Riverside Brookfield High School’s stellar, 125-year-old music program is at risk.

***Please sign this petition today!

***Share it with friends and other members of the community and encourage them to TAKE ACTION!

RBHS currently has 3 choirs, 6 bands, 2 orchestras and 3 non-performance classes. In addition there are 5 popular performance clubs sponsored by the music educators. These programs attract a large number of the school’s students:

• Roughly 23% of the school - that’s 385 enrolled - are currently involved in music, and this number is only increasing. 

The staggering fact is that ALL of these offerings are instructed by only two full-time teachers and one part-time teacher. That’s a 142:1 student-teacher ratio!

In comparison to other local school districts, RBHS is falling behind.

• Some of our neighboring school districts have 4-5 full-time music teachers with just 13 to 18 percent of their student body engaged in music programs.

Last year, the district walked back some proposed music staffing reductions, which gave our teachers a chance to continue their efforts in rebuilding to pre-Covid strength.

• A new Mariachi Club was formed
• Interest in the A Cappella club exploded
• More students than ever were invited to attend the Illinois Music Educators Association All-District and All-State Honor Ensembles
• The marching band performed in the prestigious Chicago Thanksgiving Day parade for the first time!   

In the past, the music department had three full-time teachers, but beginning in 2011 the music department became a frequent target for staffing cuts, negatively impacting student’s experiences and stretching the teachers beyond capacity.  Since that time there have been 9 different music teachers employed by the district. Six of them have left due to lack of administration support and job insecurity.  

Continuity in the staff makes a dramatic difference in playing, learning and growth for individual students and ensembles. 

We believe that the appropriate staffing for the RB music department should be set at a minimum of three full time music teachers and are petitioning the District 208 community for their support.  With the school district’s budget surplus of $635,000 last year and a projected surplus again this year, we are asking that the district to put students first, stop hacking away at music teacher hours and staff the music department with 3 full time teachers. 

Investment is not risky – but the lack of investment will surely have negative consequences that directly impact our high school students today and in the future. 

Please sign the petition today and take action on this important issue!

Want more background and detailed information? Click here to view our mobile-friendly fact presentation.

Other ways to get involved:

Write an email to our school board rbhsboard@rbhs208.net
Attend a school board meeting
Write a letter to an editor of our local newspapers

Share this petition and talk to your neighbors about this issue.

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