The Janesville School Board voted 7-to-1 to restructure music education in the district during their meeting Tuesday night, moving beginning band and orchestra classes from fifth to sixth grade.
Assistant Director of Administration Tina Johnson said the planning process for the new structure began back in August and involved teachers, principals and administrators from across the district.
Currently, the district reports 64 percent of fifth-grade students participate in band and orchestra, and they’re pulled out of math and reading to participate in the instrument classes twice a week.
Johnson said the new program will add an additional 30 minutes of music instruction for fifth graders each week, including an “instrumental appreciation” class that explores the topic but does not teach instruction.
She believes the change will allow the district to better utilize their music education staff.
Two parents and one student spoke out against the change during the public comment portion of the board meeting.
School board president Kevin Murray was the only member to vote against the change.
You can read the school board’s memo from Johnson at the meeting here.
