Thanks Everyone!

It's been a roller coaster kind of year around FES. thanks to everyone who supported the arts from start to finish, who fought for the content and the personnel alike. I consider it a blessing that our elementary students will still reap the benefits of art and music next year amidst all the other transitional elements. To my FES kids: I know you will love Mrs. McEvers! She is a warm and caring teacher who really has her act together...she will sure keep the room tidier than I did! :0) I will miss the students, staff, and families of Fortville Elementary tremendously! When and if things start looking up, know that I will be the first and loudest knocking on the front door to return to my kiddos. Come say 'hi' to me at the middle school...I'll be in and out of FES for my own children as needed, so I'll do the same. Thanks for the awesome musical memories...

-Mrs. Walton / May 26, 2011

2011-2012 MVMS Choral Director

"The music may stop now and then, but the strings will remain forever."

Our Music Students are Awesome!

KUB News crew took a trip to WISH-TV Channel 8 and learned so much. They even got to watch the noon news live from right above the anchors!

Mrs. Deckard's 2nd graders enjoy some fun at the Spring Parties...this was the last seasonal party for elementary students--EVER.

Second Graders are visited by the Morin Family of Greenfield, getting a great demonstration of the violin. They even got to play some student violins! (Of course I had to include a picture of my own son!)

Fourth Graders review note values with a Yahtzee-inspired game called "Quintet".

A bulletin board display I made for the board room (administration building) for the month of March...highlighting the importance of special areas to our children at FES.

Our rockin' FES Choir! Come see our Spring Choral Concert on May 3rd at 7pm. Hear Indiana State songs, pop/rock features, and a fun 50's Medley!

I'll post some pioneer program pics when I get the chance...we are all VERY proud of the 4th graders who wowed us with their performance of "Go West!".

March Update

The March school board meeting yielded a vote on several items, while others were tabled until the April meeting, by which time some variables are due resolved. As it stands, Fortville Elementary will be closed, we will move to the Intermediate building and become K-5, 2 music and 2 art teachers will be laid off, band and choir are eliminated for 5th graders, and elementary/secondary start and end times will be switched. It is FAR from ideal; however, I must look at the positive in that art and general music are currently being touted as a part of the curriculum for next year. Okay, I'm not holding my breath...Dr. Riggs still has several thousand dollars to cut. But I'm past anger and self-pity (I've said what needs to be said and advocated for the students to the fullest extent of my power/abilities to all parties), and have resolved to be the best for our children in the time remaining this year.

MVCSC Woes on Channel 6 News

Did anyone catch Channel 6 News Thursday evening? Check this link and see the video to the right (showing the "pay to play" chart).
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/26986463/detail.html

Round One

Last night's board meeting was attended by what looked to be a large crowd of concerned citizens, all eager to hear the discussion as the board processed the superintendent's cost-cutting draft of recommendations. Many good questions were asked by board members (or should I say bored members?) after the lengthy presentation. They seemed to echo many questions that had come their way from concerned families within the last few weeks. They did mention the massive amounts of calls and letters they had gotten, and encouraged more. So they are listening at least. Here's where the recommendation stands at this point:

• FES closes and moves to MVIS building
• Elementaries become K-5
• Intermediate School/program is discontinued for at least 2 years
• MVMS becomes grades 6/7
• 8th grade moves to HS, kept mostly separate from HSers
• elementary and secondary schedules are flip-flopped; instructional day is shortened to the state minimum--ES is 7:45-1:40 for students/Sec. is 8:30-3:30ish
• Half Day kindergarten would still exist, but as 2 1/2 hours in length
• Elementary Art and Music (by specialists) maintained for grades 1-5 (minutes decreased to 90, as opposed to 120 currently)
• Lose 1 each art and music teacher from elementary, other sets share the 3 schools
• Lose one art/music teacher from the Intermediate as result of dissolved school
• Cut 8th grade art
• Elementary teachers do reading interventions while their classes are in specials
• state mandate of 90-120 minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction followed
• shortened lunch/recess for elementary
• Custodial, cafeteria, secretarial staff will be reduced (mostly FES staff)
• All "extra" programming (clubs, sports, academic groups) on "pay to participate"
• Continued freeze of all employee salaries
• Increase of insurance premiums, emphasis on getting people off of family plan
• At least 6 full-time teachers being cut (possibly up to 12 more before this is over)

Unknowns = outsourced transportation, outsourced custodial, state relief on property tax cap, how much more the state will revoke (we were just informed this week of another $15,000 shortfall due to a data error by the state!), CTA outcomes.

This recommendation package included MANY interlocking variables, and only addresses 2/3 of the 1.2 million total shortfall. At this point, it looks hopeful from an arts standpoint, but the CUTTING IS FAR FROM OVER. I am not holding my breath. If any one of these recommendations gets shut down (as a parent, I am having a hard time with the end time of 1:40, like many others!), the superintendent must find more places to cut. We all know where he'll start (or should I say RETURN). I want to be positive, but I am extremely wary about the next month of activity. I am concerned the hard scheduling work our elementary principals have done will be undone and we'll be back to no art and music for elementary kids. I will not be surprised if they slash and burn the arts all the way to HS. It's not pretty folks. Please keep supporting WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CHILDREN. That has to be the bottom line.

"Can You Here Us Now?"

Here's a brief update on the state of the arts at FES and all MVCSC elementaries. I cannot go into detail, as nothing will truly be known until the February 21st board meeting; however, I can confirm that there are people LISTENING to the concerns of our school family. Some administrators have indeed been working hard to look at options that might maintain the arts. Also, the upcoming board meeting will be open to discussion from board members only. The public is invited, but only to listen. There may be an additional meeting scheduled for public input before the March 21st vote. Do not stop voicing your opinion...someone out there is listening. Thanks to those who have already voiced their support for the arts at FES and all of MVCSC.

Blue Green Yel--low Red

This week, kindergarten students learn how color words make rhythms! Using small bingo chips, we worked on simple color/rhythm patterns first, then they got to compose their own 8-beat patterns and perform them for the class (look at it, speak it, and clap it). This is a great intro to notated rhythm for pre-music literacy. Some colors get one sound (quarter note) and some colors get two sounds (barred eighth notes).