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Armstrong Middle School teacher urges board to consider larger solution for auditorium
Summary
Joe Marlow, an Armstrong Middle School music teacher, told the board the school's auditorium is too small and landlocked, warning renovations alone may reduce seating below 300 and urging trustees to "do this right" to provide adequate performance and assembly space.
Joseph Marlow, an Armstrong Middle School music and theater teacher with more than 25 years in the district, spoke during public participation about the inadequacy of the Armstrong auditorium.
Marlow said the auditorium cannot accommodate combined concerts or full student ensembles and that adding the sixth grade increased pressure on seating and stage space. He told the board a renovation could actually reduce seating to fewer than 300 once ADA and code upgrades are addressed because the auditorium is landlocked and cannot be expanded. "If we renovate, I'm sure we will lose seats to bring up the code and make it ADA accessible, and this would likely leave us with less than 300 seats," Marlow said.
Marlow urged trustees to consider a long-term solution rather than a renovation that would leave the school undersupplied, arguing the building is used by students year-round for concerts, inductions and awards and deserves comparable resources to other district schools. He said current limitations have forced concerts to be scheduled on multiple nights and to limit tickets for families.
The board heard Marlow's comments as part of public participation and did not take a formal vote on a facilities plan at the meeting. The next board meeting was scheduled for March 16, 2026.
