Gouverneur parent seeks five-year effort to preserve orchestra program

A Gouverneur School District parent is seeking support for a petition aimed at preserving the district’s orchestra program. The petition had 388 signatures, and calls for giving the program five more years to rebuild enrollment and staffing.

The middle school orchestra program has already been phased out, while the high school program is also facing changes after its director resigned. The district said the phaseout was driven by difficulty hiring instructors and declining enrollment. Students currently in orchestra are expected to play string instruments in band, with no dedicated string ensembles currently offered in the district.