PROTECT MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS

Hastings AMP helped organize parent and community support to protect the high school band/orchestra position when it was slated to be terminated in budget cuts for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.  Below are some of the organizational efforts from those times.

LOCAL:

• Send personal emails to the members of the Board of Education, to the superintendent, and to the principal of your child's school.  

• Email addresses can be found HERE.  The best letter is a personal one, but if you want some talking points you can refer to our sample letter as well as the student statement above. Please be respectful of the difficult choices the board will have to make, and include alternate suggestions if you have them.

• Reach out to your personal network to encourage fellow parents, students and alumni to do the same.   

• Attend and participate in virtual BOE Meetings:

STATE:

• Show your support for a new bill being proposed in the NY Senate that could help long term in support of music in our schools. Please review details on the proposed bill S5770 which would “Add arts and music education as a common school branch that should be incorporated into the public school curriculum to provide a more well-rounded education for children."

FEDERAL:

•  Sign this petition from the NYS PTA advocating for additional Federal support for NYS schools during the COVID-19 crisis.