Pennsbury School District administrators have reversed course on a planned middle school schedule change and announced that students will now be able to participate in both instrumental and vocal music programs simultaneously.
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The decision comes after parents and students voiced concerns earlier this spring.
Assistant Superintendent of Administration Dr. Kristopher Brown presented the revised schedule during the April school board meeting.
The adjustment will allow approximately 100 students across the district to continue their involvement in both chorus and instrumental ensembles.
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“Following the meeting, we met as an administrative team the next day to really discuss the feedback and start to brainstorm other scenarios in which we could offer more access to vocal music, similar to what was happening with instrumental music,” Dr. Brown explained.
The updated schedule marks a change from the district’s initial plan, which would have required students to choose between vocal and instrumental music or participate in chorus during opportunity periods.
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Under the new arrangement, students enrolled in a single music ensemble – chorus, band, or orchestra – will have that class every other day throughout the school year, totaling two 40-minute rehearsals per week. The students will still have access to two other electives.
Students opting for both vocal and instrumental music will follow a different structure. They will take one elective during the first semester, while their second elective slot will alternate between chorus and their instrumental ensemble.
“Essentially it would go, you know, art and then chorus and then art and then band and then art and then chorus,” Brown said. “They would get at least one full 40-minute rehearsal per week in each of their scheduled ensembles.”
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Administrators collaborated with middle school principals and music department leadership to find scheduling options that would accommodate student interests while preserving the integrity of the overall schedule.
“When tasked with going back and really re-examining and working and crunching numbers to make sure that we had the staff and the space and the ability to do it, they found a way to do it,” Brown said. “Kudos to the team for being able to make that work.”
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School board members expressed their appreciation for the administration’s responsiveness to the concerns raised by parents and students.
Board Vice President Josh Waldorf, who had advocated for a solution at the previous meeting, commended Brown and the administration.
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“As someone who pushed hard last month, I really appreciate all the work that you did. I know it was a very short time frame, but we did solve it. You solved it and that’s fabulous,” he said.
“Thank you for adjusting that. And I know it was a redoubled effort, so thank you,” added Board Member Donna Ahrens.
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In additional news, Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith announced that the district had been recognized as one of the “best communities for music education” by the National Association of Music Merchants.
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