Dear WSFCS District Leaders and Hanes Magnet Administration,

Due to budgeting issues, schools around the district are being required to make position cuts. On this list is our beloved chorus teacher, Mr. Bratt. From this cut, he will be reduced to a half-time employee at Hanes Magnet School. An increasing number of students have enrolled in chorus for next year, but fewer will be able to participate if Mr. Bratt is cut to half-time. Mr. Bratt has built a choral program second to none at Hanes. His choruses consistently receive superior scores at musical performance competitions. Additionally, Hanes is the only middle school in the district with an a cappella group, and the group would likely not be able to continue with this cut. Through a cappella, students have been given unique opportunities to perform at community events, such as the Winston-Salem Christmas tree lighting ceremony, numerous Wake Forest basketball games, Reynold’s A Cappella Jam, and the Kernersville Christmas Stocking Fundraiser. A cappella and chorus have been the most amazing and life-changing part of our middle school experience. It is what we will remember long after the lessons or texts have passed. Mr. Bratt has shaped us, our confidence, and our experiences. The lessons we have learned through music make us better academically. They are our reason for being excited to come to school each day. We want others to continue to have these experiences. 

Please sign this petition in support of keeping Mr. Bratt as a full-time chorus teacher at Hanes Magnet Middle School.  

Sincerely,

Current/former Hanes chorus students

Student Testimonials 

"I am an eighth grader at Hanes. Mr. Bratt has been my teacher since sixth grade. I have also been in his a capella group since sixth grade. He is a wonderful teacher and an amazing person. He has told me on multiple occasions that he teaches because, when he was a kid, his middle school chorus teacher didn’t teach him anything, and he wanted to teach us what he didn’t get to learn. In a cappella, we had the chance to perform in RJ Reynolds’ a cappella jam, during which we were the first group to get a standing ovation. This will always be my favorite memory from this group. Mr. Bratt cares so much about his students. In a capella, we have a welcoming environment and this amazing class has allowed me to fall even more in love with music. I will always remember everything he has done for me."  ~current Hanes chorus/a capella student

"I’m a student at Atkins High School, and I was in Mr. Bratt’s class all three years of middle school. I joined the Dragon Scales a capella group in seventh grade, and it gave me some of the greatest experiences of my musical career. I was fortunate enough to be able to perform in the group at the Reynolds A Cappella Jam, alongside many college groups, and it remains one of my favorite memories to this day. This year, I performed solo in front of an audience, something that never would have been possible without the confidence Mr. Bratt’s class and club gave me. My experiences in his class have helped me overcome my fear of performing and become the musician I am today." ~former Hanes chorus/a capella student

An additional note from Parents & Community Stakeholders:

Hanes Magnet parents agree that Mr. Bratt is a remarkable teacher and gives our children the chance to shine through his program where they may not in others. He amplifies their voices and builds confidence at an age when kids most need this. They love practicing their songs in a place where students at Hanes can truly be “seen” and labels and backgrounds don’t matter. Our kids NEED this. This is a transformative experience for our students. Mr. Bratt is so much more to us than just a chorus teacher. It is not fair for the district and state to make up for their mismanagement of funds by continuing to cut staff and programs. This decision not only cuts a position, but hurts a program that he has spent nine years successfully building for Hanes, with enrollment numbers set to increase for next year. With the additional cuts of  some foreign language classes, we worry about overcrowding in other encore classes and limited options for students. Hanes lost 11 staff members in the the first round of layoffs and is scheduled to lose 6 more. That is over a 15% reduction in staff, which is not sustainable. This decision is not what the Hanes Magnet School community wants and by signing this petition we will make our voices heard and cohesively request a call to action for the following:

• A full review of all Encore’s projected enrollment data for next year and a plan for where displaced chorus students would go if these cuts are final.
• The re-evaluation of this decision and consideration of maintaining a full-time chorus teacher position.
• An exploration from the school board and district of higher level cost reductions at the district level to save positions that more directly affect the day to day education of our children.