Parents of band students at Sunnyside Elementary are bracing for changes to the program as the school district works to create new class space in response to last year’s Supreme Court ruling regarding class size and composition.
However, school district officials say the program is not in jeopardy.
Lindly Liew, whose daughter Jasmine plays saxophone in the band, said last week that parents have been presented with two scenarios: either the program will be relocated to a portable, or it will be moved to another school.
“Even if it stayed, it would be really restricted because of the size of the (portable) space,” Liew said.
“It would just be sad. It’s such a special program. It definitely wouldn’t be able to continue on the level that it is now.”
The 3½-year-old school, located at 2828 159 St., has been grappling with space issues almost since it opened. It was built with room for 450 students.
Last spring, officials were bracing for a “massive influx” of kindergarten students. This year, its kindergarten to Grade 7 population exceeds 600 and the school runs on a split-bell schedule for recess.
Friday, Peace Arch News reported that the district is scrambling to make room for 168 new classrooms by September, in connection with the court ruling.
Board chair Shawn Wilson said it means “some space in schools that currently is not used for a ‘class’ will likely need to be used.” At the same time, “such flexible spaces are important and the fine arts, explanatories and applied skills are needed more than ever,” he said.
“We need to protect these spaces.”
School district spokesperson Doug Strachan told PAN the district is “looking at all the options for classroom spaces” across the district, as required to take into account the implications of the Supreme Court of Canada decision.
“So, as part of that inventory, it was noted that there are two multipurpose rooms being used for band at Sunnyside. Portable use and room for more portables is also part of the district-wide assessment,” Strachan said by email. “In any event, we do not see a problem maintaining the band program at Sunnyside.”
Liew and fellow band parent Alisa Ramakrishnan note the program has won honours on several occasions, including at the Kiwanis Fraser Valley International Festival. They credit the students’ success to teacher Susan Hagen, describing her as “known throughout the district for an award-winning band program.”
“She’s very good at nurturing a lot of the students, and encouraging them to push on,” Liew said.
Last week, the band performed at the Surrey Elementary Instrumental Music Festival at the Bell Centre, and they are to play at the Kiwanis Fraser Valley International Festival in Langley on May 26.
Liew said the students will “plead our case” at an upcoming performance for the school board.