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Ithaca native, Frank L. Battisti, will launch the sale of his most recent book, “The Best We Can Be”, the story of the Ithaca High School Band from 1955-1967. The event will take place at Borders Books, in the shops at Ithaca Mall, next to Best Buy, on Saturday, November 6, 2010, starting at 3:30pm. Mr. Battisti, a 1945 graduate of Boynton Middle School, 1949 graduate of Ithaca High School and 1953 graduate of Ithaca College, was the driving force, which created an unparalleled musical experience for participating students. The Ithaca High School Band was regarded as one of the crowning music achievements of instrumental music in the 20th century.

Please come meet Frank Battisti and co-writer, Bruce Musgrave at this special event!...(read more)

At the September 28, 2010 Board of Education meeting, board members voted to transfer $16,000 to fund the remaining extracurricular activity that had been cut from the 2010-2011 budget. The Ithaca High School and Lehman Alternative Community School musicals will be funded for this school year as a result of this vote. Previously, booster donations fully funded the cut fall extracurricular activity that had been cut. Thank you, Board of Education, and thank you community members!

Again, in 2018, Wynton Marsalis came to the ICSD. This time his visit was a result of the Cornell University Andrew D. White Professors at Large Program. Mr. Marsalis worked with the Jazz Band in a teaching session. This connection is an example of the facilitating community partnerships and maximizing other resources.

Original Visit:

On Friday, October 1, 2010, jazz musician Wynton Marsalis and his Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform a concert, “Jazz for Young People” for Ithaca City School District students in the renovated Kulp Auditorium at Ithaca High School. The concert, presented to middle and high school students, will focus on the history and importance of jazz....(read more)

Arts Alive donations have reached $6,000 by June 30. Donate now to double your gift. The Fine Arts Booster Group’s new Arts Alive Fund has received a challenge grant from an anonymous donor. The Arts Alive Fund Challenge, designed to support extracurricular arts activities in the Ithaca City School District, will match gifts from individuals and businesses, doubling the value of these gifts up to $10,000.

The Arts Alive Fund goal is to restore all secondary extracurricular and co-curricular programs at Ithaca High School, Lehman Alternative Community School, Boynton and DeWitt Middle Schools....(read more)