Parkland issues new marching orders
If freshmen want to take band class,
they'll have to march at football games and parades.
(Parkland School District is in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania,
West of Allentown, PA)
By Devon Lash, OF THE MORNING CALL
7:45 PM EST, February 16, 2011
Starting next fall, Parkland freshmen who sign up for concert band classes
will have to lace up their marching shoes as well.
Under a new policy, the high school will require students who wish to
continue studying drums, trumpets and other instruments in a concert band
class to commit to performing at Trojan football games,
Halloween parades and other events.
The mandate will begin with incoming freshmen in 2011-12,
meaning current students will be grandfathered into the existing policy,
which allows students to take band class
without having to perform on a marching field.
As part of the change, the elective course will carry one credit,
not a half-credit as is the case now.
Parkland says the change is being made to boost the marching band,
which now numbers about 40 students.
"Obviously, [our band] has fewer members than those at Liberty,
Easton and Freedom high schools," said Rich Sniscak, assistant superintendent.
"With a school of 3,200, the band should be more representative of school population."
But parents say the new rule is out of tune with past policies
that have encouraged kids to study music.
"The fact is students want band but not marching band,"
arent Jim Ondrey said. He was one of about a dozen people,
nearly all parents of eight-graders at Orefield Middle School,
who decried the new policy at the district's school board meeting Tuesday night.
Parents say the new rule will affect curriculum choices.
It will put an end to years of music lessons for students
who don't want to commit the extra time and effort it
takes to march at football games and parades, Ondrey said.
To allay parents' course concerns, incoming freshman who
want to fit marching band in with honors and other difficult
courses will get priority scheduling, said Superintendent Louise Donohue.
The band has also cut down on after-school rehearsals because a
survey showed the students' biggest complaint was the
commitment level required during non-school hours, Donohue said.
But parent Sharon Kennan argued that the new requirement is
removing all choice —
exactly what electives are meant to offer — from her daughter Tara.
"We've invested all this money in renting equipment and
now we don't have option to keep up the talent she learned," she said.
Summer practice camp, uniform upkeep and the Friday night
home-and-away football games are even more reasons
not to force kids into it, she said.
Ryan Muller, an eighth-grade trumpet player at Orefield,
said between working toward his Eagle Scout status in
Boy Scouts and planning fundraisers for his church's youth group,
he can't commit to the time needed outside of school for the marching band.
"I enjoy band, but I'm not signing up this year," he said.
The high school is prepared to lose a few musicians who
aren't happy with the new requirement.
"There's always a drop-off when they move into high school
simply because the world of electives opens up," Donohue said.
She also pointed out that with three-quarters of the freshman
scheduling already completed, 68 have signed up for marching band
that's more members than the current band has.
Though promising flexibility, the district is "firmly committed to making this work"
and bringing Parkland's marching band in line with
high schools and universities across the country, she said.
School board President Jayne Bartlett acknowledged
that the policy isn't making everyone happy.
"But I'm happy that we are actually discussing our band program
and how we are going to change our band program,
and not that we have to cut it," she said.
devon.lash@mcall.com" target="_blank
610-820-6613
Requiring concert band class students to join marching band
Pro:
•Could boost Parkland's marching band, which has 40 students from a school of about 3,200.
•Could bring up the overall quality of marching band.
Con:
•Hurts student who wants to take concert band class, but lacks time for marching band.
•Limits the electives a student can take.
Copyright © 2011, The Morning Call
What does the TNFJ think??
and I apologize if this the wrong section to post this story in.
