It's Time to "Band" Together!

Regina Public Schools is reducing the number of elementary band teachers by more than 30%. 

Last week the Leader Post published an article about "potential" cutbacks to the Regina Public Schools elementary band program (SEE ARTICLE HERE)

As of Friday, May 23rd, 2025, the proposed cuts to the elementary band program have become a reality.

The number of elementary band teachers was already reduced by two full time positions starting in the 2022-2023 school year, resulting in an overall loss of more than 40% of their staff. This means that in the fall, all elementary band kids will be 1 of approximately 200 students assigned to each band teacher. The Board of Trustees meets on June 10th to approve the budget and staffing allocations for next year, but the band teachers who are being displaced by these cuts have already been told that they will not be teaching band in the fall and that they will be reassigned. 

The Regina Public Schools elementary band program is a co-curricular program for students in grades 6, 7, and 8, and is nationally recognized for excellence in instrumental music education. For more information on how the program currently operates, please visit: https://www.reginapublicschools.ca/band_program

We recognize that Regina Public Schools has been underfunded by the provincial government for a long time, and we encourage you to contact your MLA in support of more funding for education. However, the cuts being made by Regina Public Schools to their own elementary band program will directly affect the quality of music education for students across the division. Even more importantly, band is an inclusive space where kids thrive and feel safe. Many vulnerable students, whether they be neurodivergent, EAL, LGBTQ+, or new to Canada, find safety, self-confidence, and community through participation in Regina Public's elementary band program. This won't continue to be true for our kids if each of them is 1 of 200 per teacher. Our students deserve better, our band teachers deserve better, and the community of Regina deserves better.

If the Regina Public Schools elementary band program made a difference in your life, the life of someone you love, or if you're the parent of a kid who has been looking forward to being a band student in the years to come, please share your story HERE

If you would like to show support but would prefer not to share a story, please still show your support and sign this petition.

There are many things that divide us, and endless topics to disagree about but as parents and as a community we can all agree that we ultimately want our children to never have less than we did. It is our goal to give our children the best life possible, with all the opportunities and quality education that we had and more. Music is and always has been an integral part of a well rounded and high quality education. Not every child will participate in band, but every child deserves the opportunity to participate in band. We acknowledge that financial constraints will always result in difficult decisions, but this must be done in a way that does not negatively impact the quality of education that we offer our children. 

Let us go and band together to show our Regina Public School Board of Trustees how important the elementary band program is to our kids and to our community!