Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Carlmont Instrumental Music Petition
- The Carlmont Instrumental Music enrollment has steadily grown for ten years – from 165 students in 2007 to over 300 this school year. Enrollment has hovered around 300 for the past four years. The music programs at the various schools that feed Carlmont continue to grow with increased district-wide enrollment. It is practical to assume that Carlmont’s program will also continue to grow. Instrumental Music program needs staffing to match the number of students who sign up for the program, and also to prepare for future enrollment growth.
- For most instructional subjects, the ratio of students to teacher is capped at 170. It is not feasible to expect one teacher to run a nearly 300-student program, or to confront a variable staffing arrangement year after year.
- There should be a second full time tenure track teacher (assistant director) position to attract a second high quality instructor and ensure long-term stability for the program.
- Instrumental music represents one of the largest groups of students in the High School. Parents are some of the most involved in the school.
- Of concern is the fact that for the last few years, funding the program has had an ad hoc approach which creates uncertainty around a successful and popular program. The lack of stability is evidenced by Lieven Smart’s departure. His departure is an unfortunate occurrence that highlights an underlying problem - a lack of district funding and permanent commitment to appropriately staffing the music program.
- There is much respect for John DaBaldo and the program that he’s built. We want to ensure that the hard work that’s been done to build this success is recognized and continues. The instrumental music program is a community of students who support each other and collectively have won awards that place them as one of the best in the Bay Area. The achievements like CMEA awards and top festival awards are very much like winning a sports championship.
- To meet the long term needs of this vital program and take steps to ensure a consistent and reliable model to staffing for more than 300 students that clearly requires more than 1 person to run it.
We, the undersigned, respectfully urge the Sequoia Union High School District and Carlmont’s Administration to fund a second full-time position for Carlmont Instrumental Music. Doing so will help ensure the program continues to thrive.
More like this
Concerned Alumni of the CSD Music Program
MUSIC MATTERS TO CARLSBAD PARENTS
Updates
October 2, 2016
The administration has acknowledged the surge in public engagement regarding the music program. We are meeting with the district board next week to present our formal proposal for a second tenure track position.
11 Comments
Carlmont is an amazing school for many reasons from AP offerings to vocational paths, and their arts are as strong as their academics. There is an enormous number of CHS students who want the benefits of music education. Give them that chance.
The high quality instrumental music program at Carlmont has continually provided excellent experiences for hundreds of students over the years. CHS is unique in its ability to provide such quality instruction as compared to neighboring schools. The music program is truly a cornerstone of the school. As the music program continues to attract large numbers of students, it has become blatantly apparent that CHS is in need of a second full time assistant director. As we have witnessed, hiring and retaining a part time teacher has proved to be unsuccessful for sustaining long term quality standards for the music program. It's time to make this commitment for the students at Carlmont.
I'm a Carlmont Alum from 2013, I have seen the music program grow during my four years. Most of the students are really there to play great music and Mr. Da Baldo is doing everything in his power, but the amount of students he has to control is so large a second Full-Time director is absolutely necessary. Carlmont has wonder facilities and should foster the growth of creativity and artistic expression. I have Carlmont to thank for allowing me to continue my art.
Carlmont Instrumental Music Program is an important part of many young musicians high school experience. Without a commitment to the second full-time music professional, the school is not meeting it's commitment to a quality arts education for roughly 300 students each year. The current situation, with year-to-year funding of the second music professional, makes it impossible to retain consistent staffing.
Carlmont High School is among the top high school music programs in the state of California. The success of the program is not only evidenced by the quality of the performance ensembles produced, but also by the hundreds of students served by two full time faculty members. It is inequitable that students and faculty have classes of 70 students when the expectations of the common core curriculum demand otherwise.
Carlmont needs and deserves a full time tenure track music teacher.
I wish you the very best John Debaldo is a very wonderful person and has indeed brought many to music
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Carlmont Instrumental Music Petition
- The Carlmont Instrumental Music enrollment has steadily grown for ten years – from 165 students in 2007 to over 300 this school year. Enrollment has hovered around 300 for the past four years. The music programs at the various schools that feed Carlmont continue to grow with increased district-wide enrollment. It is practical to assume that Carlmont’s program will also continue to grow. Instrumental Music program needs staffing to match the number of students who sign up for the program, and also to prepare for future enrollment growth.
- For most instructional subjects, the ratio of students to teacher is capped at 170. It is not feasible to expect one teacher to run a nearly 300-student program, or to confront a variable staffing arrangement year after year.
- There should be a second full time tenure track teacher (assistant director) position to attract a second high quality instructor and ensure long-term stability for the program.
- Instrumental music represents one of the largest groups of students in the High School. Parents are some of the most involved in the school.
- Of concern is the fact that for the last few years, funding the program has had an ad hoc approach which creates uncertainty around a successful and popular program. The lack of stability is evidenced by Lieven Smart’s departure. His departure is an unfortunate occurrence that highlights an underlying problem - a lack of district funding and permanent commitment to appropriately staffing the music program.
- There is much respect for John DaBaldo and the program that he’s built. We want to ensure that the hard work that’s been done to build this success is recognized and continues. The instrumental music program is a community of students who support each other and collectively have won awards that place them as one of the best in the Bay Area. The achievements like CMEA awards and top festival awards are very much like winning a sports championship.
- To meet the long term needs of this vital program and take steps to ensure a consistent and reliable model to staffing for more than 300 students that clearly requires more than 1 person to run it.
We, the undersigned, respectfully urge the Sequoia Union High School District and Carlmont’s Administration to fund a second full-time position for Carlmont Instrumental Music. Doing so will help ensure the program continues to thrive.
Updates
October 2, 2016
The administration has acknowledged the surge in public engagement regarding the music program. We are meeting with the district board next week to present our formal proposal for a second tenure track position.
11 Comments
We need more support for music programs in our schools - this additional full-time position would be an important step in that direction.
Carlmont is an amazing school for many reasons from AP offerings to vocational paths, and their arts are as strong as their academics. There is an enormous number of CHS students who want the benefits of music education. Give them that chance.
The high quality instrumental music program at Carlmont has continually provided excellent experiences for hundreds of students over the years. CHS is unique in its ability to provide such quality instruction as compared to neighboring schools. The music program is truly a cornerstone of the school. As the music program continues to attract large numbers of students, it has become blatantly apparent that CHS is in need of a second full time assistant director. As we have witnessed, hiring and retaining a part time teacher has proved to be unsuccessful for sustaining long term quality standards for the music program. It's time to make this commitment for the students at Carlmont.
I'm a Carlmont Alum from 2013, I have seen the music program grow during my four years. Most of the students are really there to play great music and Mr. Da Baldo is doing everything in his power, but the amount of students he has to control is so large a second Full-Time director is absolutely necessary. Carlmont has wonder facilities and should foster the growth of creativity and artistic expression. I have Carlmont to thank for allowing me to continue my art.
Carlmont Instrumental Music Program is an important part of many young musicians high school experience. Without a commitment to the second full-time music professional, the school is not meeting it's commitment to a quality arts education for roughly 300 students each year. The current situation, with year-to-year funding of the second music professional, makes it impossible to retain consistent staffing.
Carlmont High School is among the top high school music programs in the state of California. The success of the program is not only evidenced by the quality of the performance ensembles produced, but also by the hundreds of students served by two full time faculty members. It is inequitable that students and faculty have classes of 70 students when the expectations of the common core curriculum demand otherwise.
Carlmont needs and deserves a full time tenure track music teacher.
I wish you the very best John Debaldo is a very wonderful person and has indeed brought many to music
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
We need more support for music programs in our schools - this additional full-time position would be an important step in that direction.