Parents, teachers and students urge Rossville Con School District to keep full-time band teacher
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Summary
At a Rossville Con School District board meeting, parents, teachers and students urged the board to avoid converting the full-time band teacher to a part-time role, citing program sustainability and student belonging; a board member asked Superintendent Dr. Hanaway to review the position for next year.
Public commenters — including the fine arts department chair, teachers and several students — pressed the Rossville Con School District board on Tuesday to preserve a full-time band teacher position that administration has proposed moving to part time.
Jason Newhouse, the district’s fine arts department chair and RCTA association president, said programs "are not built in a single year" and urged the board to invest in consistency, visibility and recruitment rather than treating staffing as the sole problem. "With intentional support, clear expectations, and collaboration, I really believe we can strengthen and sustain programs like band moving forward," Newhouse said.
Aubrey Buck, a parent and current teacher, framed the proposed cut as part of a pattern of eliminating opportunities that do not fit the district’s dominant pathways. Buck told trustees that converting band to part time would make it harder for students who rely on the arts for connection and development.
Jordan Bugg, choir director and parent, warned that a part-time hire would leave students without timely support for routine needs such as instrument repair and one-on-one guidance, and that the lack of continuity could depress enrollment over time. "Finding somebody to take a part-time position with such a high demand of time and effort will be extremely difficult," he said.
Several students also spoke. A middle-school student said band had become a "family" and described the program as a place where students who felt different found belonging. Mackenzie, a senior, said arts programs were "more than just a class" and expressed concern for younger students who might lose access to inclusive opportunities.
After public comment, the board approved routine personnel items. During that discussion, a board member asked Superintendent Dr. Hanaway to review the band position to determine whether it could be restored to full time next year. Board members voiced support for looking into options but did not adopt an immediate policy change or vote specific to the band position at the meeting.
The board will meet next on May 5; the superintendent's review was the most recent procedural step recorded in the meeting.
Ending: The board took no formal vote on the band position at the meeting; public commenters urged further consideration and the superintendent was asked to examine the staffing decision.
