Framework conditions for everyday school life at the Chemnitz Municipal Music School are revised
The Chemnitz Municipal Music School fulfils an important cultural and educational policy task and, alongside day care centres and general education schools, an independent educational and cultural mission. The city is providing a subsidy of 1.3 million euros in the 2014 budget for this purpose. The main focus of the music school's education programme is on promoting the general public, individual and/or group lessons, talent development and ensemble and orchestral work. Developing the basic framework conditions for the planning, preparation and implementation of everyday school life at the Chemnitz Municipal Music School with its musically diverse and sought-after educational programme is the subject of the medium-term concept for the Chemnitz Municipal Music School for the years 2013 to 2018 requested by the City Council in 2013 and developed by the administration, which was approved by the City Council in the June 2013 meeting. The first step towards implementing the concept will now take place as planned in 2014 and is currently the subject of four draft resolutions that will be presented to the City Council for a decision at its May meeting. The package is due to come into force on 1 August 2014. The documents drawn up by the cultural administration were agreed with the music school's parents' council. Prior to the decision by the City Council on 21 May, the user statutes, the fee statutes and the fee schedule as well as the 2nd amendment to the fee schedule for the provision of instruments at Chemnitz Municipal Music School are already on the agenda for preliminary discussion in the non-public part of the meeting of the Culture and Sports Committee on 7 May.
Statutes of the Chemnitz Municipal Music School:
The changes made include formalities that prove necessary in the day-to-day work of the music school as well as the adjustment to the introduction of the new combined lessons offered at the start of the new school year from August 2014.
Fee regulations of the Chemnitz Municipal Music School:
The content - as also already announced in the medium-term concept of the institution - is an increase in fees by an average of five per cent, which is necessary due to the constantly rising ancillary costs. A significant change is expected in this context with the introduction of combined lessons: Here, partner lessons, group lessons (vocal and instrumental) and individual lessons of 30 minutes will be merged and a combination of weekly individual lessons of 30 minutes or pair lessons of 45 minutes or group lessons of 60 minutes will be offered. The teachers will organise the respective types of lessons and groups of a maximum of three pupils. In future, individual lessons will continue to be offered for 45 minutes to support particularly gifted pupils.
Also new is the proposal to introduce an annual basic amount of 100 euros, which has been carefully scrutinised beforehand and is to be paid in principle. The basic amount is based on the composition of the standard needs levels, which include a monthly lump sum of 32 to 42 euros for education, leisure, entertainment and culture, depending on the age of the pupils, and should also be used for the provision of lessons at the municipal music school. A social discount of 50 per cent is granted on application if a Chemnitzpass is presented, issued to the pupil or, in the case of underage pupils, to the legal representative. Discounts for siblings (family discount) apply to the second, third and subsequent children. According to the statutes, further fee reductions also apply, for example, to the promotion of education for the disabled and the promotion of ensemble work.
Fee schedule of the Chemnitz Municipal Music School:
More money for music school teachers: The fee rates for early musical education will be increased - as already proposed in the medium-term concept - and newly included for the combined lessons to be introduced. Also new is the introduction of a basic fee for newly appointed teachers during the first four school years. The lump sums for the supervision and participation of pupils in the "Jugend musiziert" competitions will be increased, thus recognising the high-quality teaching of the teachers. Also new is the payment of supplements to teachers to incentivise the establishment of a stable orchestra for the representative work of the music school as well as a permanent children's choir.
2nd amendment to the fee regulations for the hire of instruments from the Chemnitz Municipal Music School:
The planned amendment will result in a necessary increase in private-law fees of five per cent on average due to the constantly rising costs of procuring and maintaining instruments. The additional income for the music school is to be used for the purchase of new instruments or the repair of existing ones.