Why the Augusta, Maine School Department Plan to Eliminate the Middle School Band Director Position

UPDATE 8:30 PM on April 17th - A school board meeting was held at CATC in Augusta on Monday evening.  As of the time of this update the school board was still finalizing budget cuts to be sent to the Augusta City Council.

In addition to Mrs. Card's position, the future of several other staffers and programs were in limbo. These include ed techs, transportation for older students, and sports.

Original story follows...

If you live in Augusta, Maine, or you just have an interest in local politics, there is a good chance that you have been keeping an eye on the news regarding the City of Augusta budget.

While it sounds very dramatic calling it a "crisis", many people would agree that is exactly what it is.  The last council meeting, which was focused on the budget, lasted just about four hours!

Augusta School District Cuts

Our course, we are not privvy to all of the cuts in the district we have been informed that it appears one of the members of the music department may be let go.

According to an email from

Russell Caverly, the Augusta Schools K–12 Music Coordinator, the decision has been made to cut the Middle School Instrumental Music position.

The email, sent to parents, said in part:

Anyone who has been part of our program over the past five years knows the extraordinary work that Erin Card does for our students and our schools. She is not only an exceptionally gifted educator, but also a trusted and caring adult for hundreds of young musicians. Erin works with students from fifth grade through senior year, teaches the eighth-grade unified arts music program, and directs all middle school instrumental ensembles. Her impact on students is immeasurable, and her work is foundational to the success of our entire K–12 music program.

The email goes on to explain that this development came very late in the process, and we were not aware that this position was being considered for elimination.  We encourage families, friends, and community members who support Mrs. Card and middle school instrumental music to attend the Augusta School Board workshop tonight at 5:30 PM in the CATC cafeteria.

We expect this to be a challenging meeting.  Having a strong community presence is important, and we hope attendees will help show the real students and families who could be impacted by this decision.

On a personal note, both of my daughters played instruments and were taught/led by Erin Card.  While it often takes a backseat to athletics programs, there is no denying the importance of our school music programs.  Sure, these programs teach our children an art, but they also teach them teamwork, time management, and personal responsibility.

Were you involved in the music programs at your school?  What did you play?  Tell us about it by sending us a message using our app.