Kennewick schools keep choir programs intact and will look to make other cuts instead

Kennewick school officials are keeping the choir programs at two high schools after hours of impassioned pleas, but it’s unclear where the money will come from.

“We want to thank all of our students and parents who shared their passion and love of choral music at the two last board meetings,” Superintendent Dave Bond said in a release. “We heard loud and clear that our community wants to preserve as many choir classes as possible.”

School officials had planned to save money by having Kennewick High’s choir teacher also take on classes at Southridge.

The move had more to do with low enrollment in choir classes than it did with $5 million in cuts the district plans to make, officials have said. The choirs had fewer than 20 to 25 students, making them costly to keep operating.

The district was facing a $10 million budget gap because of a combination of decreased local levy revenue, lower than expected enrollment and an increase in medical benefits costs.

The district expects to use $5 million from its reserves and a series of other cuts to make up the difference.

One of those cost-saving measures was trimming positions through attrition. With Southridge’s choir instructor moving to another school at end of the school year, they planned not to fill the position, and trim elite but lightly-attended choir programs at both schools.

Students and parents appeal to board

The proposal brought hundreds to two school board meetings this month where they made pleas to keep the programs.

District officials urged students to recruit others for the classes but the gain wasn’t significant, said Robyn Chastain, the district’s director of communications and public relations.

But the enthusiasm from the students and parents led district officials to decide they will look for other places to cut.

While the changes will preserve Southridge’s three choir programs, and Kennewick High’s concert and chamber choir, the Mad Hatter Choir will become an extra-cirricular activity. A new choir instructor will be hired at Southridge.

Along with other changes, Kennewick High’s teacher is starting a program in Park Middle School with the aim of getting more students excited about choir.

Several people attending the meetings complained that middle school students didn’t have the opportunity to join choir, which meant lower interest when they reached high school.

District officials reassess the popularity of the programs at the end of the next school year.

This story was originally published May 29, 2019 at 6:02 PM.