A CALL TO ACTION!!!!

ATTENTION PARENTS,

BAND AND CHOIR STUDENTS

OF ALL SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT

As we all know and hear constantly, times are tough. Everyone has to cut back. On Friday, April 17th acting superintendent, Rick Thompson released his Recommended Budget Savings for 2009-10 School year to the school board and public. You can find this in it's entirety at this link.
http://lynden.wa.schoolwebpages.com/education/sctemp/6cfa64084597b4b3ae5d9c9d162551b1/1240346624/Budget_Savings_Plan.pdf

As you could have guessed, music is one of the many organizations that are being hit. We didn't expect to be hit THIS hard. Mr. Thompson is recommending to the School Board the following:

• Eliminate middle and high school choral music program
  Potential savings of $ 40,000 Reduction of teacher hours by .500
• Reduce elementary music specialist .2 at each building (from total of 3.0 to 2.4 FTE)
  Potential savings of $43,200 Reduction of teacher hours by 0.600

What Can YOU do?

We (parents and students) let our Lynden District School Board, who ultimately make the final decision, know how we feel about this recommendation.

• Attend the Public hearing scheduled for this Thursday, April 23rd 7:00 pm held in the Lynden High School Library
• Speak at the Public Hearing
• Write letters to the school board and superintendent to be placed in board packets for review.
• Lynden School District
• Atten: School Board
• 1203 Bradley Rd.
• Lynden, WA 98264

Rick Thompson - Acting Superintendent thompsonr@lynden.wednet.edu

School Board members:

Teresa Camfield - camquads@comcast.net

Steve Hortegas - steveh@molesfs.com

Larry Korthuis - klkorthuis@aol.com

John Krieg - kriegj@lynden.wednet.edu

Todd Lingbloom - tlingbloom@aol.com

We, as Music Booster members can only do so much. Some of our members will be present at the public hearing and others will write letters. The rest needs to come from YOU ~ elementary school parents, middle and high school choir parents. You MUST speak out. If your students are so inclined, please have them add their voice (either by speaking at the public hearing or letter) to the school board. It would be a great testimony to them of the importance of keeping the music program intacted despite budget cuts.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Music Boosters at lyndenmusicboosters@hotmail.com or your child's music teacher.