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Chorale board seeks clarity on tour request By: Abiola Odutola Posted: 1:38 AM CDT Monday, Mar. 16, 2026 Advertisement Advertise with us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later The Brandon Conservatory Chorale board has asked the Brandon School Division (BSD) board of trustees to reconsider its request to allow three teachers to participate in a youth choir school tour in April. Read this article for free: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. or Already have an account? Log in here » We need your support!Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. Subscribe Now or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional $1 for the first 4 weeks* Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper Start now No thanks *Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks. The Brandon Conservatory Chorale board has asked the Brandon School Division (BSD) board of trustees to reconsider its request to allow three teachers to participate in a youth choir school tour in April. Read unlimited articles for free today: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. or Already have an account? Log in here » The Brandon Conservatory Chorale board has asked the Brandon School Division (BSD) board of trustees to reconsider its request to allow three teachers to participate in a youth choir school tour in April. With planning for the 2026 tour now underway at the Brandon University School of Music, the organization is seeking clarity on when the board anticipates reconsidering the request, chair Heidi Howarth stated in a letter to the school board. “We believe there are several compelling reasons for the board to reconsider this request,” she stated. “Other school divisions have approved similar requests without requiring teachers to use personal days, recognizing youth choir tours as legitimate extensions of music education and professional practice.” Howarth said the division approved the same request in April 2025, allowing all three directors to participate in the tour, while the Brandon Conservatory Chorale covered the costs of substitute teachers. The tour proceeded successfully and provided educational and artistic benefits to students across the community, she stated. Howarth said that participation in such tours has been supported in principle for more than 40 years and has formed part of a longstanding partnership between the division and the chorale. “A departure from that consistent historical practice warrants a clear rationale and a defined path forward,” she said. The organization, in a letter to the board, appreciated the opportunity to present its request on Nov. 24 regarding permission for the chorale’s music directors — who are also teachers in the division — to participate in the Brandon Conservatory Chorale Youth Choir school tour. Howarth said she was informed in December that the board of trustees’ Committee of the Whole discussed the request but declined it at that time due to substitute teacher availability. She said the matter would be revisited once the situation stabilized. The chorale has also secured funding to cover transportation costs for the 2026 tour, including booking a bus, and is prepared to cover all substitute teacher costs again so the division would not incur any financial burden, she stated. If substitute availability remains the main concern, Howarth said the organization is willing to work within divisional parameters by avoiding high-demand days such as Mondays and Fridays, arranging partial-day absences where possible and ensuring qualified substitutes are secured in advance in co-ordination with schools. She said the school tour is a meaningful extension of music education, student engagement and community outreach, providing high-quality choral performance opportunities for students. In her letter, Howarth asked whether the board would be prepared to approve the directors’ release in April 2026 if substitutes could be secured and all associated costs covered by the chorale. She also requested guidance on the timeline for reconsideration, the specific conditions that must be satisfied and whether substitute availability is the sole barrier to approval. During a recent board meeting, BSD board of trustees chair Linda Ross acknowledged receipt of the letter and suggested the matter be referred to the committee. Trustees agreed with the recommendation, and the request will be reviewed further at the committee level. » aodutola@brandonsun.com » X: @AbiolaOdutola Advertisement Advertise With Us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later Report Error Submit a Tip