CHAMPAIGN – A standing room-only crowd at a Champaign school board budget workshop made a strong showing of support for music and arts programs in the district.

The school board is considering how to make $2 million in cuts from its budget for next year. Tuesday's meeting was an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed cuts.

Most of those at the meeting spoke in support of music and drama.

Among the cuts proposed is redesigning the music and strings program in the district, including cutting two positions; combining music and drama at the middle schools; and eliminating choral accompanists at the high schools.

"The cuts proposed this evening may seem temporary or insignificant," said Abby Crull, the music teacher at Washington Elementary School. "But there will be long-term, lasting effects that will impact students far beyond my years here as a music educator. Programs will be lost, which we can't count on being restored, even if they are reinstated in the future."

Marina Antoline, who teaches band and strings at three elementary schools, said music allows all kinds of students, whether they are gifted, average or struggling academically, to feel successful.

"I have some of the most behaviorally challenged kids, and many times my classroom is the only place in school where they do well," she said, urging board members to look at non-teaching positions rather than cutting teachers.

Paul Butler, a Central High School student who plays trombone, called his music classes "fresh air from all the core classes we do during the day."

He said without band in fifth grade, when he learned the basics of reading music, he and his classmates wouldn't have been making the music they did in middle school.

A parent said her special-needs child would not be able to participate in choir at Centennial High School – a "life-changing experience" – without the choir director having the assistance of an accompanist.

Liz Martin, the music teacher at Jefferson Middle School, called combining music and drama "a terrible decision."

"It's not just cutting a teacher position, it's cutting two entire programs," she said, adding that less exposure to music and drama during the school day will reduce the number of students involved in extracurricular activities involving those subjects.

While music got much of the attention at the meeting, several people spoke against cuts in other areas.

Cynthia Helms, librarian at Centennial High School, presented a petition in support of not cutting any secretaries. Helms said they are essential to the daily operation and effectiveness of the school, as well as to restructuring efforts.

Cathy Mannen, a reading teacher at Bottenfield Elementary School, said literacy support is critical to closing the achievement gap for children.

"Reading and writing is the most complex thing we ask kids to do every day," she said, noting that if they struggle with reading, they'll struggle in all areas of the curriculum.

"If we take away literacy support, we're taking away opportunities for the rest of their lives," Mannen said.

Teachers' union President Deb Foertsch chastised the district for putting teachers and staff through another "cuts season."

"The repeated practice of responding to the cut list takes its toll on all of us," she said. "Teachers are again being put in the position of having to justify and defend our importance to this district – our importance to our community's children."

Foertsch said some of the "shared heartache and headache" could be prevented by looking at alternatives and examining existing practices and programs before cuts are suggested. She asked that the amount of cuts be halved, that the administration not be excluded from cuts, and that cuts to teachers by made through attrition.

School board President Dave Tomlinson said the board has asked administrators to come up with cuts within central administration. They've also talked about allowing all building principals to cut a certain amount within their buildings at their discretion.

Tomlinson suggested looking at differentials, or supplemental pay, provided for some positions, and at assistant football coaches. He also called for a top-to-bottom review of every district position this summer.

"I don't believe we are anywhere close to the final list" of cuts, Tomlinson said.

The board will continue to talk about budget cuts when it meets at 6 p.m. Monday at the Mellon Administrative Center, 703 S. New St., C. It must approve cuts by the end of March, when it has to notify employees of any layoffs it will make for the next school year.