CFA at CASD

Citizens For the Arts ("CFA") was organized in March 2010, and is comprised of parents, community members, business owners, retired educators, and professional musicians and artists. Our goal is to serve as advocates for the arts curriculum in the Chambersburg Area School District. CFA believes in a well-rounded education that includes the arts as a core subject for all students in grades K-12.

At the January 13, 2010 meeting, the CASD school board passed a resolution to request approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to cut unified arts programs and electives. The cuts will include classes from Family Consumer Science, Art, Music, Drivers Education, Library, Physical Education, and electives. In February the Department approved the curriculum plan.

There has already been a reduction in the CASD music and art faculty over the past two years, and any further reduction in staff will have a serious impact on future music and art programs at all levels in the district. Our community has been known for many years for its strong heritage in the arts, and CFA would like to see that heritage continue.

The school board believes that adding more class time to subjects such as Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies will improve PSSA scores, thus helping the schools meet AYP. To do this, the school board is planning further reductions in unified arts and electives class time. The administration has shown no data that proves that decreasing the arts will increase test scores.

The Chambersburg Area School District is facing difficult financial decisions for next school year’s budget—decisions that will directly affect our children’s opportunities for music and art.  The school board and the CASD administration are preparing the budget, and will finalize it within the next several weeks.  As it stands now, an elementary music will not be filled this fall since the administration announced they are not replacing any retired positions.  This means that elementary or middle school band or orchestra may be cut or high school electives.  CFA is determined to keep the arts programs intact and we believe the time to act is now.

Here are some things you can do to help save the arts:

• Sign the petition
• Call, e-mail, and write letters to the school board members.
• Attend and speak at board meetings. The next board meeting is April 28th at 7 p.m. at the Administration Building on Stanley Avenue.
• Write editorials in the newspaper.
• Be a financial supporter of CFA. We are selling a T-shirt and are accepting donations.
• Write to our legislators about supporting our arts programs.
• Write letters to the arts teachers expressing how much you appreciate their contribution to your child’s education.
• Attend CFA Meetings. Make sure to check our NewsFlash on the Home Page for the most recent info.
• Hand out flyers at music and art events in support of the arts.
• Attend our rally May 1st at the Chambersburg Memorial Park Bandshell.  Further details will be put on the website