Music, arts and enrichment programs in the Island schools are on the block for downsizing as the Vineyard schools superintendent tries to craft a budget for the coming year with little or no increase over last year.

And if the 2011 $3.5 million shared services budget for fiscal year 2011 unveiled last week is approved by the All-Island School Committee, the elementary strings program will be first in line for cuts.

“Somewhere between a third to a half of the children in this program are going to have to stop playing,” said full-time strings program instructor Nancy Jephcote in an interview yesterday. The strings program provides lessons for over 200 elementary school children on the violin, viola and cello.

At an All-Island school committee meeting last week Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss mapped out cuts and spending reductions that are aimed at keeping his budget the same as last year.

“While none of the local towns has officially requested a zero budget increase, I believe that is the general sentiment on the Island,” Mr. Weiss wrote in a memorandum that accompanied his draft budget last week.

But the budget is not all cuts and level funding. Mr. Weiss is proposing an addition of $8,500 to pay for an Islandwide school physician, a new position, and a total of over $100,000 in salaries for two new assistant positions. One is for a staff member to join the Bridge Program at the Edgartown School for children with autism. The other is for Project Headway, an all-Island public preschool program that operates out of the West Tisbury School. Other budget increases can be tracked to health care costs and contractual salary obligations.

“That’s almost all stuff that’s unavoidable,” said school committee chairman Dan Cabot this week.

To counter the additional costs, the superintendent has suggested cutting expenses for a number of arts and music programs. In total, music programming would lose close to $60,000, and two positions would be eliminated altogether. The strings program would lose a half-time teacher and a program assistant, leaving only one teacher to run the program, which has grown by over 100 students in the last decade.

Ms. Jephcote said schools might be willing to try to cover the $2,000 payment for the strings program assistant, Carol Loud, through fund-raising efforts, but that it would be impossible to pay the salary of half-time teacher Chelsea Pennebaker. If they lose Ms. Pennebaker, the program capabilities will shrink immediately. The greatest impact, she said, will be on the children. “I think the biggest reason to keep the strings [program] is because the kids really want it,” Ms. Jephcote said. “They want it so much that they are missing recess [to participate].” She suggested another consideration should be the long-term benefits of music instruction. “You can find a lot of test results that tell you that kids who study music are brain-enhanced,” she said.

Ms. Jephcote said the school system on the Vineyard is overwhelmed by budget pressures, much as in other off-Island communities suffering the effects of the economic recession. “These programs are being slashed everywhere and they have been for some time. This is also why the system feels justified in doing this. But our community has never marched to the same drum as far as I know,” she said, adding: “The performing arts matter here in a way that they don’t matter in other communities.” Ms. Jephcote said it is important for parents to get involved. The next school committee meeting is set for Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. “Time is of the essence,” she said. “Come to the meeting so the school committee will vote against the superintendent’s proposal.”

Under the current plan, music would not be the only area to suffer from cuts. The plan calls for eliminating support for the Yard dance program in the schools and also for Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, which provides natural history programs and instruction. The total amount of money at stake is $13,500.

Other suggested cuts include reducing the work hours for the coordinator of the English as a second language program from full-time to half-time, although it is unclear if this will be allowed under state rules. The cut would result in $26,800 in savings. A financial assistant position would also see reduced work hours, resulting in a savings of over $20,000.

Even athletics would see a reduction, albeit a small one, if the superintendent’s proposal is approved. The proposal would eliminate a $571 stipend given to the athletic director who coordinates elementary athletic programs for Island schools.

Miscellaneous expense reductions account for another $18,500 in savings. In total, the proposed reductions would amount to savings of close to $130,000, which would still leave the superintendent’s budget about $20,000 up over last year.

Reached by telephone yesterday, Mr. Weiss said he asked the school committee to think about the repercussions. “You have to consider it carefully,” he said, relaying his message to committee members. “If you cut these dollars, which you may have to do, there is going to be a significant impact to the kids and the services we provide.”

Mr. Cabot agreed. “I think the cuts are tough. I would hate to make them,” he said, adding: “This is a tough year.”