[Dhsbb-jazz] Take a breath

[Fredrick Lange]

Hello everyone

Thank you all for your kind words of support these past few days  
concerning the proposed cuts in the program we all hold so dear.

I was so pleased with the words from Susan Hulsizer about how to  
approach tonight's meeting.

Today I received the email below from Mr. Richard Reed, a parent of   
a Harper student and a member of the Superintendent's Advisory  
Committee.

I guess we have a while before anything becomes official.  Let's all  
take a breath and remember that what we are fighting for is the  
welfare and education of the children.

I will not be attending the meeting tonight -- not because I don't  
believe or support this, but because I do not want to appear as "self- 
serving"  (and because I do not wish to take up room with my scooter  
in an already full meeting room).

Thank you for your support tonight and please be with us again if the  
worst comes to pass.

Fred Lange

**********

Fred, Ken and Clyde,

I'm a parent at Harper and Korematsu. My son is in Ken's band class.  
I serve on the Superintendent's Community Outreach Advisory  
committee, among other involvement.

The district will soon be hosting a structured budget workshop that  
will help music boosters and others recommend choices that may or may  
not resemble the "straw-man" list in the board agenda. I understand  
that the list is simply for illustrative purposes to start the  
thinking process within the district community (and to meet certain  
statutory requirements). It is nowhere near a final or even proposed  
list of cuts.

In other words, as a tactical suggestion, you may want to save the  
heavy artillery. I would encourage you to tell the board tonight that  
we need an inclusive structured process to recommend budget changes/ 
priorities to the board.

Thanks for your passionate support of music - we're there with you.  
We simply want to find the best path to get there.

Many thanks,
Rich