Music moms and dads with students in the Morgan Hill School
District have been worried by rumors circulating around the
district that the elementary music program has been cut in order to
give teachers pay raises and that the middle school music programs
will be eliminated as well.
Music moms and dads with students in the Morgan Hill School District have been worried by rumors circulating around the district that the elementary music program has been cut in order to give teachers pay raises and that the middle school music programs will be eliminated as well.
“Mr. (Fernando) Silvera (Martin Murphy Middle’s band director) and Mr. (Dave) Gabrielson (elementary instructor) are working on a temporary contract,” said Assistant Superintendent Denise Tate, who heads the district human resources department. “And temporary employees sign their resignation the day they sign their contract.”
Tate explained that a temporary contract is an agreement with the employee that they fill a position for a year. At the end of the year, the district may hire that employee, she said, to another contract, but the temporary contract is only for one year.
Her decision not to offer another contract to Silvera and Gabrielson, she said, is based on uncertainty about the intentions of the School Board.
“I do not believe I have a clear direction as to what the board is going to do regarding elementary music, so I have to proceed on the side of caution,” she said. “Mr. (John) Bremis (band director at Britton Middle) and Mr. (Mike) Rubino (elementary instructor) are permanent employees of the district. I must have a place for each of those gentlemen first … I have to have a contingency plan. The board is being lobbied, particularly by the teachers union, to eliminate the elementary music program.”
If the board decided to cut the elementary music program, which provides basic music instruction to all fourth graders in the district and a choice of either choir or band for all fifth and sixth grade students, Tate said she would place Bremis in charge of the music programs at Martin Murphy Middle and the programs at the new Sobrato High and Rubino in charge of Britton Middle and Live Oak High.
Currently, Greg Bergantz is leading the Live Oak Emerald Regime, following the resignation of Julie Weagle in March. Tate said he is willing to stay on as director next year, and she would like to hire him to do so.
“I would also love to see Mr. Gabrielson at Sobrato,” she said. “His energy and enthusiasm would be great for developing the program at the new school.”
But Tate said she can’t consider this unless she has a direction from the board regarding the elementary music program.
At the next regular meeting of the board Monday night, there are no action items regarding the budget on the agenda. The budget is on the agenda for discussion.
During the last regular meeting, Deputy Superintendent Bonnie Tonazzini, in charge of business services, told trustees that due to the governor’s budget revisions, there was no need for more cuts.
Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers President Donna Foster denied Thursday that the union is seeking elimination of the elementary program so teachers may receive raises.
“After three days of budget meetings back in March, all bargaining units were in agreement that that was a program (elementary music) that could be cut,” she said. “Would we like a raise, yes, but first of all that has not been a proposal, and second of all, that’s through negotiations, but primarily that was a decision based on discussions with all the units. There have been reductions and elimination of some sports and reductions in other programs. Parents were mobilized to begin some fundraising (for the music program). We’re hoping to cut extra curricular instead of in the classroom, and we are trying to preserve 7-12 music as we are 7-12 sports.”
The next regular meeting of the Morgan Hill School District Board of Education will be held on June 7 at 7 p.m. at the District Office, 15600 Concord Circle. Details: 201-6000.
