Jamestown community urges board to restore full‑time middle‑school band director as district outlines shared‑staffing plan

Community members, students and music‑program advocates turned out at the Jamestown Public School Board meeting on Monday, March 16 to press the district to restore a full‑time middle‑school band director and to criticize a pilot staffing model they said reduced students’ opportunities.

Multiple public speakers drew a direct line between stable, on‑site instructors and student outcomes. "We are attempting to cut a full time music instructor and combining middle school bands... which will lead to less skilled students, lower enrollment in our classes, and fewer outside opportunities for students," said Jacob Sherfy, a high‑school choir teacher who said the music staff had seen "zero clarity" about the district’s plans. Student Ethan Erickson told the board music gives him a sense of purpose and urged a solution that protects instruction: "I would not feel this way if not for the incredible directors and educators at the high school and middle school."

Why it matters: speakers from the Jamestown Public Schools Music Boosters, parents and alumni warned that lost middle‑school opportunities blunt the feeder pipeline to high school ensembles and extracurricular experiences. Several parents said middle‑school students missed events this spring because a shared‑staffing pilot left teachers pulled between buildings.

What the district says: Superintendent Dr. Lehi told the board his staff is not proposing elimination of music courses or student access. "We are not advocating, discussing, or planning around any music course reduction," he said, adding that the current debate is about how to staff offerings efficiently amid declining enrollment. Administration presented current music staffing as about 6.48 full‑time equivalent (FTE) positions and a proposed 6.68 FTE for 2026–27, with a suggested 0.7 FTE devotion to the middle‑school band role (this year’s pilot showed roughly 0.56 FTE devotion).

Board members pressed for more operational detail and historical context. Board member Dan Tweeden said treating the pilot year as a normal baseline is risky: "I don't think any of us would agree that this year has been a success," he said, and argued the board needs clear success metrics before relying on shared staffing again.

Next steps: the board directed further work in committee. The finance committee is scheduled to review fiscal implications at an upcoming meeting, and members discussed engaging the strategic‑planning committee for broader direction on program priorities. The administration said the middle‑school band position is posted and that staffing decisions remain subject to committee guidance and budget deliberations.

The meeting closed its open session after approving routine agenda items and scheduling an executive session on negotiations under North Dakota law.