McAuliffe Assumes Role of Assistant Principal of Music and Art

Following the retirement of former Assistant Principal (AP) of Art, Music, and Technology Dr. Raymond Wheeler, AP of World Languages Francesca McAuliffe will be taking on an additional role as the interim AP of Art and Music for the 2019-2020 school year.

McAuliffe’s new position as AP of Art and Music was finalized over the summer. Though she has taken on the responsibility of overseeing two departments, McAuliffe credits the staff of the music department with making the transition as smooth as possible. “I do have a lot of help. I’m definitely not doing it on my own. Music teacher Liliya Shamazov is doing a tremendous job with the choir and letting me know what the needs are there, and [I also get help from] music teachers Dr. Gregor Winkel, Joseph Tamosaitis, Harold Stephan—the entire Music Department,” she said.

Principal Eric Contreras shared how appointing McAuliffe as the new interim AP of the Art and Music Department was intuitive. “I think there's a very strong intersection between culture and art and music and language. That is a natural alignment,” Contreras said.

Contreras also explained his decision to not hire a new AP for the Art and Music Department. “I believe that the most meaningful intersection when it comes to students is in the classroom,” he said. “In principle, I can hire another administrator and there's value in that. But I think there's greater value in keeping your resources in the classroom level.”

Despite being initially hired as the AP of World Languages, McAuliffe actually minored in dramatic arts in college. “I’ve always loved music. And I love to sing—you can ask any family member. I’m always singing at home [and] in the shower,” she said. While McAuliffe does not consider herself a musician, she finds herself impressed and inspired by the music scene at Stuyvesant. “I hope to continue to contribute to the success of students who are artistic,” she said.

McAuliffe considers the new responsibility a demonstration of trust between herself, her students, and the administration. “I think that when you’re asked to do more, it means that there’s a lot of trust in the fact that you’re doing your job well to date,” she said. “I love challenges, so though it’s more people to connect with on a daily basis and more students to supervise, I get to know more about what’s going on in the school.”

While McAuliffe is optimistic, the change in administration has spurred concern from students. “A lot of [Stuyvesant’s] reputation is based on the quality of our STEM programs, but that means that a lot of the funding and attention gets diverted to the STEM programs,” senior Sara Stebbins said. “Being an arts and humanities person, I’ve become incredibly territorial of the state of the humanities and particularly the state of arts and music at Stuyvesant, simply because much of the student body refuses to respect it.”

Stebbins continued, “Dr. Wheeler was at least always there and I think that was very important to the communication and sense of communication among the music department people. [...] It is important to have someone who is actively involved with music at Stuy[vesant].”

Senior Camilla Green also commented on Stuyvesant’s imbalance between STEM and humanities programs. “There’s definitely respect for [the music department] that’s missing,” Green said. “If you’re a student who cares about the music department on any level, it’s demoralizing enough to hear that from your peers, but when you hear it from your administration in the form of them not wanting to provide you with an AP for a full department of the school, it validates all of the demoralizing things people have said about these classes not mattering. It validates all of the sentiments that music and art classes don’t matter.”

Junior Alisha Heng shares a similar outlook with Stebbins and Green. “I feel [that] Stuy[vesant] should invest in a new Music and Art AP or let one of the already existing music teachers be the AP because putting three departments in the hands of one AP will not work out very well in the long term,” she said. “The music and art departments play a crucial part in our talented student body and these students shouldn’t be neglected because Stuy[vesant] is being cheap.”

Despite strong concerns voiced by students, both the administration and staff look forward to maintaining and expanding the Arts and Music Department. “I place tremendous value in the growth of the arts and have been contemplating a music class in the future where we start intersecting high tech with traditional music,” Contreras said.

McAuliffe has plans for this possibility of integrating technology and music. “We’re hoping to secure funds to create a recording studio in the school. It would be something that the students would have access to, as well as other students in the city,” she said. “Last year, I heard there was success with the students who were writing their own music and composing different pieces. I’d like to see more of that—more of student-created and student-driven works regarding art and music.”

McAuliffe also encourages students to voice their ideas for the Arts and Music Department. “Please come to room 502 and let me know. Please let your teachers know. I know the staff here is very receptive to making the Stuy[vesant] experience as useful, as relevant, [and] as real as it can be for students,” she said.