When the new school year opens in September, something musical will be missing from many elementary schools in Vancouver.

Until the previous school year closed last month, there used to be an optional band and strings program in 44 elementary schools.

But because of budget cuts, there isn’t going to be one anymore. [A total of $21.8 million in administration, maintenance, and educational services will be slashed for school year 2016-2017. Even though a majority of trustees voted against these measures, the law requires school districts to implement a balanced budget.]  

In some schools, principals and their staff may decide to devote some of their preparation time to try and keep ensembles playing.

But as a whole, the district will no longer have the extra money to hire itinerant music teachers, who used to go around and teach kids how to play.

Vancouver’s only Green school trustee, Janet Fraser, isn’t giving up.

“I’d like at least to have a discussion, and not just say, ‘Okay, we’re done. There’s no money… This whole legacy of what we’ve had in our schools is just completely gone’,” Fraser told the Straight in a phone interview.

She has a motion suggesting that staff should study how an external organization can come in to have a before or after school extracurricular band and strings activity for elementary school students.

This will not involve any budget or staffing cost to the district, and if things work out, it may start in the 2017-2018 school year.

“The challenge with the optional program is that it was provided by our teachers in teaching time, so it couldn’t come back in that form,” Fraser explained.

Fraser’s motion was referred to a committee, and trustees are going to hear from stakeholders like parents and school staff on what they have to say.

According to Fraser, a school board committee may take up her motion and hear from speakers sometime in September.

Prior to the budget cuts, there used to be the equivalent of 5.86 full-time teaching positions for the optional band and strings program in elementary schools.

By ending the program, the district is going to save $395,603.

“Although it’s a fantastic program - the kids love it, the parents love it - if we have to make tough decisions, this is one of those decisions,” Fraser said.

According to Fraser, the district can offer school space for outside organizations that may be interested in getting students play in ensembles.

That would be in line with the school board’s effort to make schools serve as community hubs.

Fraser said: “Maybe we can a find a way to make that work.”

Secondary schools have band and strings programs.