Parents urge Mount Pleasant Area SD to grandfather eighth-graders after curriculum change affecting marching band

Two parents used the public-comment portion of the Jan. 7 Mount Pleasant Area School District board meeting to ask the board to revisit a recent curriculum change that they say affects marching-band students.

A public commenter said she had emailed board members about the change in advance but received only one read receipt and felt families were blindsided. She said the change differs from the way band was run previously and expressed concern for concert- and marching-band students navigating a difficult year under a new instructor. “I am still concerned for the band students… I would love to have a conversation,” she said.

A second parent reinforced that request and urged the board to grandfather eighth-graders so they can continue participating in marching band at the high-school level. The commenter argued that treating marching band as a senior-high extracurricular while excluding eighth-graders who have been participating this year could reduce future participation: “This decision to combine them is not going to build your numbers. It's going to decrease them.” The parent also asked whether the recently approved maintenance truck could be used to replace a deteriorating van the marching band currently uses to tow a trailer, and promoted an upcoming band fundraiser.

Board members did not announce any immediate change during the meeting. The public comment record shows parents asking for further conversation with the administration and clearer communication about how the curriculum change will be implemented for current students and future classes.