Newton Parents, Teachers Fight To Save Elementary Strings Program

NEWTON, MA – Newton parents, teachers, and students are calling for Newton Public Schools to save the strings and orchestra programs at 15 elementary schools, which are among many extracurricular programs that could face elimination in the proposed 2024 budget.

Parents, teachers, and students formed the group Save Newton Strings to fight against cuts to the Newton Public School Elementary Strings Lessons and Orchestra Ensemble Programs.

Over 1,000 people have signed a petition created by the group to ask Newton public schools and elected officials to reconsider the proposal.

In the proposed budget, released on March 29, Newton schools have allocated $271, 842,665 in funding for 2024.

But despite a $9.77 million increase over last year’s budget, Newton schools face a $4.9 million budget gap in part due to the failed operational override.

At the town election on March 14, Newton voters approved overrides at Countryside and Franklin Elementary schools, but rejected a $9.2 million operational override, according to unofficial election results.

If the operational override had passed, it would have provided the Newton Public Schools operating budget with an additional $4.5 million this year, Interim Superintendent Kathleen Smith wrote in the proposed budget.

"It's Not Fair For Our Students"

In interviews with Newton parents and music educators, one emotion stood out after hearing about the cuts to the strings program: disappointment.

"It's not fair for our students. We're the ones that have to tell them, sorry, you can't play in orchestra next year, even though you've just learned a stringed instrument for a year," Olivia de Geofroy, a K-5 general, instrumental, and choral music teacher at Newton elementary schools, said.

"There's a lot of disappointment from the kids in having those conversations," de Geofroy said. "It just doesn't seem like the right thing to cut."

Parents of Newton elementary students involved in the strings program said they are equally disappointed by the cuts.

Femke Vernooij is the parent of two children at the Pierce Elementary in Newton, one of whom is a fifth grader and plays the cello.

She said she was incredibly disappointed by the proposed cuts to Newton’s string program and worries about students who rely on the strings program for access to instruments they wouldn’t otherwise have.

"I feel by taking this [Newton Strings program] away, you're really hurting the equity opportunities that you're offering, or the goal of offering opportunities to children who may not have been exposed to this," Vernooij said.

She said she also feels there was a lack of transparency and clarity about what a yes or no vote on the operational override would mean, and what the consequences would be.

"We were never told what the consequences were of our yes or no vote," Vernooij said. "I believe that a lot of people did not make an informed decision."

Newton Elementary Students Take Action

Students, too, are calling for Newton schools to save the strings program.

Jordyne Wu is the parent of a fourth grader, Wanda, who has been playing cello at John Ward Elementary’s orchestra since the second grade and is currently in group violin in the fourth grade.

After telling her daughter about the cuts, Wanda was determined to write something to share her thoughts.

Later, Wanda returned home from school with a petition titled "Don't Cut Strings," commented on and signed by all of the orchestra members, fourth grade string students, and many third graders.

“Don’t cut strings because it is so fun and brings everybody closer together. Also if you can’t pay for private lessons, then you can do school rentals and lessons,” Wu’s daughter, Wanda, wrote in her petition.

Wu dropped off the petition at Newton School Committee member Kathy Shields’ home, which was shown in a school committee meeting on Monday.

“I showed her [Wanda] the recording of [the school committee meeting], where they referenced it, and I was like, look you can make a difference,” Wu said.

The Newton School Committee will hold a hybrid public hearing on April 12 at 6 p.m. to discuss the proposed budget at the Education Center located at 100 Walnut St. in room 304. The public can attend the meeting via Zoom or listen in on NewTV’s broadcast.

All members of the public will be allowed to speak on the topic only for up to 2 minutes. To sign up in advance of the hearing, please copy and paste this link to access the Google Form.

Community members may also sign up in "live-time" during the meeting by using the "raise your hand" feature on Zoom. Speakers will be called in the order in which they signed up – first come, first speak.

On Monday, April 24, Newton Orchestra and Strings students of all ages from across the district will gather for a concert outside of the Education Center to advocate for the restoration of the Elementary School fourth and fifth grade string and school wide orchestras.