Superintendent: Art, Music Budget Cut Rumors False

WESTFORD, MA - Superintendent Everett V. Olsen wrote a message to Westford parents assuring them not to worry about cuts to the art and music departments.

Olsen said a number of parents came up to him during the Families Advancing Music Education Dinner Dance on Friday asking if there would be cuts to the art and music program next year.

"These rumors are not true. There are no reductions to art or music programs in any grades next year," Olsen wrote. "Our art and music programs are very important to the development of our students and I would never make any reductions without notifying the school committee, you, and our students during the development of our annual budget."

Olsen continued to explain the rumors may have stemmed from the need to redistribute some elementary art and music staff within the program.

"Over the last several years we have experienced a decline in our elementary enrollment. This year it has resulted in an imbalance in the number of classes that some of our music and art staff have had to teach," Olsen wrote. "For next year we are simply rebalancing the number of classes that the art and music teachers(elementary level) are responsible for so that the weekly work schedules are as equitable as possible."

See the full letter>>>