Budget Cuts

Well, I have alot to post about Natalia and Jaden but I will probably do that tomorrow. I just wanted to let everyone know that we are facing budget cuts here just like everyone else. I really feel that our music programs are safe but you never know.
Also, in the community I work in they are very sports focused and I'm just not that used to it becuase lets face it, I went to Springfield High School. The reason I am telling you this is because we just had 7 of our 9 students make it to state solo festival. Now, if this was a sport the district would find every penny to send these students to state without any costs. But, since this is music we are talking about our principal has asked each student to pay their own way. Now, they planned on this because I didn't let them sign the papers without understanding that, I also made sure each parent knew the situation. It still doesn't make it right. It really bothers me that when I had one athlete make it to State Cross Country we bent head over heals finding her a ride there and back for her to just ride home with her mom and leave me on a bus all by myself with another team. But, like I said because it's music we won't do that. Our principal hasn't even congradulated those students. He asked me to do that for him.
I love music and I know how important it is in a persons life. I have seen it every day of teaching. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a student be touched by a peice of music. I want every student and child, including my own to be able to have that experience without any limitations. That's why I fight for support every day at my school district, and I was told in college that I would have to fight but I never thought I would have to fight this much. Because I love music so much I will always fight until I see a change in how we think, but it is becoming so exhausting.
I jsut don't understand why peopel feel that music isn't important when they have done so many studies on how much music helps you in other disciplines in life and how well it helps people with anger management or autism or even physical ailments. Ahhhhh!!!!!! Sorry, I just had to vent. However, if anyone has any suggestions or feelings they would like to express I would love to hear them.
Leaving on a positive note. I had audtions again and so far my numbers are growing again for next year. They are growing consistently by about 5-10 more students every year. I would really like the program to double over a year but that's alot to ask. My beginners choir is going from 15 to 16 members (but about three more boys than this year) My girls choir is going from 9 to 21 girls. For next year I decided to cut how many people I let into the top mixed choir. I won't let more than 25 people in that choir and am allready at 22. This year I have 35 but that's just way to much I feel for a choir that should be hard to get into. I plan on having more people audtion before the end of the year and the beginning of next year, it always happens because of move ins and scheduling conflicts. But as of right now those are my numbers. The district will be really happy about that and it makes me feel good because the hardest battle besides fighting for the program is getting kids to like singing and want to do choir. We are always told if you get the cheerleaders you get the football players. If you get the football players you get the rest of the school.