District trying to fill vacant posts
By MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-HeraldJOHNSTOWN - The Greater Johnstown School District Board of Education had hoped to appoint new directors to the district's winter guard and jazz band Thursday night, but board President Robert Curtis says he's now only "cautiously optimistic" the positions will be filled for this school year.
Curtis this morning had no comment when asked whether he thinks the district made a mistake in relieving music teacher Daniel Jones from those positions.
Jones was stripped of those directorships, as well as the Johnstown High School marching band directorship, July 23. District officials have not stated publicly why he was let go.
Jones has since been named an unpaid assistant for the marching band, but the winter guard and jazz band are still without directors.
Curtis expressed hope a couple weeks ago that the board would be able to fill the positions at its meeting Thursday night at Glebe Street Elementary School. But the board made many other personnel appointments without naming the two music directors.
"We advertised for the positions," Curtis said. He said internal personnel in the district's Music Department all turned down the appointments.
The board president said the color guard position is especially tough to fill because so few people are qualified to hold the director's position.
Board members previously approved the co-curricular staff appointment of James Morton as the marching band director for $2,856.
The stripping of Jones caused considerable community backlash. The board did say in July it investigated how a Johnstown High School Wind Ensemble trip Feb. 10 to New York City to play at Carnegie Hall was paid for.
Two more speakers from the public addressed the board Thursday night about the situation.
Robin Kane, president of the Johnstown Music Support Group, said the field band recently performed the "National Anthem" at its own home at Johnstown High School, but nothing else to compete.
She said there were tears in the eyes of students in the band, many of whom were seniors and had been in the program under Jones' directorship for the past seven years.
Kane said JHS has gone from a "top 100 music school" to dwindling representation at the last marching band show. She said the decision to relieve Jones of his duties has in effect ended the district's extracurricular music program for 2009-2010.
Another speaker, Corrina Pelkey, read a statement referring several times to "second chances." She said Jones should be given that because he was that kind of person.
"He gives parents, student and staff second chances," she said.
To abolish the programs or call on other directors only hurts students at JHS, said Pelkey, an assistant drill instructor.
"He truly isn't as replaceable as you think," she said of Jones.
Another recent public speaker to the board, Penny Brink, said the music program needs to move ahead even though the other two directorships haven't been filled yet.
She said the district's Music Department has worked hard to put in student recommendations for tryouts for the JHS Winter Guard, which are supposed to occur in October.
She said if the district waits too long, the competition season will pass by.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.
|
Joseph
|
|
|---|---|
|
10-04-09 8:51 AM
|
Hey uzreason The Public deserves the right to know why someone was removed. I am not talking about specifics but they are allowed to supply a general reason. He is still in the school district working so whatever he did it could not have been too bad but that would just be my mind wondering. BTW, I don't live in your town or even your county so I can not run for school board. I suppport my school board and sit on other Boards in my county so I know what I am talking about. The reason I am commenting her is that I support Band and Winter Guard and to remove someone with all of that talent and no explaination at all is WRONG. If he did something wrong then so be it, remove him but don't bring him back as an unpaid support person. What the heck is that all about.
|
|
PatriciaL
|
|
|
10-02-09 9:35 PM
|
No ButterscotchBaggins are you kidding me?? Did you read the last article appointing Mr. Morton? If you read it, are you smart enough to read in between the lines? They said the board will be keeping an eye on, who works with the band, finances, etc.. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together. So did you read my last comment, where was Mr. Jones the night of the show. Certainly not supporting the kids and parents who supported him! Shame on him!! So it appears he is not he Messiah that these supporters say his is!
|
|
MadAmerican
|
|
|
10-02-09 6:26 PM
|
When did Robert Curtis become superintendent?oops thats right he's not yet he serves as a spokesperson for the JBOE.Strange.This 'leaderless" school district needs to rid itself of Sullivan.Time for her to turn her papers in and collect the outrageous pension she has been waiting for.
|
|
ButterscotchBaggins
|
|
|
10-02-09 6:00 PM
|
PatriciaL, Are you serious? After all the BOE has done to him?
|
|
PatriciaL
|
|
|
10-02-09 5:19 PM
|
One would wonder why the band did not perform at their show. They have Mr. Jones as an unpaid advisor, guess that was not good enough. Funny is he didn't bother to show up, he told a few of the parents that he was just too embarrassed. Guess his motive was not just for the kids or he would have been there! Open your eyes people he may not be the man you think he is!!! You parents that supported him seemed pretty mad that he did not show up that Saturday. Looks like he wasn't there to support your kids like you supported him! If this isn't eye opening for you people I don't know what is!!
|
|
Sparky
|
|
|
10-02-09 2:37 PM
|
I agree with uzreason. I doubt the BOE removed a successful and popular director, brought about a lot of criticism of themselves, and generally made their own lives harder just to be mean-spirited. That just seems unlikely. My guess is that their was some sort of incident and the BOE made the decision they felt was right given the situation. The BOE can't defend themselves because it is a personnel matter. Without all the facts, it's hard to say if the decision was a good one or too harsh, but I'm willing to give the BOE the benefit of the doubt.
|
|
FactOrFiction
|
|
|
10-02-09 2:19 PM
|
District trying to fill vacant post..RIGHT. The best person for the job is DAN JONES.. I bet he is ready and abel to start right away..But the BOE would have to eat Crow!And admitt they where wrong!
|
|
uzreason
|
|
|
10-02-09 1:58 PM
|
You're right, we may never (and should never) know because it is a personnel matter. By law it can not be aired publically. If they did, and got sued, you'd be yelling how dumb they are for making it public. I do find it hard to believe that "their ego's" are the reason. Want to make a difference...run for the BOE.
|
|
stockqueen
|
|
|
10-02-09 1:29 PM
|
I agree Disco....they do not do what's right for the children, they do what fits their ego's. Sad situation!
|
|
Discobulous
|
|
|
10-02-09 1:21 PM
|
It's no wonder. Who would want to work for a bunch of charlatans like that board?
|
|
Joseph
|
|
|
10-02-09 1:08 PM
|
Winter Guard and Marching Band are very specific positions and not just anyone can fill them. You had a very qualified person in those positions. He had Johnstown on the Map when it came to Winter Guard. Johnstown and Shen were mentioned in teh same sentence regarding Winter Guard. Even Drum Corps new about Johnstown Winter Guard. I hope the Board realizes they have Killed a great thing in Johnstown and over what? We may never know!!!
|