PATTON — A few concerned parents and students addressed the Cambria Heights School Board during a meeting Tuesday night regarding the future of the elementary school’s music education program.

According to Superintendent Ken Kerchenske, the elementary school has two music teacher positions, one for general music and one for instrumental instruction.

Andrea Mulligan, the former general music teacher, resigned from the district earlier in the school year, according to Kerchenske, who said Mulligan’s position was replaced by a long-term substitute for the remainder of the year.

District resident Rhonda Wendekier asked the board what their plan is regarding the vacancy and questioned why it hasn’t been posted yet. She said she is concerned over a possible reduction in the elementary school’s music department and noted many residents think highly of the district’s music program.

“We predict that this will be the beginning of the end of one of the very best music programs in our area,” Wendekier said. “We cannot short this department or we’re not going to have what we have.”

Nicole Farabaugh, another parent, said she has the same concerns as Wendekier and was “just looking for an answer” Tuesday night.

Kerchenske said the district hasn’t advertised any of its vacant teaching positions yet, and at the end of every school year, he has to look at how the district’s vacancies and staffing levels are compared to enrollment projections for upcoming school years.

The biggest class at Cambria Heights currently is the senior class with 118 students in it, Kerchenske said, adding the incoming kindergarten class has 74 enrollees, a reduction in the student population of 44 students from the previous year.

Kerchenske said there are other teachers who are retiring at the end of the school year, and he has to make the same recommendation of whether or not to replace them. He doesn’t make those decisions lightly, he said at the meeting.

Wendekier asked Kerchenske to look into other avenues if the music department is “on the chopping block,” noting she has two children in the district and wants the program to remain as it is for the future of Cambria Heights.

“Please don’t weaken one of the best programs Cambria Heights has going,” she said.

After the meeting, Kerchenske said he would never propose cutting the district’s general music program and suggested there are other options being considered to continue the class in the future.

Two current students also addressed the board during the meeting and shared how their early years of music education encouraged them to pursue music as an extracurricular activity at the district.

Board member Russell Miller said there haven’t been any backroom decisions “or anything like that” made by the board.

Unfortunately, Miller said, not replacing the position is an option being considered by the board. “But it’s not a done deal,” he said.

“You have to have to have those tough conversations,” Miller said, noting it’s great to have input from constituents in the community.

“I commend you all for coming in to talk because it helps guide the discussion,” he said.

Kerchenske encouraged a group of about a dozen parents who attended the meeting to call his office with any of their concerns.

“Ultimately, we can’t give you answers to questions right now except I have to make recommendations at budget time,” Kerchenske said to the parents before they left the meeting after the public comment period ended.

Kerchenske also encouraged parents to contact their local state representatives to advocate for cyber charter school reform.

According to Kerchenske, the district pays about $14,000 for every regular education student in outside cyber charter schools. He said the district pays for about 40 students to attend outside charter schools, and if an $8,000 tuition limit were to pass in reforms, the district could immediately allocate that funding for other purposes.

In other business, the board scheduled its budget and finance meeting to discuss the 2025-26 budget for 6:30 p.m. May 6 in the high school library.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.