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Parents, band staff urge board to restore $100,000 for marching uniforms as students, alumni cite program growth
Summary
Multiple speakers asked the East Penn board to restore a roughly $100,000 allocation for new Emmaus High School marching band uniforms and to increase funding for music programs; board members acknowledged the need but said budget constraints mean the expense will be reviewed in June.
Several parents, teachers and students urged the East Penn School District board Monday to restore about $100,000 to the 2025–26 budget to buy new Emmaus High School marching band uniforms and increase funding for music programs.
“Approving the marching band uniform is not just a logistical necessity. It's a clear, tangible first step in a much longer journey of supporting the music and arts programs in East Penn,” said Spencer Copenol, the new band director at Emmaus (as stated at the meeting). Jeff Schreck, longtime assistant band director and educator, told the board the current uniforms were ordered in 2013 and the program risks being at capacity without replacements.
Community details: parent Brian Wesner said the band has 99 usable uniforms and next year’s numbers are projected to top 90; he urged the board to “reconsider the hundred k for the band, putting it back into the budget.” Students and parents said band participation supports college scholarships and local reputation: Wesner noted former students who received marching‑band scholarships and named colleges where alumni now participate.
Board reaction and budget context: board members expressed strong support but cautioned the district’s budget is tight. “In the grand scheme of a budget near $200 million, $100,000 doesn’t sound like a lot. But because this is very tight, it is going to take some analysis and finagling to try and bring that back into the fold,” the chair said during discussion; the district will continue to examine the request as it finalizes its budget on June 9. Several board members highlighted the program’s growth and the time needed to order and manufacture uniforms (estimated six to nine months).
Broader music funding concerns: two Emmaus High School juniors, Harrison Jeannette and Cameron Bauer, presented findings that the district’s band, chorus and orchestra share $18,000 in direct program funding and that transportation for PMEA events is about $10,000; they urged more equitable funding for orchestra and chorus and said music participation boosts academic outcomes. The board acknowledged the students’ research and community support and said it will weigh the uniform request alongside other budget priorities.
No formal board action on the uniforms was taken Monday; the board will consider budget changes at its June 9 meeting.
