Students, parents perform outside Regina Public Schools office to oppose band program changes

WATCH: Pressure continues from those upset over proposed changes to the Regina Public School Division’s elementary band program. Sierra D’Souza Butts reports.

Parents are asking the Regina Public School Board of Trustees for more time before finalizing its decision to restructure its elementary band program for the 2025-26 school year.

Prior to the board of trustees meeting Tuesday evening, close to one hundred people showed their support for keeping the program in its existing state through a music demonstration outside of the division’s office.

“When I was younger, I fell in love with music with the help of friends, teachers and parents,” shared Cailyn Leake, a former band student who participated in the gathering.

Leake said she first discovered her joy for music through the program almost a decade ago.

Now entering her second year of university, she has decided to pursue a career in music education in hopes of sharing that passion with others.

“Because I fell in love with music, I learned that I like helping people and helping teach people, and [want to] make them fall in love with music like I did,” she expressed.

However, with proposed changes to the division’s program on the horizon, she and others are worried about the quality of the program declining.

“What we’re asking for is a pause on any decisions for the next few weeks so we can do some community consultation and connect with the public, and connect with the experts in our community to come up with some alternatives to help them make up that budget without removing positions from our band program,” explained Christina Carlson, board member of Sheldon Williams Area Music Committee.

Although Regina Public Schools has not directly outlined the details of its proposed changes, the division stated no layoffs will occur as part of the restructuring.

The school division has said 2025-26 is a “unique budget year” and is still in the process of finalizing it’s approximately $300 million in funding. As a result, realigning certain programs, such as elementary band, are being proposed.

In response, the Regina Band Parent Leadership Team plans to move forward with a music consultant – Dr. John Benham of Save School Music Programs - to find a solution for funding the division’s band program, which will be presented to the public on June 14th.

“We’re hoping to lean from the other districts and the divisions in North America. Our consultant works in North America wide, we’re hoping there’s some new ideas, fresh ideas out there, maybe some innovative ideas that we just haven’t had an opportunity to explore based on our own constraints,” said Carlson.

“I’m really hoping we have a lot of advocates in the community from Regina Symphony Orchestra to SaskMusic to all these other organizations that can maybe come and help and give their expertise as well.”

Regina Public Schools Board of Trustees told CTV News it takes parents feedback seriously and has already implemented some suggestions.

“There was an original draft of the band program a couple months ago. We went back to the leadership team and we asked them to rewrite that. Even from the feedback we’ve already had, I will say that has already influenced changes already based on the initial proposal,” said Adam Hicks, chair of the board.

“There’s some positives in that. We are keeping the program, and every single child that is currently in band or wants to be in band will have a place in that system.”

Hicks added the division is facing just over $2.6 million in budget pressures and is also reviewing other areas to help offset the deficit.

Although this year’s budget is on a tight timeline for approval, the board plans to continue working closely with band parent associations on maintaining the division’s program.

“The band program for decades has never really been looked at or analyzed. What we are committing to is over the next year as well, no matter what happens in the budget process, we will be open to considering what this looks like even longer term into the future,” Hicks shared.

The co-curricular instrumental education program provides two hours per week of band class to students from Grade 6 to 12, in addition to workshops and festivals outside of regular school hours, led by band teachers.

There are currently 1,600 students participating in the program, according to the Saskatchewan Band Association.

“We’re not opposed to things looking differently,” Carlson added.

“We’re just wanting to make sure it’s sustainable and safe for our children in the growth that we’ve seen in the program.”

The budget’s final approval is set for June 24th.