Students cheer decision to keep Prairie Spirit band program

Students in the Prairie Spirit School Division (PSSD) are cautiously optimistic about news that their band program will be saved.

Parents across the region received a letter stating that the region was reversing its decision to cut the program.

"We determined that eliminating the band program did not have a viable or cost-effective alternative to grow the music credit opportunities for high school students," wrote John Kuzbik, Director of Education in a news release. "With this information, itmade more sense to make a mid-course adjustment and reverse the decision than to forge ahead with a decision that fell short of its original goals."

The division said it was cutting the program as part of a more-than $7 million funding shortfall.

"I'm really excited, because there's going to be band next year," said Clavet band student Kiara Felts. "There will be more opportunity for the young kids to be in band, so everyone can have the same experience that I did."

Students started a successful petition asking that the division keep the band program.

"A lot of people didn't expect anything to come from the petition or contacting the division," said petition organizer ShawnaLanger. "As a student body, all of the band students are extremely happy."

Langer said she assumes there will be some changes to the band program, but she's OK with that.

"It's a lot better than completely cutting it," she said.

Skepticism about letter

Not everyone is as optimistic as Langer.

Christine Felts, a parent with two children in the band program, told CBC News she doesn't trust the school division's intentions.

She said the changes have put her daughters, who are in Grade 9 and 10 at Clavet Composite School, through an "emotional roller coaster" over the last few days. She said they're uneasy about what's to come.

Felts is on the parents' committee for the band program and said she will be asking the tough questions of the school board.

"I'm going to make sure these kids aren't forgotten," she said.

Originally the school division planned parent meetings, set for June 8 at Delisle Composite School and June 10 at South Corman Park School. According to the document, parent meetings will be postponed until September 2015.

The school division plans to focus on reducing band program costs and to look at ways to grow the program.

The document also noted that financial difficulties the school division is facing have not been resolved.

CBC News contacted the school division, but it declined to comment.

READ THE DOCUMENT HERE