Sequim Choir Students Seek Separate Music Rooms, Raise Safety Concerns

Sequim High School choir students and parents urged the school board on Monday to provide separate band and choir rooms on the high school campus, saying students lose instructional time walking to choir and face safety and communication problems away from the main campus.

The requests come as the district advances projects funded by its $145.95 million construction bond, approved by voters in February 2025.

Speakers questioned whether a shared music room would meet the needs of both programs and whether the construction project would bring all high school music instruction onto campus. The board took no vote on changing the music-room plan.

Board President Eric Pickens said the district had been trying to improve or add music spaces and wanted to understand the disconnect. 

Superintendent Regan Nickels later described staff and community design committees, including opportunities for music teachers to participate.

The board separately approved future school calendars with a February break, a security policy, a district key standard and resolutions concerning the Helen Haller Elementary replacement and parent-teacher conferences.

Students describe lost time and safety concerns

The choir program's student president told directors that reaching the current choir classroom at Olympic Peninsula Academy takes more than five minutes from the main high school campus. Students cut two minutes from class to reach their next classes on time, the student said.

The student also described concerns about crossing the street, the room's acoustics and access within its multilevel layout for students with disabilities. 

Sharing a future classroom with band would create additional problems because the programs have different acoustic needs and would lose instructional time putting away instruments and music between periods, the student said.

A junior in vocal ensemble described gaps in emergency communication affecting choir students at Olympic Peninsula Academy, known as OPA.

The student said that during a freshman-year lockdown, OPA locked down about 10 minutes after the high school. Students reached the classroom safely, the student said, but the delay raised concerns about communication between the two schools.

The student also described confusion during districtwide power outages and said the first-period choir class relies on a student reading the daily announcements from an email.

Parents said separate rooms would give both programs space to grow. They also praised the choir's performances and the additional time its director devotes to students.

The district reported in September that all five Sequim ensembles participating in the WorldStrides Music Festival in Anaheim, California, in May earned Gold ratings.

Petition organizer brings a rehearsal to the board

Darcy Morrissey, a music educator and parent of two district students, called for stronger band and choir programs, an orchestra program and a district music supervisor. 

She also urged officials to identify the intended use of the new space more clearly, specifying whether it would serve as a band room, choir room or recording studio.

Morrissey organized the petition featured in The Olympic Herald's coverage before the meeting. It calls for two music rooms at the high school, expanded music courses, an orchestra program for grades 4-12 and a supervisor to oversee music instruction and curriculum.

The petition says the proposed building plan reduced the number of music rooms from two to one.

With time pooled from other attendees, Morrissey received nine minutes for her comments. She used part of that time to demonstrate a choir rehearsal, explaining that daily rehearsal is central to music instruction.

Pickens allowed the demonstration, and Morrissey led participants through a Georgian song using call-and-response singing and harmony.

Another parent, a self-described bond supporter, questioned whether voters understood that some high school instruction could remain outside the high school campus after construction. The parent asked for a clear accounting of what voters were told and what the district intends to build.

District outlines design and oversight process

During her report, Nickels said staff members whose instructional spaces are being designed participate in the planning process. She identified music staff among those involved, along with science and career and technical education teachers, counselors and administrators.

She described staff focus groups during the school day, design meetings with community participation after school and a districtwide design advisory committee that would continue through completion of the projects.

Nickels also said the bond oversight committee had met multiple times. She distinguished its responsibilities for schedules, budgets and project oversight from the work of the design groups.

People interested in the bond oversight committee should contact her about the application process, she said. Those interested in a school's design advisory team should contact its principal.

Nickels did not specify whether the completed high school project would provide separate band and choir rooms. Her report also did not address the students' accounts of emergency communication problems at OPA. 

Pickens said public commenters might receive additional follow-up from him or the superintendent.

February break and security measures approved

Directors unanimously approved the 2027-28 and 2028-29 academic calendars, adding a February midwinter break beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

Nickels said staff and family survey responses supported considering the change. Both student board representatives also supported the break during the discussion.

Officials discussed possible benefits of spreading breaks through the school year, while directors raised questions about interruptions to instruction and planning. 

A full week off at Thanksgiving remains a subject for further discussion and was not added in the calendars approved Monday.

The board also unanimously adopted Policy 6505, Security, after a second reading. Nickels said the district needs policies and procedures to guide security features already installed at the middle school and planned for other school projects.

A separate unanimous vote established the Schlage Primus keyway as a district standard. Facilities director Michael Santos said the district lacked a common key standard and described its existing key-management system as outdated, inconsistent and compromised.

Directors unanimously approved a revised Helen Haller New-In-Lieu resolution, updating language in an earlier approval. 

Santos said the revision supplied wording required by the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to release school construction assistance for the replacement project.

Directors also unanimously authorized the district to seek a three-year state waiver for parent-teacher conference days.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in the district office board room at 503 N. Sequim Ave.