INDIANAPOLIS— IPS is investing in music education. Part of the district’s Rebuilding Stronger campaign is making sure every middle school has band or orchestra, Algebra 1, and world languages.
A $4.5 million investment is providing new instruments and resources across the district and helping to level the playing field. That money is helping students at Northwest Middle School play instruments for the first time.
“You’re teaching every single kid here’s how you open the case, here’s how you put the instrument together, here’s how you hold the instrument so you don’t drop it,” said Ted Biggs the band director at Northwest Middle School.
Biggs has grown the music program from the ground up. At Northwest Middle School, more than 300 kids participate in band, orchestra, choir, or general music classes.
“Active thinking, critical thinking all those, but there’s also immediate reflection. You’re doing something while I’m thinking about what I just did and that’s happening on a constant basis,” said Biggs.
Biggs teaches all band classes at the middle school. On Monday afternoon, a group of 7th graders were preparing for their first concert. The new band option gives them a different outlet.
“I wanted to start band because there’s great opportunities in the future and I just love music and I love playing the clarinet,” said Mischka Azard, a band student.
“I was excited cause I never played the tuba before, so I just wanted to try something new,” said Joshua Walker, a band student.
Before this school year, only about 34% of middle school students had the opportunity to participate in band or orchestra. Now it’s 100 percent.
“Sometimes it was space, buildings that were k-8 didn’t have the room. Sometimes it was finding the staff members, sometimes it could have been funds,” said Traci Prescott the fine arts coordinator for IPS.
Prescott says the district is fully committed to expanding music education across all middle schools.
“I’ts really exciting that Rebuilding Stronger now gives all of our middle schoolers the opportunity to be in those arts classes,” said Prescott.
