In the current FY27 budget for the Melrose Public Schools district, it is stated that 

"Purchase and Implementation of High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM)
● Secondary STEM Director, 6-12
● Assistant Principals at Lincoln and Roosevelt
● Provision of classroom materials, diagnostic tools, and professional development for educators." 

Missing from this list is the reinstatement of a Visual and Performing Arts Director. This is a position that was a standalone role pre-FY26 and is currently a stipend-funded responsibility held by assistant principal Mr. Black. 

We, the Melrose community, call for this position to be added to the FY27 budget. This petition is about ensuring the growth and advancement of the Melrose arts. If the Visual and Performing Arts Director position is not reinstated, art, theater, and music classes will lose valuable support across the entire district. Programs will struggle to run, and some may end altogether. The Melrose students deserve better. We deserve to continue our arts from where they are now, and keep Melrose Arts a place where any student can access high-quality art experiences.

Sign this petition to demand change for the Visual and Performing Arts Director position in the Melrose Public Schools District.