We value a high quality fine arts program in Winnetka, and believe both music and art to be an essential part of the core curriculum for both lower school and middle school.

Due to declining enrollment across Winnetka’s school district, including at Hubbard Woods School, district leadership and our school board is considering changing staffing levels for both music and art. This may involve reducing the teaching staff for each of art and music to a part time position.

Art and music are core to our children’s education. These subjects need a full time teacher at each school, regardless of enrollment. Part time teaching positions are not sustainable and lead to the delivery of an inferior education for our kids. Further, as taxpayers in the district, we expect that our schools will receive the same resource allocation as the other primary schools – a full time teacher for each of the core curriculum subjects.We believe further analysis of the specials budget is needed.

The undersigned believe the administration and the board should not reduce the art and music program staffing below a full time position for each subject.