Schools

Pacifica School District Band Program Tentatively Saved For One More Year

The district has absorbed the cost of instructor's salaries into its budget

With the , the future of Pacifica School District's music program was in question. Now, pending a vote in June, band will remain at the distirct at least through next year. 

The foundation paid for the salaries of two band instructors who teach approximately 400 middle school-age students across the district. Annually, this cost runs about $160,000. At last night's Pacifica School District (PSD) Board meeting, however, it was announced that this cost would be absorbed into the district's normal staffing budget, meaning band programs at local middle schools will be around for at least one more year. 

That's assuming Governor Jerry Brown's ballot measure in June, which would extend current school parcel taxes including The PSD's Measure N which was passed in 2008, is approved by voters. 

Find out what's happening in Pacificawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If it isn't, said Sandy Ramirez, executive assistant to PSD Superintendent Wendy Tukloff, "everything would go south" and staffing cuts would most likely have to be made at PSD.

Whether or not those cuts would include the band instructors is not clear at this point. 

Find out what's happening in Pacificawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Attached is the agenda from last night's board meeting showing the current 2011-2012 staff budgets at PSD and what degree of cuts might need to be made if Gov. Brown's measure is not passed in June. 


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