Donor steps in to save school music, again

By: TIM MAYER - Staff Writer | Wednesday, September 15, 2004 10:34 PM PDT ∞

CARLSBAD ---- Music supporters at Calavera Hills schools are hearing golden notes in the form of donated instruments and money for at-risk music programs. Devin Vodicka, principal of both Calavera Hills elementary and middle schools, said this week that a donor who wishes to remain anonymous has handed the elementary school a check for $47,000 to continue that school's music program. A guitar manufacturer is providing new instruments for the middle school.

The anonymous donor, identified only as a distant relative of children in the elementary school, last year gave $50,000.

"We're going to have a dynamite music program," Vodicka said. "We will have classroom music. We will have a band, choir (and) orchestra. It will be the Rolls Royce of elementary school programs."

Some elementary school programs such as classroom music were cut from the Carlsbad Unified School District budget two years ago in the midst of cutbacks in state funding.

For instance, one cut made by the state was an arts grant program which once funded classroom music in the lower grades.

School board President Kelli Moors said Wednesday that although budget cuts were less severe this year, there is still no extra money coming from the state for music and that parents and donors have been the saving grace.

"Someone is being very altruistic," she said. "Most of us are eager to give to something that benefits our own kids or causes, but this person is being very generous."

Though the monetary donation can only be used for the elementary school, Vodicka said the money will help continue to develop a strong core of musicians and singers who will move into the middle school and high school.

In what Vodicka said is more good news, Taylor Guitars based in El Cajon has announced a grant in the form of 32 guitars with a retail value of more than $11,000 for the middle school.

Vodicka said the instruments, to be formally presented to the school at an assembly on Tuesday, will be welcome addition to the fledgling school ---- it just opened its doors Aug. 31 ---- and its music classes.

Taylor Guitars spokesman Andy Robinson said the company is making the instrument grants because "we know the schools have been hit pretty hard with the budget cuts, and this is our way of helping them out.

"By providing instruments, we hope to keep those programs alive a little longer (and) the guitar is an excellent instrument to introduce someone to music, reading music, performing with an ensemble," he said.

Parent Lori Johnson, chairwoman of the Calavera Hills Fundraising Committee, said the guitars and cash donations are "going to serve a whole bunch of kids for a long time."

"We have been so fortunate to have this kind of community support," she said.

John Roach, who became Carlsbad Unified's district superintendent in July, said he's been impressed by the generosity of the community.

"What a wonderfully supportive community Carlsbad is," he said. "They continue to step up ... when they realize with a little support on their part our schools can be even better. We are incredibly grateful."

Contact staff writer Tim Mayer at (760) 901-4043 or tmayer@nctimes.com.