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I have attended the previous two Claysburg-Kimmel School Board meetings in support of Matthew Stombaugh and to encourage the school board to keep a concert band director position.
The community, staff and students are throughly disappointed in the decision and the lack of communication and care about the issue which will cause a detrimental effect on the music program.
I am very proud to be Stombaugh's student, but I am not proud to be an alumna of a district that changes its education program against the best interest of its students.
At its last meeting, the school board stated that many hours of research were conducted and this "data" was used to make the decision.
I find it confusing and deceitful that this "data" was not directly referenced and no evidence of this "data" was provided to the community in any way, but used to make a weighted decision that hurt other people.
I am interested in seeing this data be available to the public.
Does the data include how many additional hours Maureen Lightner and Travis Leap will accrue on top of their schedules and how they will be compensated?
Has there been a communication line with the two other music program staff about their willingness in additional responsibilities?
Does the board plan to uphold its statements of "making the program even better" (including hiring a concert band director, a marching band director and a theatre director)? How could any program function better with less people dealing with more responsibility?
The district's decision does not make much sense. There is currently an open part-time marching band position listed, but these duties do not include concert band and are not listed on the job listing.
The board has stated there wasn't going to be an elimination of a position but its agenda for the evening had stated exactly that.
This disappointing vote has exposed that the board does not value a complete and well-rounded education, transparency and clear communication with the very taxpayers that voted them into these positions.
It is disheartening that the board's decision directly opposes the community's cries and ignores the voices of students and alumni.
The leadership and desire to want what is best for Claysburg's students has been questioned by the community because of the decision to hurt the music program. The board has let its community down.
I encourage the board to pursue remedial action toward this decision: conduct research on how its decision has negatively impacted the band program, communicate clearly with the community and care about the well-being of your staff.
The Claysburg-Kimmel area parents, students and alumni are turning their eyes to the school board in intense disappointment that our words have fallen on deaf ears.
I urge this decision be reconsidered for what's best for the students, and I hope the next decision as a board will take that into account.
Maggie Knisely
Claysburg
(The writer was the vice president of Claysburg-Kimmel's Class of 2020.)