Music program quietly cancelled at Port Perry High School

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard

SCUGOG: Port Perry High School (PPHS) has cancelled all senior instrumental music classes for the upcoming school year, effectively dismantling its longstanding music program without informing parents or students.

The decision, which affects students in Grades 10 through 12, was not publicly communicated. Concerned families only learned of the cancellation when one student, who had not selected an alternate elective, was summoned by guidance staff and told his music class had been removed from the timetable. Other students were quietly reassigned to different courses.

According to parents, 38 students had registered for instrumental music next year, enough to support two classes: one for Grade 9 and a second combining Grades 10 to 12. Despite this, only the Grade 9 course will run.

“For many students, music isn’t just a class; it’s the reason they come to school.” Marta Blaze told The Standard.

The move has sparked outrage among families who say the school failed to advocate for the program, consult the community, or provide transparency. Parents noted PPHS has run classes in other subjects with similar enrolment numbers in the past, raising concerns about why music is being treated differently.

PPHS’s music program has long been a cornerstone of school life. In previous years, the school supported a full array of music offerings, including choirs, concert bands, jazz ensembles, rock bands, and guitar groups. These were often led by passionate staff and community volunteers who donated their time after school. Performances frequently drew large crowds, including alumni returning to support the program, which helped shape them.

The program has also produced several professional musicians who have gone on to national and international success. Notable graduates of the PPHS music program include:

• Pete Smith (Class of 1985) – A jazz saxophonist who built his foundation at PPHS.

• Leslie Ann Bradley (1996) – A celebrated opera-trained vocalist.

• Melinda Delorme (1998) – Another accomplished opera singer who began her musical journey at the school.

Their achievements are a testament to the calibre of the program and its far-reaching impact.

Families say the arts at PPHS have been slowly eroded over several years. Once offering multiple music classes per grade, the school now risks losing its identity as a hub for music education. Parents also link the decline in the school’s gifted program enrolment to the shrinking arts offerings, with many students now opting for schools like O’Neill in Oshawa, which provide more robust arts programs.

The timing of the cancellation, just before the current principal’s departure, has left parents feeling blindsided. “It’s like dropping a bomb and walking away,” stated one parent.

Music education is not merely extracurricular. Research shows it enhances cognitive ability, strengthens academic performance, supports mental health, and fosters creativity, collaboration, and confidence.

To make matters worse, Ontario teachers are currently barred from publicly discussing educational decisions, silencing the voices of those most qualified to speak out.

Parents are now urging the school board to step in. With clear student interest, alumni success, and community support, they argue it’s not too late to reverse the decision, and restore a program which has meant so much to so many.