Middle Crowd Tells Board of Education: Don’t End Panther Marching Band

Herald reporter Harry B. Scheeler, Jr., contributed to this report
COURT HOUSE — A great civics lesson not written in a book.
That’s how Middle Township Board of Education member Andrew Melchiorre termed the Thur., June 17 board meeting that filled the Administration Building with irate pupils and parents.
Faced with $4.1 million less in its budget to fund the 2010-11 school year, and having already given pink slips to 34 teachers, including two music teachers, the board was chided over the rumored demise of the revered Panther Marching Band and the drama club.
A student presented the board with a petition bearing names of peers who want to be members of next year’s marching band. Similarly, another presented one on behalf of the drama club.
To cope with the loss in funding, the board had previously trimmed $200,000 from teachers’ Schedule B positions. Those are extra duty jobs for which teachers receive extra compensation.
According to Superintendent Michael Kopakowski, with the scope of reductions, the district seriously reviewed its music program from Pre-K to 12th grade. The district will continue to provide music programs that are required by the state, but they may not be what the students and public is used to getting.
“The music program that is offered today will be different than the one in September,” said Kopakowski.
Already gone from next year’s schedule is the Elementary No. 2 instrumental program.
Just the thought of not fielding a Tournament of Bands contingent from Middle Township brought Anna Ireland-Haig back to the room where, for many years, she sat as Dennis Township’s liaison to the Board of Education.
She told the board that many of her children went through the band, and that “Off the Line,” a tune played annually at Band Night at Memorial Field by all district and sending district musicians, was embedded in her mind.
“When I went anywhere (in the state) people knew three things about Cape May County, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, Middle Township High School Marching Band, and the County Park and Zoo,” said Ireland-Haig.
Board President Calvin Back sought to reassure the packed house, “The board is not taking a vote to do away with the band.” But he acknowledged some cuts would be made in the music program.
Back noted that the Schedule B positions and what may be done, will be discussed at the July 15 meeting.
Of those cuts, Melchiorre stated, “There isn’t a single board member who is happy about this. We will see how many of these things we can keep as possible.”
He acknowledged that not all learning done by students is confined to the classroom, and that “young people learn in different ways.”
After one of the students claimed the student body was “voiceless,” Melchiorre replied, “You aren’t really voiceless. Like the old Willie Nelson song, ‘You Are Always on My Mind,’” he added.
Kopakowski said he reviewed numbers of students who enrolled in the band program, and found only 16, 14 less than the 30 or more required to attain Group 1 status in the Atlantic Coast Tournament of Bands competition.
Students countered that they were discouraged from enrolling in the program by guidance counselors, who told them the program was being dissolved.
Kopakowski was then provided with a list of students interested in band membership. Some, however, desired to take it as an instructional course while others sought to join as an activity after school.
Through much of the 1980s and 1990s, the band, under guidance of director Richard Ludwig, now retired, repeatedly returned from competitions with first place honors. Practice for band members in those years began shortly after July 4, and continued in the evenings through summer and on weekends when school started. The drills were rigorous under Ludwig and Michael Russ, but the reward was great for participants and the community.
But numbers of interested players have dwindled, Ireland-Haig acknowledged. “I know there is a decreasing number from Dennis Township, and it’s been said we made up a third of the band and drama club. Overall, there is a malaise to the arts from Dennis Township.”
Kopakowski said the band director resigned, and part of the reason was lack of participation.
Board member Anthony Anzelone said he was concerned of rumors that the Guidance Department had told students the TOB program was not available next year. He also said many of the members had children or grandchildren who had gone through the T.O.B. and music program in the district.
Board member Dennis Roberts said the board received the band director’s resignation, and that it had searched “diligently” for a marching band director.
“We would love to see the band grow and prosper,” said Roberts, “We haven’t taken funding out of the music program.” He also said he had heard that “The days of the T.O.B. were over.”
Still, said Roberts, the board has the ability appoint a music teacher as band director.
Kopakowski said, “I want to put the rumors to rest. We are looking at a number of things. We have eliminated instrumental music at No. 2, eliminated the high school stage band and Middle School stage band. There is still music in each school. If a decision is made, we may attempt to reinstate, but as of today the stage band is out, and T.O.B. is in.
“Let me be perfectly clear. We had to cut $4.1 million from the budget. It is unrealistic to think T.O.B. can remain. T.O.B. is in, but we eliminated two (music) teachers. We cut Schedule B positions 50 percent, we cut $200,000,” he said.
Prior to the meeting, student Kristina DiGiacomo told the Herald, “I feel cutting the marching band is a big mistake. A lot of unimportant sports didn’t get cut, like tennis.”
Kaitlyn Donahue said, “I did band and color guard. The school had the longest reign of championships, 15, better than sports. Middle Township was known for its band. The ex-band director is very upset.”