Kendall Needs Music!

Excellent music in our schools has been a longstanding tradition, which has contributed to our student’s development, academic abilities, happiness, and emotional stability. Over the last several years we have had tremendous turn over in music teachers in our district and long periods of time when there was insufficient staffing. Unfortunately we are at this point again. We only have one music teacher in the entire district. It is time for our voices to be heard.

We must come together as a community to ensure that music continues in the Kendall CSD. Please consider signing this petition if music is important to you and your family. Music builds connection and community, and for some kids the music room is the one place where they feel safe and supported. Appreciation of music, singing, and playing instruments are life-long skills that our students take with them into the world. Music can bring joy, and it can bring comfort. In the uncertain and difficult times in which we are living, we need to build our childrens’ abilities to find that joy and comfort. 

So why are we having such difficulty maintaining our music program? It is a hard job to be a music teacher in a small district. It requires many different skills to meet the needs of students across all the grades and curriculum areas that include general music, band, and chorus. Often our specialty teachers are also asked to take on additional responsibilities, and that is especially true this year as all teachers are struggling to meet the needs of the students during the pandemic. 

Why do our voices matter? In a time when our administrators are struggling to determine how best to use our resources, we want them to know how important and valued music is, so that it can be given the attention that it requires. We need to search for, hire, and retain, 2 more teachers to fill the long-term needs of the district. That means finding people that have the skills and desire to enable the music program to thrive in our small district. It also means giving the music teachers the time and respect that they need to do their job well.

If you support music in Kendall, please sign and share this petition with others in the community.