My name is Nira Pollock, and I am the Co-Chair of Brookline High School’s Friends of Performing Arts (FoPA). FoPA is a not-for-profit organization made up of many parents and caregivers who support the performing arts in the Public Schools of Brookline.
We acknowledge the reality of this challenging moment. If the override does not pass, there will be painful cuts across this district– including lost positions, larger class sizes, and fewer key supports for our students. We understand that, and we know there are no easy choices.
My goal in speaking out is to make it clear that eliminating any of the key components of our highly effective and deeply valued PSB Performing Arts program would dismantle a core element of a Brookline education.
A failed override will result in the elimination of the 4th through 8th grade Conservatory program, which would eliminate all music for students in 6th through 8th grade, cut music from twice to once a week in grades 4 and 5, and eliminate all instrumental and choral music in those grades. Last year, when a similar proposal was made, nearly 1000 PSB parents and alumni quickly signed a letter in support of preserving Conservatory and our PSB Performing Arts program. Now, we are again facing the possible elimination of our beloved Conservatory program, in addition to possible cuts to our BHS Performing Arts program in drama, dance and music.
I want to communicate how important the PSB Performing Arts program is to our community, and the dramatic impact cuts to the program would have on the lives of our students.
The performing arts program at Brookline High School is a “crown jewel” of PSB, with accomplished students training and performing in multiple bands, orchestras, choirs, a cappella groups, dance groups, and theater classes and productions. These experiences propel BHS students into advanced performing arts groups in college, careers in the arts, and, most importantly, lifelong joy through the performing arts. The strength of the performing arts at BHS is a major reason that many of us choose to live in Brookline and send our children there, knowing that they will thrive. The BHS Performing Arts program is strong because of the robust training and experience that students receive in the Brookline grade 4-8 Conservatory program. Growth as an artist requires individual lessons and practice, but relies heavily on shared experience in an ensemble. The value of arts education–to mental health, to development of personal, social, performance, and leadership skills, and to the development of a strong community–cannot be overstated.
Cutting Conservatory is not “a reduction”--it is an elimination with profound consequences that are immediate, permanent and inequitable. Currently, access to music and performing arts is part of the school day for every PSB student. If that access disappears, families with resources may be able to fund arts education through other means, but many students will entirely lose access to the performing arts. Critically, if you remove the 4th through 8th grade pathway, you eliminate the pipeline that feeds the ensembles at BHS, and decimate those programs. The impact will not be limited to music; the BHS drama and dance programs are also specifically built on the artistic and ensemble skills students develop in Conservatory.
In addition to the proposed cut to the Conservatory program, we want to communicate the impact of possible cuts to performing arts faculty at BHS. In the 2025-26 school year, 833 students are taking BHS Performing Arts classes and will put on more than 30 evening
performances, attended by families, friends and community members. Musical skills learned in the Conservatory program have propelled over 500 students into ensembles and music classes; over 100 students are enrolled in dance classes, and nearly 200 students are enrolled in Drama classes, with 365 students involved in 6 after-school productions run by our BHS drama teachers, who dedicate over 1000 hours to after-hours rehearsals.
These performing arts programs are open to all students, regardless of learning style, and support students at all levels of ability. They are rich, inclusive, valued, and a core part of a PSB education.
We ask you to please recognize the value of our grade 4-8 Conservatory and BHS performing arts programs to this community and to vote for the override to prevent cuts to the PSB Performing Arts department.
We acknowledge the reality of this challenging moment. If the override does not pass, there will be painful cuts across this district– including lost positions, larger class sizes, and fewer key supports for our students. We understand that, and we know there are no easy choices.
My goal in speaking out is to make it clear that eliminating any of the key components of our highly effective and deeply valued PSB Performing Arts program would dismantle a core element of a Brookline education.
A failed override will result in the elimination of the 4th through 8th grade Conservatory program, which would eliminate all music for students in 6th through 8th grade, cut music from twice to once a week in grades 4 and 5, and eliminate all instrumental and choral music in those grades. Last year, when a similar proposal was made, nearly 1000 PSB parents and alumni quickly signed a letter in support of preserving Conservatory and our PSB Performing Arts program. Now, we are again facing the possible elimination of our beloved Conservatory program, in addition to possible cuts to our BHS Performing Arts program in drama, dance and music.
I want to communicate how important the PSB Performing Arts program is to our community, and the dramatic impact cuts to the program would have on the lives of our students.
The performing arts program at Brookline High School is a “crown jewel” of PSB, with accomplished students training and performing in multiple bands, orchestras, choirs, a cappella groups, dance groups, and theater classes and productions. These experiences propel BHS students into advanced performing arts groups in college, careers in the arts, and, most importantly, lifelong joy through the performing arts. The strength of the performing arts at BHS is a major reason that many of us choose to live in Brookline and send our children there, knowing that they will thrive. The BHS Performing Arts program is strong because of the robust training and experience that students receive in the Brookline grade 4-8 Conservatory program. Growth as an artist requires individual lessons and practice, but relies heavily on shared experience in an ensemble. The value of arts education–to mental health, to development of personal, social, performance, and leadership skills, and to the development of a strong community–cannot be overstated.
Cutting Conservatory is not “a reduction”--it is an elimination with profound consequences that are immediate, permanent and inequitable. Currently, access to music and performing arts is part of the school day for every PSB student. If that access disappears, families with resources may be able to fund arts education through other means, but many students will entirely lose access to the performing arts. Critically, if you remove the 4th through 8th grade pathway, you eliminate the pipeline that feeds the ensembles at BHS, and decimate those programs. The impact will not be limited to music; the BHS drama and dance programs are also specifically built on the artistic and ensemble skills students develop in Conservatory.
In addition to the proposed cut to the Conservatory program, we want to communicate the impact of possible cuts to performing arts faculty at BHS. In the 2025-26 school year, 833 students are taking BHS Performing Arts classes and will put on more than 30 evening
performances, attended by families, friends and community members. Musical skills learned in the Conservatory program have propelled over 500 students into ensembles and music classes; over 100 students are enrolled in dance classes, and nearly 200 students are enrolled in Drama classes, with 365 students involved in 6 after-school productions run by our BHS drama teachers, who dedicate over 1000 hours to after-hours rehearsals.
These performing arts programs are open to all students, regardless of learning style, and support students at all levels of ability. They are rich, inclusive, valued, and a core part of a PSB education.
We ask you to please recognize the value of our grade 4-8 Conservatory and BHS performing arts programs to this community and to vote for the override to prevent cuts to the PSB Performing Arts department.