CLARKS SUMMIT — Cathy Capwell, co-president of the Abington Heights Band Booster Club, voiced her concerns regarding changes to the high school marching band program during a regular meeting of the Abington Heights School Board July 19.
Former marching band director Eric Boylan, has been transferred from the high school to the middle school to replace Denise Searfoss who retired, and has chosen not to return to the position he held since 2013.
Jake Arnold was approved by members of the school board as the school’s new marching band director during a meeting June 28.
Dana Cerminaro and Allison Covell will serve as the two classroom band directors.
“Since the consolidation of the music department, the marching band program has been in limbo,” Capwell said. “Our children are going from one director for both marching and concert band to a total of three directors, one marching and two classroom directors.”
Capwell said she, along with several parents and students, met with Cerminaro and Covell to ask questions about the future of the program.
“We were assured they would work seamlessly, not only with each other but also with the marching band director to ensure the children’s music education would be the number one focus,” Capwell said. “They explained their intention to partner together for concerts and support the marching band program by providing instructional time in the classroom to work on marching band music.”
During the meeting, Capwell also stated she was informed the teachers’ union would not allow Cerminaro and Covell to spend any instructional time on marching band music in the classroom.
When reached for comment following the meeting, Abington Heights Education Association (AHEA) President Tim Moher called the claim “completely unfounded.”
Abington Heights School Board President Cathy Ann Hardaway announced members of the district’s negotiating committee met with AHEA members July 18 to work on details for a new teachers’ contract.
The AHEA and Abington Heights School Board voted in September 2014 to approve a state mediator’s proposal for a new teachers’ contract, which is in effect through Aug. 31. The teachers’ union set a strike date of Sept. 12.
According to Hardaway, the sides have met seven or eight times since January, with a state mediator, and have one or two more meetings scheduled for August.
“Throughout the summer months, we are committed to negotiations,” she said. “We’re doing everything to stay at the table and discuss proposals made by each side. Salary and medical (benefits) are always the two major issues in negotiating and continue to be so.”
Moher feels both parties are working diligently toward a deal, but are not close to reaching an agreement at this point.
“We’re still exchanging information,” he said. “We’re having good discussions, but we still remain pretty far apart. We have a lot of work to do before Sept. 12.”
Members of the Abington Heights School Board will hold a work session meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at the district’s administration building, 200 E. Grove St., Clarks Summit and a regular meeting at the same time and place Aug. 16.
