Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Board reorganizes high school again

After several months of discussion, the Gurdon School Board has rescinded part of its decision to reorganize the Gurdon High School Band.

During the boards meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 14, a motion was approved to rescind previous board action that required band students in the seventh grade to march with the high school band. The board is still requiring eighth grade band students to be a part of the high school band.

Superintendent Bobby Smithson asked the board in July to rescind its action noting a strong opposition from older band students. He reiterated these thoughts during the meeting last week. I base by opinion on what I heard from the kids, he said.

Smithson said the boards original action to move students in grades seven and eight up to the high school band was made to increase the number of students participating in the band during Friday night football games. I wish we had every kid in this high school doing something on Friday night, he said.

Smithson said he has spoken with high school band director Allan Wimberly, and he assures me theyre going to give it their best shot.

Wimberly briefly addressed the board just before the final vote was taken. He said that during summer band practice, 75 percent of students in grades eight and nine were attending, 92 percent of those in grades 10 through 12 were attending, and only 40 percent of seventh grade students were attending.

Wimberly told the board that he and assistant band director Bruce Burson would follow whatever instruction the board gave. He also said recent opposition to the reorganization did not come from him.

I did not have band parents come up here, he said of a group of band boosters that spoke out against the reorganization at a recent school board meeting. That is not coming from me or Mr. Burson.

One of the biggest problems with retaining students in band has been a scheduling conflict with athletics. Wimberly said students have had to chose between taking band or participating in athletics, but steps have been taken this year to remove that conflict.

Despite whatever decision the board could have made, Wimberly said he would have made the best of the situation. I have an ego, he said. If that band is mine, its going to be good.

Although the board voted to rescind the requirement for seventh grade students to march with the high school band, Wimberly said those seventh graders who have been attending summer band practice will be awarded by getting to play in the stands with the high school band at home football games.

The vote to rescind passed with only one board member, Mark Sanford, voting no.