The first plan would cut the fine arts administrative position, replacing it with an administrative assistant and a teacher on special assignment to oversee the district-wide fine arts programs. The second would leave an administrative assistant.

In an emailed statement Tuesday, Superintendent Casey Bertram said it became clear during the budget committee’s consensus process that staffing cuts would need to be both teacher and administrative positions.

“After a thorough review of the organizational chart I determined that central office support for fine arts is essential to maintain, however, I did not determine that the support needs to be in the form of a certified administrative position,” Bertram said.

Aside from the evaluation of music teachers, which could be done by school principals, there weren’t any duties associated with the director position that require an administrative license, Bertram said.

Other administrator positions like deputy superintendents, special education director and activities director require specific licenses.

“For that reason alone, I made the decision to remove the administrative position of fine arts director and replace it with a position (or positions) that don’t require administrative credentials,” he said.

Last March, the fine arts director position was also considered for elimination but ultimately remained following a large public outcry.

During Monday’s meeting, speakers who called for the retention of the director position included a former fine arts director, former Bozeman Schools student and parent, and local supporters of arts like representatives from Intermountain Opera Bozeman and Bozeman Symphony.

A representative from Bozeman Friends of Music, Sally Schrank, called for the district to support its fine arts programs by maintaining the director position. Schrank said it would be “exponentially harder” to run the programs without leadership at the district level.

The nonprofit fundraises for band, orchestra and choir programs in the district, hosts Bozeman Night Live and an annual instrument swap for students.

One former Bozeman School District student who now teaches violin said he was worried that without the director position more work would fall to the district’s teachers. He said he believed it would take away from the time they have to spend instructing, motivating and helping students.

A representative from the Bozeman Symphony said the director position provides crucial help to teachers to organize large student events and helps provide data so local nonprofits can apply for grants to fund those opportunities.

One parent said all seven of her children went through Bozeman Public Schools and participated in various art programs. She said she was worried that removing the director position could weaken programs and lead some parents to choose to send their children to other schools.

Following the January board vote approving the budget reduction, the district launched a fine arts needs assessment, with representatives from elementary, middle and high school music programs. District administration will also meet with visual and theater arts teachers, according to Bertram.

Once the assessment is complete, Bertram said, it would be shared and would be used to create the staffing plan for scenarios if the levy passes and if it doesn’t pass.

Bertam said it was important to note that the current fine arts director position is almost entirely focused on music programming. There is not equal access to elementary visual arts and elementary and middle school theater arts.

“The district has work to do to ensure that we have comprehensive K-12 fine arts programming that is accessible to all students,” Bertram said. “The status quo is not the desired path forward.”