MAUP #13 - S.O.S.

Save Our Strings

Due to the ongoing pandemic, school districts were forced to go over and reorganize their learning systems to adapt to the new world that we currently live in. With the limitations that vital safety measures pose, many programs had to be sacrificed this academic year. The strings program in William E. Cottle School suffered as well, and for a time, people worried over how to save and how to convince the reluctant school district to keep the elementary orchestra going. COVID-19 was a serious matter, of course, and it was completely understandable that the academic classes were a priority. Cottle strings was not a formal, nor mandatory, class for the young students, but was erasing music and arts from the agenda the answer? We appreciate all of the parents who spoke up and wrote emails to the school board members to consider having the program in any shape or form possible. We also knew that we, as students and participants of the music programs in the past and the present, had to voice our personal experiences and the importance of the strings program for each of us. We asked students from the elementary, middle, and high school orchestras to share their stories with the school board.

**September 2020

The Tuckahoe School District has safely reopened, and Cottle strings was able to be saved and continued, virtually, this academic year. We truly appreciate all of the support, efforts, and care of superintendent Dr. Amy Goodman, the members of the board, PTA, faculty, and staff, and the parents.

**December 15, 2020

Cottle strings orchestra's virtual concert took over zoom. MAUP is proud of all of the students who played beautifully and overcame the challenge of learning remotely! Congratulations to Ms. Lubima Shentov, conductor of the Cottle strings orchestra, who blesses the young students with endless support and love.