Since the founding of Bozeman Friends of Music in 1987 as the “booster club” for music education in Bozeman’s schools, our nonprofit, all-volunteer organization has raised nearly $1.5 million to give back to our District’s school music programs. We exist entirely to enable continued excellence within Bozeman’s incredible music programs and to advocate for students’ access to exceptional music education.

That is why we must express our strong but respectful opposition to the proposal released yesterday by BSD7 Superintendent Casey Bertram. Vastly simplified, this plan would “marry” the Fine Arts Director position with that of a new elementary school vice principal. This person would be responsible for “closing the achievement gap” in one of three targeted elementary schools, while leading the dozens of hard-working, creative, brilliant music teachers who educate thousands of Bozeman students each year. This person would also be responsible for maintaining Fine Arts programming, development, and other crucial duties for the District.

We believe this proposed plan is short-sighted and ignores the role that the arts can play in closing the achievement gap–while dealing a mortal blow to a department that regularly demonstrates excellence and positively contributes to our community in countless ways. Long-term, longitudinal research shows that arts education is a critical tool for engaging at-risk student populations, including exceptional learners of all kinds and learners from low-income families–groups that this plan specifically identifies as needing additional intervention. 

Having a vibrant, thriving Fine Arts Department should be viewed as part of the solution to these difficult problems, not a competing budgetary item. Here are some ways that studies show music and the arts impact student engagement:

  • Art has the capacity to engage exceptional learners….Whether gifted or challenged by physical, mental, intellectual, emotional, or behavioral disabilities, exceptional students can find personal success in art. 
  • …Music instruction not only improves children’s communication skills, attention, and memory, but…may even close the academic gap between rich and poor students.
  • Learning to play a musical instrument or to sing can help disadvantaged children strengthen their reading and language skills.

The further degradation of our Fine Arts Department would be tragic–and could be prevented by simply pausing this proposed change to shine a light on all the issues at play and allowing the multiple stakeholders to contribute to potential solutions. We are respectfully asking Superintendent Casey Bertram and the BSD7 Board of Trustees to consider reopening this process to allow for a more transparent and effective long-term solution.

The Bozeman Friends of Music Board of Directors

March 3, 2022