New Finley Music Course Approved for 2023-24

Huntington School Board members gave their approval for a new Band Instrumental Methods course at J. Taylor Finley Middle School. It will debut in September 2023 with an expected enrollment of about 20 seventh graders.

“This music course will be offered to all seventh graders as an every-other-day instrumental music course,” states the course description presented to trustees. “A woodwind (clarinet) course and a brass (trombone) course will be offered. These courses will offer students, who are currently not enrolled in the instrumental music program, an opportunity to learn how to play an instrument and enroll in our eighth grade band program the following year. This course will satisfy their seventh grade music class requirement.”

The district’s Subject Matter Council approved the new course on March 15 with the Educational Development Committee endorsing it on March 23.

“This class will provide students with a chance, or even a second chance, to take part in our wonderful instrumental music program in Huntington,” according to the course rationale given to trustees. “There are students entering seventh grade who have never tried playing an instrument. Additionally, some students may have been unable to take advantage of early morning music in the intermediate schools; those factors, along with the pandemic, may have led them to stop playing their instrument. This opportunity will allow students to begin playing an instrument every other day in a lesson setting, allowing them to progress quickly. Students who reach a certain level of proficiency by the spring concert will be able to perform with the seventh grade band at their spring concert, and will, of course, be placed in the eighth grade band during the following school year.”

No staffing changes are needed to implement the new course.