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Letter: Auditorium with 700 seats quite justified
Op-Ed · August 31, 2017
We are fortunate to have such remarkable music programs in our West Branch schools, with committed educators who bring out our students’ amazing talent.
Many students choose to participate in band, jazz band, and Show Choir, as well as Concert Choir or Technical Theatre. We see a great demand for these opportunities as increasing numbers of students choose fine arts courses, both at the middle school and high school.
This demand drives the inclusion of a new auditorium in the school bond proposal that is before the West Branch community Sept. 12. The auditorium includes flexible classroom space that will properly accommodate the number of students enrolled in these courses, and meet needs for performances, now and into the future.
Our current facilities are lacking in space and proper equipment for concerts, Show Choir and course work. This forces many events to the gym, causing rental costs for proper sound equipment, displacement of other gym uses, and a waste of existing auditorium space. The result for students and audiences is inadequate to the work put in, from the students to the teachers to the volunteers.
This plan offers a new auditorium on par with those our students find when visiting other districts. This would allow for concerts, Show Choir events, plays and even musicals to be performed in a suitable venue with the appropriate stage rigging, sound system and lighting — and seats.
Our plan for a 700-seat venue is based both on current and expected needs. Current attendance at Fine Arts events supports a 700-seat auditorium already in some cases. Our gym seats about 1,100 and our current auditorium only about 300. Extra performances have been necessary to handle crowds in the auditorium — extra work for all.
A gym is a poor alternative. It is designed not for acoustics and sound systems and staging, but for basketballs and volleyballs and cheering crowds. It is a place built so that student athletes can achieve. Why do our fine arts students not deserve the same opportunity, in a facility designed to show what they have learned, what they can do, to all who want to attend?
This proposal was designed to better meet the needs of many events in our schools — elementary concerts, award ceremonies, graduation, as well as community events. And, to host fine arts events such as Show Choir competitions, to raise revenue for fine arts programs.
Some want a smaller facility. They should understand that an auditorium 200 seats smaller would save between $250,000 and $300,000 from the current $4 million auditorium plan. So, at a similar cost, we would be building a new facility that would be outdated in the near future.
We have a chance to get this right the first time. There is not an option to go back later and add seats.
While we are not a large school district, our schools offer great educational opportunities that can attract families deciding where to locate in the Iowa City area. This proposal shows we want them.
I respect and appreciate the community’s input over the past few years and ask you to look at all this bond offers. Please vote Sept. 12.
Julie Sexton
Member, West Branch Board of Education
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