bursting at the seams), cutting a teaching position will place a real burden on the current music faculty, result in less opportunity for small and individualized instruction, and make it impossible for the program to innovate and expand to meet students’ needs and interests.
Without full staffing for the department, we risk compromising the quality of the district's excellent music program and/or placing an unfair burden on other music faculty because of unreasonable expectations and the failure to fully value the role they play in our schools.
Every few years, the district proposes to cut this position from the budget, and every time it does so, parents and community members passionately react against these cuts. Music study goes way beyond simply learning to sing or play an instrument, and is vital to improving cognitive ability and reducing stress and anxiety in our children. Considering the isolation our students experienced during the pandemic, the music program not only offers music instruction, but also a crucial social experience.
I stand behind the district's excellent music program, and I hope it will be respected and fully supported by the BOE and the district. I strongly urge the BOE and the administration to reconsider this cut to the budget, and to replace Mr. Rubino.
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!
Mark your calendars with upcoming music events planned for this academic year
See you at the concerts!
Hastings High Schoolers Distinguish Themselves as Top Musicians Both Locally & Nationally
As part of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Area-All- State Music Festival, nine Hastings High School musicians were featured in four ensembles in a series of concerts at New Rochelle High School.
Based on their high-scoring NYSSMA solos last year, the following students were selected:
Keith Mon, Violin, String Orchestra
Sofia Eliasi, Violin, Symphony Orchestra
Johanna Nollen, Violin, Symphony Orchestra
Nitin Kodali, Viola, Symphony Orchestra
Aidan Dorn, Bass, Symphony Orchestra
Josh Burdick, Bass, Symphony Orchestra
Natalie Garson, Clarinet, Concert Band
Drew Neiman, Clarinet, Concert Band
Izzy Meisner, Alto 1, Treble Chorus
In addition, the following three Hastings High School musicians received individual accolades:
Miles Levine won the Juilliard Pre-College Concerto Competition and performed the Bacewicz Cello Concerto No. 1 at Lincoln Center with the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra on November 18.
Jasper Zimmerman won two awards from the prestigious YoungArts National Competition, one for Jazz/Piano and one for Jazz/Composition. His composition portfolio included three original pieces, "Redemption of Eris," "Interstellar Cable Car," and "Hexaflexagon." Jasper was also selected as an alternate for this year's NYSSMA All-State Jazz Band.
Zoe Verduin represented Hastings High School at the NYSSMA All-State Conference in Rochester, N.Y., with a winning original composition entitled "Waltz for Piano."
"We are so proud of these incredible student musicians for their well-deserved recognition," said Hastings Music Teacher Eric Day. "It's wonderful to see their hard work, talent, and creativity be recognized at such a high level."
Hastings AMP was formerly the
Hastings on Hudson Music Booster Club
same group, same efforts, new name - join us!
Our goals:
To foster a love of music for our students
To support the music programming in our public school system
To encourage overlap between music students of Hillside, FMS and HHS
To find and fund external music experiences for our students
To be an advocate for our music staff and students and a conduit for parents and administration