Students and Parents Urge Pittsylvania County School Board to Fund Four Band Director Positions
Summary
Multiple students, parents and boosters urged the Pittsylvania County School Board to fund four new band‑director positions (one per middle school), arguing split roles would expand course offerings, reduce teacher workload and boost student retention.
Emily Shellhurst, a sophomore at Chatham High School and the school’s color‑guard captain, told the Pittsylvania County School Board on Dec. 9 that the county needs four new band‑teacher positions at middle schools so students are not forced to choose between music and advanced‑diploma coursework. “These 4 new positions are necessary because some high‑school students do not have ability in their schedule for the last block band class,” Shellhurst said, and she described growth at Chatham Middle School from “around 50” students to “almost a 100” since 2022–23.
The appeal was echoed by a string of students, parents and boosters. Jackson Hatcher, a freshman at Chatham High School, outlined sample schedules that would let a middle‑school director teach multiple grade bands while a high‑school director handled advanced classes and planning time. “These positions would significantly aid in the development of young musicians in Pennsylvania County,” Hatcher said, urging the board to consider dedicated middle‑ and high‑school directors.
Parent and youth‑development professional Jody Kazee framed the request as an investment beyond music. Citing national youth‑investment research, Kazee said “every dollar that’s invested in a youth involved in any program...returns about $9.80 into their future,” and urged the board to coordinate public and private support for the positions.
Lenny Kizzee, who works on the district’s livestream and security systems and is a parent, said the middle‑school director can be a program “secret weapon,” giving examples from neighboring districts where separate middle‑school staffing improved continuity and retention. Band parent Brian James, who represents Dan River students, described existing directors as “stretched thin” covering multiple schools and said splitting roles could help retain staff and grow programs.
Board members thanked speakers for their comments and noted funding constraints. The chair encouraged the public to contact local board supervisors and district representatives about funding priorities, and acknowledged that expanding staff would require capital from an already tight budget.
What happens next: Speakers asked the board to consider the request during upcoming budget discussions. The board did not take a formal vote on adding band positions at this meeting.
