I often wondered how long my old school could live on its past reputation. It is a different school now since the leaving of the founder and the current head's arrival ten years ago. I don’t think there is anything sinister about that, I just think that when a founder and visionary leaves any school or business, the “suits” take over. The vision gets muddled. This is bound to happen to Apple when Steve Jobs leaves. It will change. The bottom line will begin to dictate product development.
Last night I found a job posting on Craig’s List for my old school. It is for the head of the instrumental program, the after school program and an extended day program all wrapped up into one big job. No overtime. Step right up!
I have heard that the top instrumental program is failing. The whole music program was too powerful, according to the head of the school just before I left. Well, now it is failing and she is trying to get it back. The whole school has changed. There is no longer any classical music taught in the Middle School – no choir, no music classes. There are drums. Loud drums taught in small places. The drum teacher is already deaf and I worry what damage is being done to the children’s ears.
I had the elite program up to 28 students and approximately 60% of the school taking instrumental lessons during the day. There are now 18 students in the program and I don’t know the percentage of total students studying music.
Someone talked to the person who posted the job and mentioned how being head of the instrumental program was so much more than just acting as MC at the evening programs. The “suit” was shocked. There’s more to the job?
That is how far the program has fallen.
The way the classroom program is set up now, when the lower school music teacher leaves, he will take his program with him. He is teaching his music program, not the school's.
It is not the program that was developed by the world-famous musician forty years ago and crafted by the woman who just passed away. It is not the program I inherited and continued to grow and develop.
It is no longer a three-pronged program of specific music education, choral and instrumental study. There is no “Music Program” any longer. There is no spiral of education where one person makes sure all the children are exposed to a consistent wide curriculum throughout their music education.
Very disappointing. Generations of hard work and it is all gone.
It has turned into any other program. That is what they wanted. That is fine except don’t advertise on the school’s web site that you have an excellent music program and that it includes things that no longer exists.
The school is still living on its past reputation but for how long?
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