The Pacific Beach Middle School music program is nearly halfway through its first year as a full-time program. John O’Donnell, instrumental music director, was brought on last year as a part-time music teacher. But with the support of school administrators, parents and the dedication of students, he started full-time with an expanded program for the 2010-11school year. The program’s success has been visible to the community. Most recently, school band members played in the Pacific Beach Holiday Parade on Dec. 11 and performed during the Crystal Pier Tree Lighting festivities Dec. 5. “We are trying to put our programs out in front of the community so they see us,” O’Donnell said. O’Donnell’s goal is to build the music program into a steadfast reason for students to attend the school, since the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) is a school-choice district. “It’s very soon going to become more than a full-time program,” O’Donnell said. The momentum for the program continues to build from a May 21 gold win for the Pacific Beach Middle School Intermediate Band at the Forum Music Festival in Orange County. O’Donnell is hopeful that January will bring the start of a new after-school jazz band program. Currently, Mission Bay High School boasts its well-known Dixieland Jazz Band. The goal would be to prepare students for the high school program with skills gained at the middle school level. Middle school music programs provide students with the opportunity to explore music prior to beginning high school. Students are more willing to take risks and develop musical skills at a younger age, O’Donnell said. Among the program offerings are a seventh- and eighthgrade beginning band program, a seventh- and eighth-grade strings program, and a sixth-grade strings program. Music education enhances brain development, confidence and social skills for its students, O’Donnell said. The sixth-grade programs for strings and band are the most popular right now, O’Donnell said. The classes have 35 students each. Instruments for the program are provided by the school, students who rent their own or by the nonprofit group the Community Council for Music in the Schools, which supplies students with low cost rentals of refurbished instruments. O’Donnell, himself, tracked down instruments no longer needed for other programs in the SDUSD and secured them for his students. O’Donnell said the support from the community and parents is most impressive. “We have a great community of parents here,” O’Donnell said. “If we didn’t have the parent community that we have, this would not be here.” For more information about upcoming performances, visit www.sandi.net/pbmiddle.