Only D203 music students can participate in extracurricular music groups: Suggestions

A proposal to ban students in Naperville District 203 from participating in extracurricular musical activities, such as marching bands, unless they are enrolled in the district’s music class, faced opposition at a school board meeting this week.

Some students told board members that they didn’t want to give up other more important electives to get into college, like studying a foreign language.

The proposed change, called simultaneous or dual enrollment, would require students to enroll in curricular music classes if they wish to participate in extracurricular musical activities.

If approved, it will be phased in over two years, allowing seniors to take lunchtime music technology classes and other grade levels before signing on to regular music classes.

Co-enrollment programs are common in many high schools, said Chala Holland, deputy superintendent of public services.

“We focus on providing educational standards and developing skills,” she said.

It’s also a way to help reduce enrollment in district music classes, officials said. Data show that in the 2017-18 school year he had 314 students enrolled in music classes, compared to 183 in 2021-22 and 265 in this year.

The fluctuation in numbers is likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said.

However, students should not be expected by the board to add more to their schedules or abandon their preferred electives simply because they want to participate in after-school or weekend music-related activities. said.

Bianca Cima, a senior at North Central High School, said she was already pressed for time. One day she said she started at 7am so she could attend a club meeting at school and didn’t finish until 6:15pm when marching band practice ended.

“Lunch is my only break in my 11-hour day,” Seema said. Or sometimes I take time to relax.”

Athena Cheng, also a junior at Naperville Central, said she was worried that taking a mandatory music class would prevent her from taking the business class she wanted to attend.

“I decided to take a business class, but I decided to rely on the fact that I can enjoy music here,” Chen said, noting that he loves music and is in a marching band. I got

The board took no action on the proposal, but one member, Charles Kush, said he did not want to impose anything that would ultimately impose an additional burden on students.

“I recommend starting over and coming up with a different idea,” Kush said. “(This) is not comfortable for me.”

Joseph Ruzich is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.