Students will soon get to use their instruments to practice for their band and orchestra classes.

Starting Tuesday morning Marshalltown High School and Miller Middle School students will be able to get their musical instruments.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented students from accessing their musical instruments from the school since March.

“At Marshalltown High School instruments will be passed out from 9 a.m. to noon to high school students,” said Adam Sodders, Marshalltown Schools communications director.

Instruments will be handed out at Miller Middle School 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The instrument handout is another in a line of efforts by the Marshalltown School District to help students learn from home more effectively.

“Students do have music, lesson books and method books to keep them busy during the break,” said Margeret Williams, director of orchestras. “Even though our concerts may or may not be cancelled, we are still telling students to practice their music just to give them that opportunity to practice something.”

Handing out instruments is another way for students to learn the arts from home.

“It’s another way for schools to provide resources to students even though we’re not seeing the students like we would like to,” Sodders said.

The instruments are not all owned by the school.

“The instruments have various ownerships. Some of them are school-owned, some of them are rented from a music company –Schultz Strings or Rieman Music, for example and some of them are student-owned instruments,” Williams said.

When parents and students come to the school for the instruments social distancing should still be utilized.

The instruments will be handed outside the schools.

“One of the school’s music personnel will go inside and get the student’s instrument and bring it to the students and families outside,” Sodders said. “That’s part of maintaining safety.”

The school will have signs explaining the process outside and encourage students and families to wait in their cars.

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Contact Thomas Nelson at 641-753-6611 or tnelson@timesrepublican.com