Keep Our music teachers full time at Southern Middle

My daughter loves chorus and would be upset if this program was to be lost.

My daughter loves chorus and would be upset if this program was to be lost.

I am most interested in working to keep Mr Albright at Southern Middle School. There are a number of reasons 1) Research repeatedly demonstrates that playing an instrument increases your academic sucess. It raises SAT scores by 80 points 2) Research demonstrates a direction correlation between instrumental music and Math sucess. 3) He is an outstanding teacher, reasearch again demonstrates the significance of quality teachers on success. 4) He is an effective male role model for the middle school boys. 5) If he leaves SMS will have lost 3 of the most effective male role models at the school in one year. 6) The Math teachers report that the students that take his Box Score class know Math much better than the other students 7) He has worked to develop the program, note last year he raised thousands of dollars that went to the music department. Regarding the the decresaed enrollement in instrumental music there are several factors.You have MANY boys taking team sports so a copule times a week they have TWO PERIODS of gym. As a physical therapist I believe in more activity however the boys who sign up are also playing sports after school. Many would academically benefit from instrumental music rather than an two periods of gym. in addition Lothian has always had a number of kids in instrumental music I wonder with them being located in SMS if that hasn't contributed to the decrease enrollement that past 2 years. I would be a shame to have this devastating change in the instrumetnal music program, loss of an effective box score teacher and loss of a GREAT male role model only to have the numbers or instrumental music students from elementary increase when Lothian moves back to its school. Please consider holding off on movign Mr. Albright from SMS at this time. Thank you for your attention.

I am most interested in working to keep Mr Albright at Southern Middle School. There are a number of reasons 1) Research repeatedly demonstrates that playing an instrument increases your academic sucess. It raises SAT scores by 80 points 2) Research demonstrates a direction correlation between instrumental music and Math sucess. 3) He is an outstanding teacher, reasearch again demonstrates the significance of quality teachers on success. 4) He is an effective male role model for the middle school boys. 5) If he leaves SMS will have lost 3 of the most effective male role models at the school in one year. 6) The Math teachers report that the students that take his Box Score class know Math much better than the other students 7) He has worked to develop the program, note last year he raised thousands of dollars that went to the music department. Regarding the the decresaed enrollement in instrumental music there are several factors.You have MANY boys taking team sports so a copule times a week they have TWO PERIODS of gym. As a physical therapist I believe in more activity however the boys who sign up are also playing sports after school. Many would academically benefit from instrumental music rather than an two periods of gym. in addition Lothian has always had a number of kids in instrumental music I wonder with them being located in SMS if that hasn't contributed to the decrease enrollement that past 2 years. I would be a shame to have this devastating change in the instrumetnal music program, loss of an effective box score teacher and loss of a GREAT male role model only to have the numbers or instrumental music students from elementary increase when Lothian moves back to its school. Please consider holding off on movign Mr. Albright from SMS at this time. Thank you for your attention.

My children are entering SMS fall 2015. They are both very involved in chorus and band and will be EXTREMELY disappointed if there is not a full time music program. Most of the students at Lothian are musically involved. This would be a huge let down for them.

My children are entering SMS fall 2015. They are both very involved in chorus and band and will be EXTREMELY disappointed if there is not a full time music program. Most of the students at Lothian are musically involved. This would be a huge let down for them.

Music programs are more than a fun after school activity. Like sports, performing music teaches children how to be part of a team and work towards a common goal. I know my years in AACPS bands (I started playing in 3rd grade) shaped my world in a way no other class did. PLEASE stop devaluing the arts! These programs are very important!

Music programs are more than a fun after school activity. Like sports, performing music teaches children how to be part of a team and work towards a common goal. I know my years in AACPS bands (I started playing in 3rd grade) shaped my world in a way no other class did. PLEASE stop devaluing the arts! These programs are very important!

I am very upset by this decision and hope it can be changed for the sake of my former and current students. We work so hard to keep Music and the other arts in our schools, and yet a decision like this is made with no regard for the negative impact it will have on our students. The students will be faced with huge class sizes and the teachers will be unable to meet the needs of all of their students and continue the success of the music program in our cluster.

I am very upset by this decision and hope it can be changed for the sake of my former and current students. We work so hard to keep Music and the other arts in our schools, and yet a decision like this is made with no regard for the negative impact it will have on our students. The students will be faced with huge class sizes and the teachers will be unable to meet the needs of all of their students and continue the success of the music program in our cluster.

I am amazed that taking the arts away from our students is seen as a solution to any problem. Part time isn't good enough. Would you give them part time science, history or math..music is arts but it is also science, history and math....ask any music teacher and they will tell you the same. Music and performance in general are a way to release emotions inside of ourselves and let anyone tell me that's not needed at this perilous time. The records of these important teachers speak volumes.

I am amazed that taking the arts away from our students is seen as a solution to any problem. Part time isn't good enough. Would you give them part time science, history or math..music is arts but it is also science, history and math....ask any music teacher and they will tell you the same. Music and performance in general are a way to release emotions inside of ourselves and let anyone tell me that's not needed at this perilous time. The records of these important teachers speak volumes.

I would very much like to know if this reduction comes from the county, the cluster, or the school.

I would very much like to know if this reduction comes from the county, the cluster, or the school.

Music programs are crucial - for our kids and for our community!

Music programs are crucial - for our kids and for our community!

We have two children that have benefitted from the excellent Southern Middle School music program. It would be absolute folly to downsize it.

We have two children that have benefitted from the excellent Southern Middle School music program. It would be absolute folly to downsize it.

Good luck!

Good luck!