By JOSEPH B. NADEAU
 
WOONSOCKET — They staged a mock funeral for the school department’s music program outside the Woonsocket Area Career Center and then joined members of the School Committee inside when they met there Wednesday evening.
Nearly two dozen music students, their parents and program boosters went to the podium to voice opposition to cuts in music already approved by the School Committee.

But like the rest of their appearances before the panel this spring, the music students and their supporters could not undo the cuts they believe to be the end the program’s longstanding achievements.
For now at least, a change in music instruction at the middle school and the reduction of a music teaching post at the high school, will remain examples that the school department has tried to reduce a budget deficit that prompted it to sue the city for more funding.
Tracey Belliveau, the parent of a high school music student and a special needs teacher in the district, said the music supporters felt the mock funeral would highlight all the earlier efforts to overturn the cuts.
“We needed to make one more statement before the end of the school year and felt a funeral was a good choice,” she said.
While the school department has been looking for ways to cover a $3.7 million projected deficit in the current budget, music at the middle school and high school ended up being
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affected more by the cuts than any other program in the schools, Belliveau said.
The committee had included the middle school sports program in budget reductions enacted this spring and also sent out layoff notices to approximately 40 staff members including all of the nurse teachers working in the district. The department later made adjustments allowing most of the sports programs to operate this spring and has since brought back all but about 10 of the staff members originally laid off. School Superintendent Robert J. Gerardi was able to rehire the nurse-teachers, for example, after determining the state would not be eliminating the mandates requiring education trained nurses to staff the schools. More of those still on layoff notice are expected to be rehired before school ends.
But the plans to shift the music program at the middle school from performance based instruction during the school day to a general music education program have not changed.
The music supporters contend a related shift of music performance programs such as band and chorus to an after school extra-curricular or club offering will significantly  reduce the number of students showing up to participate in music.
And that, the music proponents argue, will also hurt the high school’s awarding music program and its ability to field experienced music students in its band and chorus groups.
Kim Crystal, a member of the high school concert band, told the School Committee she feels “privileged” to play with her fellow band students. The students all work together to perform at the highest level possible, she explained. “You want to excel and accomplish so much,” she said.
Jenna Paquette has played for the school’s athletic teams as well as the band and sees the music program as almost a family.
“The music program in Woonsocket High School really means a lot to us as you can see,” Paquette said while pointing out the large gathering of music students at the meeting.
 Students from the high school attended, she said, because the changes at the middle school are bound to affect the high school program down the road. “Without the middle school program our high school program could fall,” she said. And without performance groups like the band and chorus, there won’t be any music students showing their talents at city events like Memorial Day Parade and Autumnfest, according to Paquette.
“Without the middle school program, the high school won’t have as many kids moving up to its program,” she said.
Angelica Dubois, a tenth grade member of the chorus, said she sees her music classes as part of “my everyday life,” and a reason to stay focused on school. “Without music I don’t see much sense in going to school,” she said.
 Some of the proponents, like Daniel George, came to tell how their past experiences at Woonsocket High School sent them on to college music programs. George said he just completed a music education degree and will be student teaching in the coming school year.
Other speakers were parents like Diane Decoste, representing the Band Boosters, who argued cutting music will reduce what young people can do to stay out of trouble especially in a troubled economy.
After listening to the all the appeals, Gerardi said that while there will be changes in music offerings this fall, the school department did not actually cut out music as part of its budget work. The move to a music appreciation program, will keep music in the school but at a lower cost.
 “I know it’s not an ideal situation compared to having performance music but we have legal obligations that we have been bound by,” he said.