Simon Laplante

A review of the music program in Seine River School Division will eventually bring schools together under one common plan.  Assistant Superintendent Simon Laplante says they have started the process.  "We have our music teachers meeting on a regular basis, looking at their equipment needs for their classrooms, looking at a vision as to what our music program should look like in our division and looking at what kind of performance we want our kids to be involved with."

He says this review is looking at all grades from K-12.  "The goal is to develop a program that is consistent across the division in it's delivery and it's focus.  It will be a long process because it takes time.  For example just to come up with a continuum for kindergarten to grade 12, we have a provincial program that gives you outcomes, but how do you accomplish these outcomes?  It's a different matter.  So having these teachers talking with each other and looking at this and how we are going to meet these outcomes is a really good use of professional development time."

Laplante explains province gives overall direction but doesn't provide specific details.  "Manitoba Education has a consultant and we are talking with her quite a bit about how do we go about accomplishing these things.  I think every division is responsible for the implementation of the curriculum, it's part of our mandate and we're doing it.  I think it's an exciting project, the teachers are really involved and enjoying it."

In the end they will have a continuum to guide music teachers across the division.  He adds they are also looking at their equipment.  "The instruments in the music room but also in terms of equipment for performance.  You can have kids practicing for a long time but if they come to the performance and the technical equipment fails that's really discouraging."

He says this school year may not be enough time to wrap this up.  "It's a huge project and it involves a lot of money as well.  Hopefully we can put a dent into it (this year) and start building on it slowly.  It's a multi year project."