‘Band Booster’ Dispute Still Unresolved

65 Students Affected

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP — There is no decision yet as to the future direction of “Central Mountain Band Boosters,” an organization which for decades had operated several programs for students in the Central Mountain High School attendance area but had done so, it was recently announced, without formal authority from the Keystone Central School District.

The district recently began an effort to bring the several band booster programs under the district “umbrella” but that effort broke down last week at a meeting among the affected parties.

In the meantime some 65 district students, members of the band group’s color guard, majorettes and dance team have been unable to practice since early last week, barred from use of district facilities while the fate of those programs is determined.

The meeting last week came about, according to district superintendent Kelly Hastings, because of new Title IX regulations that require the school board to approve all booster/PTO groups. The district, she said, must also have access to all organization financial records and individuals working with students must provide proper clearances.

Hastings, in a release to The Record, said the Central Mountain High School Band Booster group had indicated on their federal tax form that their primary purpose was to support the Central Mountain High School band, but she said that has not been the case “as the primary support of the group goes to the programs that are not sponsored by or affiliated with the actual CMHS band.”

Hastings said both the district auditor and solicitor indicated approval should not be recommended because the booster group did not support the band and required clearance paperwork has not been received.

A later communication from Hastings said the district is “working on a solution” that will give the students the opportunity to be involved in the activities but under the district “umbrella.”

She said the district will be sending a letter to parents and organizing an opportunity to meet and discuss creating a group as part of the high school marching band.

Hastings expressed some optimism about a solution: “We have already had some parents who are interested in moving forward…it’s an exciting opportunity to have our band grow and be ‘loud and proud’ on the field.”

In the meantime a source with the booster organization said a meeting with parents was planned for Wednesday of this week. She said the group has a couple options to consider, either going forward in conjunction with the school district (as other booster groups do) or going out on their own and operate independently of a school district tie-in.

The issue became public after last week’s meeting between district and band parents representatives and prompted the parents group to remove equipment from the concession stand at Malinak Stadium just a day before a final football game there; that action prompted the district to employ district workers to operate the stand, announcing that concession proceeds would go towards scholarships at the local school.

Previously the band parents had used the bulk of the proceeds to fund the non-marching band programs, although a spokesperson had said some money had been provided to the marching band in the past.

Band parent operation of the concession stand reportedly goes back to 1985 at Lock Haven High School’s old Painter Memorial Stadium.

Last Thursday also saw the school district take equipment used by the band parents’ color guard out of storage at the Central Mountain Middle School and place it in the lobby near that school’s auditorium. As of mid-week this week the material was still sitting in the lobby.

The bands parents’ conflict is expected to be a topic at the November meeting of the school board, scheduled for the middle school on Thursday of this week.