UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
A Sound Investment: UCDSB Music Funds Enhance Schools

In June 2025, the UCDSB announced an investment of $500,000 in music education, providing schools with $2,000 to $19,000 each to enhance their music programs. Funds have been used to purchase and repair instruments, acquire audio equipment, and add resources to support music classes, choirs, musicals, plays, and other music-related clubs.

Below are some examples of how schools allocated the funds:

Chimo Elementary School (Smiths Falls)
The school expanded its already vibrant music program by purchasing a wide range of instruments including guitars, ukuleles, and recorders, and by launching its first-ever school musical. The school's production of Beauty and the Beast will involve more than 50 students from Grades 3-8. The school also continues to grow its extracurricular music culture, with active recorder and guitar ensemble clubs preparing performances for upcoming school events.

Swift Waters Elementary School (Brockville)
The school repaired and cleaned its existing 80 instruments and purchased new ones, including 35 ukulele kits, several band instruments, and new percussion instruments such as tone bars, ocean drums, rain sticks, and soprano xylophones. They also bought new print music and renewed their MusicplayOnline subscription.

South Branch Elementary School (Kemptville)
The school upgraded its audio equipment with new wireless microphones, a choir mic, and wired stage monitors to enhance performances. They added 25 tubano drums, new xylophones, hand drums, and various small percussion instruments, and repaired their existing djembe drums. A large Bluetooth speaker was also purchased to support music classes and events.

Maynard Public School (Prescott)
The school added new primary rhythm instruments, expanded its junior percussion instrument collection with xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels, hand drums, and jumbie jams, and upgraded the gym sound system with new microphones and speakers.