Principal on BA Band Uniforms
Submitted by Allen Gwinn on Wed, 07/16/2008 - 11:56.
from Sheri Beach, SBDM Chair, Bryan-Adams HS
I spoke with Mrs. Goodsell on Tuesday regarding clarification of the band uniforms for the 08-09 school year. The following is her response:
The DISD Fine Arts Dept has offered to purchase an additional jacket and hat to be worn with one of the two pairs of slacks already ordered for the band students. This means, these students will be the only DISD high school with three band uniforms. The traditional green and white, the concert black pants and blazer and the new jacket and hat. This of which has not been ordered yet. The students will have the opportunity to pick this themselves.
All this means is that the students will wear different uniforms depending on the events. For example, the green and white for the Homecoming game and the new jacket and hat to the football game against Lincoln HS. I hope this will provide clarification, if not please feel free to call me.
Thank you,
Cindy Goodsell
Bryan Adams Principal
Band at BA
The reason the band will die is because the middle school band programs aren't being supported by the high school. If Principal Goodsell will allow Dolly Perkins to go out and establish a rapport with the middle schoolers at Gaston and Hill, and even work with the elementary schoolers as well, these students will be more compelled to continue their musical path at BA instead of having to go to Booker T.
I am a proud alumnus of the Premier Show Band of Texas, and would hate to see it go. Since students keep going to magnet schools for their fine arts education, the local schools' fine arts programs are being neglected, along with their spirit and pride.
[Ed Note: I'm sorry but I just don't see Ms. Goodsell *NOT* allowing this. From what I've been able to tell, she's very committed to all aspects of B.A. and band is extremely important.]
Gaston Choir Director
The choir director at Gaston was asked to teach choir without any support or supplies. She was new to the district but was not given a mentor teacher from either the Fine Arts department or from Gaston. The district is difficult to understand even when you've been here for years, to have a new teacher in the district without support is insane! When you factor in the lack of a piano or stereo for almost a semester, you have set a teacher and a program up to fail.
This teacher is very well known in the choral communities in San Antonio and Austin. She has always had award winning choirs, many of which she started from scratch. She has toured Europe 4 times, every state in the continental US and all Canadian provinces as a musician. She has held clinics for teachers in several states and taught teachers how to use technology in the music classroom for many years in the Austin area. If anyone in the music community knew that she had been "fired", they would laugh at the Dallas ISD for losing such an amazing teacher, musician and human.
I may be biased because she is my friend, but call anyone in the Austin or San Antonio choral community, including parents of former students, and they will tell you how wonderful this woman is in more ways than just teaching choir! She spoke at a board meeting but has heard nothing, should I be surprised?
The Dallas ISD and Gaston Middle School set her up to fail and then tossed her aside when they couldn't follow through with the basic items necessary for her to do her job. Would we ever ask a basketball coach to teach the game without a court or ball?
She was also harrassed and retaliated against by her principal. When she filed a grievance about this,(which was like pulling teeth to get her to do because she hates to "cause problems for people")it took the district over 3 months to respond. But was anyone "fired" as a result of this violation of policy? Was anyone held accountable for supplies not being ordered or in place for the students to have a quality choir program? Who will be "in trouble" for failing to provide a mentor for her, someone she could have gone to and said, "I don't know who else to talk to about this, do you have any ideas?" Come on Board, show that you truly care about the students and teachers, talk to this teacher and others and find out what really happens on the days when you haven't made an "announced visit".
Dallas has lost an AMAZING and INSPIRATIONAL teacher, yes, I am her friend but before we were friends, she was my choir director in an adult chorus in Austin. I have seen her at work, what a shame that others in Dallas ISD will not have the same privelege.
I would challenge the school board to respond to her personally and show this teacher that not everyone in Dallas is irresponsible.
I do not speak for her, she can only speak for herself and noone has asked her what really happened.
Shame on you
Shame on you Dallas and Gaston for not giving this teacher what she needed. How do you have a choir without a piano? I hear stories about people leaving Dallas for some really good reasons. Why was this teacher fired? I thought you had to do something really bad to be fired, like steal money. I have seen some stories on here about people who did some really bad things but are still working in Dallas. Is there more to this story?
[Ed Note: Bound to be!]
Gaston Choir
One of my friends works at Gaston. He told me throughout the year about this situation. In the beginning it was about the piano but then he began to tell me about the harassment that he witnessed this teacher experience. This was the teachers first year in the district and the first year for the school to have choir in 10 years. He said he could not believe how positive she was with the students and how much the students liked her. He said that even through the harassment she continued to do the best she could with the few resources she had. I have heard him talk about how he has to keep his opinions to himself because the principal will retaliate. Once you are on her bad side you don't get off. He said if she starts blinking her eyes, you know to shut your mouth. Based on stories I have heard I believe that this could be all of the story. He does say positive things about the school as well but after reading this blog I asked his opinion and it sounds similar.
Choir at Gaston?
I work at Gaston and have for 16 years I didn't even know we had a choir this year. Was that the teacher that never had a kind word to say , and didn't understand what duty was being on time. Gaston is a better place without her.
Have you asked?
Have you actually asked what is going on with the band, or did you just read an on-line petition? If you sent Mrs. Goodsell an email, has she answered it yet? If you phoned, was she there?
Allen is right, this is not an issue of "allowing" someone to develop a relationship with the feeder schools. Again, from whom are you getting your information? Is there evidence that Ms. Perkins cannot go to the schools?
Gaston's Choir
I thought I was the only one with these sentiments. I've been at Gaston for 4 years and have been calling many co-workers trying to figure out if this so-called "choir teacher" was real or a figment of another person's imagination. In the school-wide performances we have had in the last year, no school choir has performed and I have never taught a student who was in a choir elective. I guess without a piano the kids couldn't sing, much less display their talent.
Have you asked?
Yes! The uniform issue was discussed at a meeting and directive was given! As far as Ms. Perkins going to other schools, she does do that in her spare time. The problem is that she has so much going on and not enough free time. Her band assistant, Mr. Bustillos (who was much loved by all) was killed in a tragic car accident in November. It was an extremely hard time for all of the band students as well as Ms. Perkins.
She took over teaching all of his classes, all the advanced band classes and she was also responsible for orchestra! The band played for PTA meetings at ALL of the feeder schools! In the spring our students went to Gaston and Hill and talked to eighth graders trying to recruit.
It is not a matter of the director "being allowed to go" it is a matter of when she has time.
BA's Band Director
The director only taught x # of classes, for the very reason of, working with the Middle Schools. That should be the same for next year. The parents are the ones that push for the Magnets. Lord knows there's not enough positions for the # of students that want to go. Neighborhoods don't support the schools as much, once they get past elementary. Bryan Adams has alot of positive things happening. Career Pathways are starting this school year. They have managed to involve their feeder schools more at the elementary and middle school levels. The combined Christmas program and the Cinco de Mayo Carnival was Wonderful. They were both packed. It's a start to bringing the community back together. It takes a lot to build back the trust. Ramos didn't do that. Mrs. Goodsell has worked hard to bring about positive changes. Parents support your kids after grade school. YOU can continue to make a difference. Be Involved, come to PTA Meetings, Parent Conferences, Sports events. You'll see.
B.A. Band Director
The band director taught many classes throughout the day! Her assistant band director was killed in a tragic accident in November, so, she also had to teach the classes that Mr. Bustillos had been teaching.
Ms. Perkins was also responsible for the orchestra! So...she had to get students to all the competitions that they were involved in. She is normally at the school from 7:00 a.m until sometimes 8:00 p.m. She is a very committed director, she sets her expectations high and expects her students to strive to do their best.
The band makes many trips to all feeder schools in the area. They play for all the PTA meetings at the middle school level. There is no band in the elementary schools anymore, all sixth grade are in middle school now. So...maybe parents need to encourage their students to go to their neighborhood school! It is a great school and Mrs. Goodsell is striving to do great things there!
BA Modeled after SMU
BA's uniforms are supposedly modeled after SMU's uniforms, which are just a few combination of slacks and sportjackets.
BA Uniforms
SMU's Dixieland style was in the late 1960-70's. Bryan Adams changed to it in '71. They were once an awesome band, performing at Texas Stadium and such.
However, unless more kids come in to the program, the band will die.
More results of NCLB, no money for music classes.
And, as more poor students move into the Bryan Adams area, they don't have money for lessons. It isn't cheap to get your kid to play the tuba, drums or clarinet.