Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 5, 2013
Midland Park
Parents of Midland Park High School band members want to make sure long distance trips taken by band members in previous years will be offered next school year as well. David Opderbeck of Smith Lane asked the board of education last week what was holding up approval for the marching band to compete in the New York State Field Band Championship in Syracuse in the fall and for the
Parents urge speedier approval of music trips
concert band to travel to Anaheim, California in February. The Syracuse trip is scheduled for the Carrier Dome on Oct. 24 to 28. The California trip on Feb. 21-26 would follow the weeklong winter break set for Feb. 17-21. Susan Opderbeck said that in the past the board had approved the trips in March. “Why not this year? The kids think the trip is tentative,” she said. “If they don’t go to Syracuse, why belong to the band at all,” she added. “It’s a big deal for them. You should never underestimate how hard they work. They look forward to Syracuse. It’s like a tournament for sports,” David Opderbeck said. He asked board members to ask him at the meeting all the questions they had so there would be no further delays. Board President William Sullivan explained after the meeting that board members must abide by a code of ethics that, among other things, requires them to “make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of children”. “We also must ‘refuse to surrender our independent judgment to special interest groups’ when we make these decisions. If a board member has questions, or needs more information on an item that the administration moves for a vote on the agenda, they have a responsibility to seek those answers from the Chief School Administrator,” Sullivan said. Board Vice President Sandra Criscenzo, who chairs the curriculum committee, said board members had had questions which needed to be answered before approval could be given. She said the item would be on the board’s June 4 agenda. Trustee Tim Thomas said board members wanted to know why the students should go to California when they have New York City with unbelievable events only 40 minutes away. He said trustees also questioned the time out of school and whether some students would be precluded from participating because of the cost. Criscenzo
said similar questions come up every year. “The trip doesn’t sit well with every board member,” said trustee Robert Schiffer. “Participants need to be held accountable.” Parent Sharon Moran of Park Avenue said the California trip is of “enormous value to our program.” “The kids work really hard. They are worried they won’t receive their reward,” said Moran, noting that the program builds self esteem for children who are not into sports. The concert band’s program in California includes attendance at a public concert, a recording session, a clinic with a composer at the University of Southern California and a clinic about the history of California. “It’s always good to see residents, and in this case a parent group, come to board meetings to express their opinions about school issues. The board of education recognizes the importance of co-curricular activities in developing well rounded individuals and improving their chances of acceptance into colleges and universities,” said Sullivan, noting that board members are some of the most active supporters of these programs and the “feeder” programs that generate interest within the student population at a younger age. Another parent questioned why the band’s utility trailer had been moved away from the school building to the back of the lot. She said the previous location was quickly accessible to students when they came out of band practice at night. Board Business Administrator/Secretary Stacy Garvey said a neighbor had complained the trailer had been sited without a permit and was too close to the property line in violation of town ordinances. She said she was trying to work with the neighbor to reach a compromise. “It’s not allowed there. We are trying to work something out,” Garvey said.