Music groups call on Regina Public Schools to halt elementary band changes

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The Saskatchewan Band Association and other local music organizations are calling upon Regina Public Schools to halt changes to its Grade 6-8 band program.

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Eleven groups have signed a letter to school board chair Adam Hicks, who announced on Feb. 24 that the school division would centralize music classes starting this fall at the former Dieppe School and make Grade 6 band mandatory through the arts curriculum.

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Saskatchewan Band Association CEO Suzanne Gorman, whose group promotes school and community bands throughout the province, is worried that the changes will negatively affect participation of Regina children.

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“Their objective is to grow the band program, which is fantastic, but we’re not sure that the moves they’re making will help make that happen,” Gorman said Wednesday at a news conference where the letter was publicly released.

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It includes signatories such as the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association and the Regina Conservatory of Performing Arts. They’re asking the board to gather more input before proceeding with its plan.

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Music ‘Fix where you think the gaps are’

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A Regina Public Schools spokesperson responded to the letter Wednesday with a prepared statement that asserts the changes came from dialogue with its educators and the board of trustees.

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“Students will receive regularly scheduled time dedicated to music education, allowing classroom teachers to adapt their lesson plans around consistent band periods — eliminating the scenario where children would miss important literacy and numeracy teaching,” said the emailed statement.

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“The updated band program brings music education to all students in Grade 6, regardless of background or circumstance,” continued the statement, which also noted that band fees for that grade are being eliminated under the new model.

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Gorman questioned the nature of the band programming that Grade 6 students will receive via the arts curriculum.

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Asked for clarification, the school division said the updated band program “will be in addition to the existing Grade 6 Arts Ed teachings.”

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“A team of experienced system leaders is finalizing details for implementation for the start of the 2026/2027 school year,” said the initial statement, which added that specifics on fees for band students in higher grades will also be included in the final plan.

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Regina Public Schools CEO Mark Haarmann previously told the Leader-Post that 40 per cent of Grade 6 students were signing up for band, but uptake was falling to 17 per cent by Grade 8.

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Gorman expressed concern about making changes when the Grade 6 program already seems to have good uptake, noting that the focus should be on other areas.