Petition updateSave the Old Town School of Folk MusicThe sale of 909 Armitage is on hold, and we're working with the School. Sign up for January classes!
Students of Old Town School
Dec 17, 2018

Eight weeks after the Old Town School announced plans to sell its historic home at 909 W. Armitage, efforts by students and teachers to get the School’s attention are getting results.

On Dec. 3, the School announced a delay until March 31 in plans to put the Armitage building on the market -- and committed to form three “working groups” with student representation to study enrollment, communications and alternatives to selling 909.  That same day, School officials met at length with representatives of Save Old Town School to begin exploring ways to work together.

On Dec. 11, Old Town School teachers filed for union representation with the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

On Dec. 17, Save Old Town School and OTS officials released a joint statement regarding steps both will take in the coming weeks to address the School’s financial and enrollment challenges. Highlights of the statement:

  • The School has agreed to provide written answers by early January to questions about the proposed building sale and the School’s financial health.  SOTS will collect and organize the questions.
  • SOTS has agreed to take active steps to promote student registration for the first class session of 2019, which starts Jan. 7. The School has created special $15-off discount codes for use by Save Old Town School supporters, which expire Jan. 15, 2019.

The best way we can help the teachers, staff and school is to help get enrollment back up! Use a Save Old Town School discount code for $15 off next session!

  • SOTS will recommend people to serve on the School’s new working groups and the School commits to naming at least one SOTS nominee to each group.
  • Jim Newcomb, board member and special advisor to the School’s acting executive director, promises “further opportunities … to share information and have open discussions about the future of the School in the coming year.”
  • SOTS and the School agree that turning around its multiyear enrollment decline is critical, and that there is a need for a formal structure (such as a student advisory board) to create a channel of communication between students and the School.

 We see this announcement as a good first step toward building trust. Thanks to all of you -- especially the 10,000-plus people who’ve signed our change.org petition -- who have supported Save Old Town School in its efforts to get the School to reconsider the sale of 909 and to engage the community.

While we’re making progress, we still need your help.  Here are some things you can do to help Save Old Town School:

1. SIGN UP FOR CLASSES

Register for a class in January, give a class as a holiday gift -- and/or tell your friends to do so. Use these discount codes, which expire Jan. 15, 2019 :

  • OTSFRIENDS19 - $15 off adult and teen group class registrations, including ensembles, costing more than $100.
  • WIGGLEFRIENDS19 - $15 off Wiggleworms and kids’ classes costing more than $100.

If you have already signed up without using these discount codes, we hope you will fill out this short online survey: https://bit.ly/SOTS19.  Providing this information will help us demonstrate our reach and influence to the School’s leadership team.

2. PARTICIPATE IN OUR #whatOTSmeans VIDEO CAMPAIGN

We know the Old Town School changes lives.  Tell your story and help us communicate how much the School has influenced us.  We’d like you to create a short video (30 seconds to 2 minutes) testifying to what the School has meant to you.  Instructions here: https://saveoldtownschool.org/whatotsmeans/

3. TAKE OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY

Fill out this survey allowing us to learn more about our community: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SOTS.  It will take only 5-10 minutes to complete.  

4. DO WHATEVER YOU CAN DO

Save Old Town School in the News

We've rounded up news stories and coverage on our website. Some recent stories:

Dec. 12 (Chicago Tribune): Old Town School teachers file for union representation after sale put on pause
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-old-town-school-union-20181211-story.html

Dec. 4 (Block Club Chicago): Old Town School Of Folk Music Postpones Planned Sale Of Armitage Building After Community Outcry
https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/12/04/old-town-school-postpones-planned-sale-of-armitage-building/

Dec. 4 (Chicago Tribune): Old Town School delays Lincoln Park building sale, will close music store
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-old-town-music-sale-hold-20181204-story.html

Nov. 28 (Block Club Chicago): Don’t Sell Old Town School Of Folk Music’s Armitage Avenue Building, Fans Plead In Letters
https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/11/28/dont-sell-old-town-school-of-folk-musics-armitage-avenue-building-fans-plead-in-letters/

Nov. 26 (Chicago Tribune): Old Town School executive director takes leave of absence
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-old-town-school-controversy-20181126-story.html

Nov. 18 (Chicago Tribune): Commentary: The 'magic' at Old Town School's Armitage building
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-flashback-old-town-school-folk-music-armitage-1118-20181115-story.html

Nov. 18 (14East): ‘At the Old Town School up on Armitage Street’: Remembering 50 years of music in one building
http://fourteeneastmag.com/index.php/2018/11/16/at-the-old-town-school-up-on-armitage-street-remembering-50-years-of-music-in-one-building/

Nov. 11 (Chicago Tribune): Protesters decry Old Town School decision
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-save-old-town-school-rally-20181109-story.html

Nov. 1 (Block Club Chicago): Old Town School Of Folk Teachers See ‘No Wisdom’ In Plan To Sell Armitage Avenue Building
https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/11/01/old-town-school-of-folk-teachers-see-no-wisdom-in-plan-to-sell-armitage-avenue-building/

Oct. 26 (Nonprofit Quarterly): A Good Nonprofit Decision Badly Made is No Good at All
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2018/10/26/a-good-nonprofit-decision-badly-made-is-no-good-at-all/

 

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