Wildcat Band Boosters

05/09/2014

Dear Norwich Residents for Music Education: Some members of the City Council are seriously considering whether to provide funding for, among other items, instrumental music at Kelly and Teachers' Memorial. They need to hear from you before or at the 2nd public hearing this Monday 5/12. Please email members of the City Council (emails below) and tell them you support funding for instrumental music. Please also attend this Monday 5/12.

Emails:
Norwich City Manager:
[email protected]
Mayor; City Council:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Monday, May 12-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Second Public Hearing
Monday, May 19-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: General Public Comment
Monday, June 2-7:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Council Adopts City Budget

04/15/2014

Dear Norwich Residents for Music Education: The City Council is very much contemplating funding instrumental music at Kelly & Teachers' Memorial MS. Thursday April 17 at 6:30pm is the absolute most important date to attend and voice your support. A Councilman asked "Will there be interest from families for instrumental music?". It is crucial to attend Thursday April 17 and show that there is great interest to restore the once great instrumental and choral programs at Norwich Public Schools.

If you are a Norwich resident, please attend on Thursday April 17 at 6:30pm at Norwich City Hall.

Thank you,
Mark Cook

03/31/2014

Note from Mark Cook follows:

Hello again Norwich Residents for Music Education. I wanted to provide a sample message you are free to use to email Mayor Hinchey; Mr. Bergren; and the City Council. Please take a minute to email these officials (emails listed below) making decisions on the school budget:

Dear Mayor Hinchey; Mr. Bergren; and members of the City Council: The Board of Education has unanimously endorsed a 5.48% increase to the 2014-2015 Norwich Public School budget. I wholeheartedly support this increase which would reinstate instrumental music at both Kelly & Teachers' Memorial Middle Schools and urge you to approve same for the following reasons:

Spurs Economic Development
Attracts Families to Live/Invest in Norwich: No action sends a stronger message to middle income and upper income families and professionals than providing for a fully funded public school system that offers everything surrounding towns offer.

Increases Property Values: The more demand there is to live in Norwich, the more property values will rise, raising real property tax revenue to the City.

Maintains & Grows Small Business in Norwich: When instrumental music was cut from Kelly & Teachers' Memorial 4 years ago, the Norwich Music Center closed immediately thereafter and relocated to Franklin.

Norwich Public Schools
Budget Items Will Improve NPS Student Performance: 66.2% of NPS students attend NPS schools that received the 2 lowest scoring categories of the 2012-2013 CT School Performance Index. Simply put, NPS cannot maintain the status quo. NPS needs sufficient funding to provide instrumental music which has been linked to improved performance on standardized tests.

Financial Component
Budget Restoration v. Budget Increase: Please note the proposed increase is 5.48% of this year's budget, which only received a 0.21% increase.

Please give a fully funded education budget an opportunity to succeed.

Thank you,

Norwich Resident

Norwich City Manager:
[email protected]
Mayor; City Council:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Monday, April 7-7:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: City Mgr's Proposed Budget
Thursday, April 10-8:20 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Norwich Public Schools budget presentation
Thursday, April 17-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: First Public Hearing re: Budget
Monday, April 21-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: General Public Comment
Monday May 5-7:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Adoption of Council Preliminary Budget
Monday, May 12-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Second Public Hearing
Monday, May 19-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: General Public Comment
Monday, June 2 7:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Council Adopts City Budget

03/13/2014

Update from Mark Cook regarding the Norwich Education budget.

Dear Norwich Residents for Music Education:

We need you Monday 3/17! The Bd of Ed approved a budget (see Bulletin & Day links below) that includes a new instrumental music position but this will not happen unless the City Council approves the Bd of Ed budget. Please make every effort to EMAIL the City Manager; Mayor; and City Council & speak in favor of a 5.48% increased NPS school budget and ATTEND THIS MONDAY 3/17 at 6:30pm at City Hall 3rd floor. This is it! If City Council doesn't hear your voice on or before Monday 3/17, the budget will likely not be approved.

Monday, March 17-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Public Comment Allowed
Monday, April 7-7:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: City Mgr's Proposed Budget
Thursday, April 10-8:20 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Norwich Public Schools budget presentation
Monday, April 14-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: First Public Hearing
Monday May 5-7:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Adoption of Council Preliminary Budget
Monday, May 12-6:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Second Public Hearing
Monday, June 2-7:30 PM City Council meeting: City Hall: Council Adopts City Budget

02/15/2014

Please see the following update from Mark Cook regarding the Norwich Public School Music program and upcoming Board of Education Meetings:

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Dear Supporters of Music Education in Norwich: The members of the Board of Education will make a crucial decision on 3/11 to approve either a 5.48% increased budget which adds an instrumental music teacher or a 4.72% 'status quo' budget which would not include the addition of the music position. This is a critical time to keep the momentum going. If you are a Norwich resident, please do the following:

2/18: Attend City Council public comment this Tuesday 2/18 at 6:30pm in Room 318 at Norwich City Hall.

- We must persuade the City Council that approving a 5.48% increase 'fully funded' education budget is the best formula for direct economic development.

3/11: Attend Board of Education meeting 3/11 at 5:30pm at Kelly MS: 25 Mahan Drive.

- We must convince the Bd of Ed to approve the 5.48% increase budget that adds a music teacher position (which the Budget Expenditure Committee endorses), not the 4.72% 'bare bones' budget.

Emails below: In addition to attending, please email Board of Education members as well as City Council members and voice your support of the 'fully funded' 5.48% increase in the budget which will allow for instrumental music at Kelly and Teachers' Memorial.

Board of Education:

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Mayor; City Council & City Manager

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

01/22/2014

Update from Mark Cook:

Dear Supporters of Instrumental & Choral Music Education: The City Council meeting has been canceled tonight and has been rescheduled to Monday January 27 at 6:30pm at Norwich City Hall.

Please attend if you can and please speak in support of a fully funded education budget and for the reinstatement of instrumental & choral music education at Kelly & Teachers' Memorial MS.

Every 2nd City Council meeting of each month will allow for public comment. If you can't make Monday, please plan on February.

Thank you,
Mark Cook

12/10/2013

Update from Mark Cook on petition to reinstate music education in Norwich Public Schools:

"Dear Supporter of Music Education: Thank you for your support of instrumental & choral music education for Norwich Public School middle school students. Thanks to you, there are already 60 names and counting on the petition.
This is a great first step but we'll need to climb several steps before accomplishing our mission. The next step will be for us to attend the Board of Education meeting this Tuesday 12/10 at Kelly MS at 5:30pm. I will be speaking on the issue. You don't have to speak - the Board will take notice of your presence and acknowledge that this issue is important to many residents.
If you are able, please share 15 minutes of your time on Tuesday to ensure this generation of NPS students receive all the educational benefits and joys of instrumental & choral music education.
Thank you, Mark Cook: [email protected]"

12/06/2013

The NFA Band Council will be holding a Bake Sale on Saturday, December 7 @ Norwich Stop N' Shop from 10-2. Proceeds will help to fund the WMB Band Banquet and other Band Council events!

12/06/2013

Attention Norwich Residents: An effort is being made to reinstate instrumental & choral music education back into the day curriculum at both Kelly and Teachers' Memorial middle schools in Norwich. If you are a Norwich resident and you value the benefits of music education for Norwich Public School middle school students, please let us know if we can add your name to our petition seeking to reinstate music education at Kelly & Teachers' Memorial. Please email Mark Cook at [email protected]. Please note, you must be a Norwich resident to be included on the petition.

12/06/2013

Petition Drive to Reinstate Music Education in Norwich

Friends of Music: An effort is underway to reinstate instrumental and choral music at Norwich Middle Schools. The following information was provided by Mark Cook, who is championing this effort. If you would like to support this effort,… [ 140 more words. ]

11/28/2013

Final performance of 2013 season

11/08/2013

USBands National Championships Tomorrow http://wp.me/p2DULl-5Q

The NFA Wildcat Marching Band will take the field at MetLife Stadium tomorrow in the USBands Class III Open National Championship. The band performs at 9:52 a.m. (and yes, that does say a.m., as in the morning). The band will travel to New Jersey by… [ 331 more words. ]