Nebo District registers 6th-grade musicians

SPRINGVILLE — Parents, teachers and advocates consider it a high note: Nebo school officials have opened registration for sixth-grade band and orchestra at two junior high schools, even though transportation plans have yet to be worked out.

Nebo's Board of Education was lobbied for more than a year to keep band and orchestra opportunities open to sixth-graders who would have been able to take the classes at middle school if the district hadn't decided to restructure.

Beginning this fall, Nebo school bosses will move sixth-grade classes, currently housed in middle schools, to elementary schools. The change was made to free up building space in the rapidly growing south Utah County district.

Seventh through ninth grades will be in junior high schools. The move will begin in the northern part of the district, with other parts of the district to move fall 2007.

Some research suggests that older children are less likely to take up musical instruments than younger children. Parents feared the loss of band and orchestra classes for sixth-graders, which aren't offered at the elementary level, would result in their children never learning advanced music.

So they formed the Nebo Performing Arts Council and worked with the district on a program for sixth-graders from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. each school day. That's first period in the junior high schools and before the elementary school day starts.

Sixth-graders at seven elementary schools can participate in the programs in Springville and Mapleton junior high schools. Each junior high school will offer one band and one orchestra class specifically for sixth-graders.

Each class has room for 30 students. Early surveys distributed among students and parents indicated the classes will be filled, said Rick Nielsen, Nebo's elementary education director.

The arts council originally lobbied for sixth-grade choir, too, but surveys indicated students were not interested.

"From a music point of view, there's going to be a lot of vocal stuff going on K-6 anyway," said Su Tullis, one of the founders of the council. "We were especially concerned about the instruments."