Nebo OKs orchestra option

SPRINGVILLE — Nebo School District administrators will not force the district's elementary schools to offer orchestra to sixth-graders next year, much to the vexation of a parent group devoted to music education.

Each school principal and community council will be able to decide if orchestra will be offered to sixth-graders, according to Nebo officials.

"If I mandate it, that means we must hire a teacher for a school (even) if we have no kids signed up," said Rick Nielsen, Nebo's elementary education director.

Nielsen also fears the quality of school orchestras will suffer if he forces schools to offer the programs.

But the district's plan for sixth-grade orchestra conflicts with the recommendations of the parent-driven Nebo Performing Arts Council.

The group of parents began to push for sixth-grade music classes when the Nebo District decided to eliminate its middle schools, which educated sixth- and seventh-grades, and offered band, choir and orchestra as elective classes.

The district is expanding elementary schools to include sixth-grade classes and junior highs to include seventh-grade classes.

The new configuration, which began this year in Springville and Mapleton and will continue next year in the remaining parts of the district, will free up the middle school buildings for the fast-growing school district.

The performing-arts council formed more than two years ago in hopes of preserving sixth-grade band and orchestra classes during the reconfiguration.

The parent group recommended the district hire an orchestra teacher to rotate between the elementary schools or pay secondary orchestra teachers extra to travel to elementary schools to teach.

"We're saying, 'You've got to keep an eye on the large picture,'" council chairwoman Su Tullis said.

Tullis believes students must start in orchestra at a young age, especially to maintain Springville High School's top-notch orchestra program, rated third in the nation at a competition two years ago.

If some students start orchestra in sixth grade and others do not, there will be varying levels in seventh-grade orchestra, which could doom the program, Tullis said.

"We're asking for such a simple piece," Tullis said. "Just imagine — we used to have band, choir and orchestra in the sixth grade."