Parents press board to preserve middle‑school jazz band; district says program will continue

Two parents used the public‑comment period to urge the board to preserve the middle‑school jazz program, saying the ensemble provides critical enrichment and a safe extracurricular option for students.

“Katie Watkins Langley, a parent of a middle‑school jazz band trumpet player, said the program is ‘vitally important to the growth of our middle‑school musicians’ and that students would be ‘heartbroken if the opportunity does not exist.’”

Joel Barry, another parent, told the board that the middle‑ and high‑school band programs are award‑winning and argued that cutting the middle‑school jazz band would remove an important place for students who are not drawn to sports or other activities.

Dr. Mosha, a district administrator, responded directly to those concerns, saying, “we're not cutting middle school jazz band… the position is not going away,” and explained that the jazz program operates as a before‑school club with a negotiated stipend under the teachers’ contract. She said that if the current teacher chose not to continue the district would recruit a replacement.

The board and administration also noted program adjustments at the elementary level: fifth‑grade band responsibilities were cited as an area with a staffing reduction, and administrators said students at elementary grades will still receive music instruction through other specials. The district said contract language and staffing logistics inform how club stipends and assignments are managed.

Separately, administration described plans to engage ASB student leaders in budgeting next school year and said the district will work with student representatives to allocate ASB funds once September starting balances are finalized.