Parents and students urge Carteret County to fund assistant band director at West Carteret High
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Summary
Students, parents and booster leaders told the Carteret County Board of Education on Jan. 6 that West Carteret High School’s band—reported at roughly 153–160 students—needs an assistant director for safety, supervision and to sustain program quality; speakers asked the board to prioritize the position in the 2026–27 budget.
Students, parents and booster leaders urged the Carteret County Board of Education on Jan. 6 to fund an assistant band director for West Carteret High School, saying one director cannot safely or sustainably supervise an ensemble of more than 150 students.
Dylan Reed, junior drum major, told the board the band now serves "over a 160 students" and said the workload falls on a single director: "Funding a second band director is not about fixing a problem. It is about protecting and sustaining success," he said.
Emily Golightly, secretary of the West Carteret High School Band Boosters, told trustees that marching band is "a physically demanding, high risk activity" and that "1 person cannot monitor heat illness, injuries, equipment, instruction, and student emergencies all at the same time." She added that band "keeps kids connected" and cited research linking music participation to higher grades and attendance.
Christina Fulcher, president of West Carter Bands and Ensembles Boosters, said the program serves "exactly a 153 students" under one director and called the staffing model "not sustainable," arguing that underfunding and understaffing cause opportunities to disappear and equity to suffer.
Lita Cunningham, vice president of the boosters, told the board that the director, Andy Wright, has on three occasions had to tend a single student emergency while leaving the rest of the class under student leadership: "This is not safe and it's not sustainable," she said, urging the board to "put these needs at the top of your list."
Speakers asked the board to consider the request ahead of the 2026–27 budget process. Board staff announced a public-input opportunity on the 2026–27 budget for Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at 6 p.m. at 107 Seyfert Drive in Beaufort.
The meeting record shows several public comments but does not include a board decision on adding an assistant director; the budget and staffing request will be considered during upcoming budget deliberations.