LEWISTOWN — The Mifflin County School District Board of Directors shared their plans moving forward without hiring an elementary music teacher and discussed a director vacancy during their Thursday Committee of the Whole meeting.

After an executive session regarding personnel, Chief Academic Officer Steven DeArment stated that he, Chief Operations Officer Clint Aurand, and Lewistown Elementary School Assistant Principal Nicole O’Donnell met with representatives of the music teachers at the elementary and middle school levels on Tuesday, June 17.

“We were pleasantly surprised that a lot of the ideas they presented regarding teaching assignments at the elementary level actually matched, really exactly the plan that was created by our administrative team,” DeArment said.

He added that the administration reviewed materials they were given by the teachers and were appreciative that they took the time to discuss a plan regarding the retirement of Lori R. Thomas, a music teacher at Indian Valley Elementary School/IVIS and Strodes Mills Elementary School.

DeArment said that “thoughts diverged” between middle school music representatives and administration.

He said that the teachers wanted to hire a teacher to take part of the elementary schedule and use the other half of that schedule to Mifflin County Middle School (MCMS).

DeArment said currently, family and consumer science is done in eighth grade for 45 days with one teacher, tech ed is done in eighth grade at Mifflin County Junior High School for 45 days with one teacher, and art is done in seventh grade at MCMS for 90 days with one and a half teachers. Currently, he added that the MCMS sixth-grade music education with choir additions is done with three and a half teachers for 90 days.

DeArment said that the administration presented the plan to change sixth-grade music at MCMS to 45 days, which would match what the District does in family and consumer science and tech ed.

And, the District would carry out this plan with two and a half teachers by taking one of the current three at MCMS to pick up some of the elementary schedule.

He said that the music teachers expressed concern that they don’t have enough time in their schedule to provide lessons, and they want to add teachers to have more time to provide lessons.

According to DeArment, the plan that the administration created will add more time in the schedule to provide lessons, and it will also double the number of periods available for choir.

“It still remains our intention to eliminate an elementary music position through attrition and move forward with the plan as discussed at our last meeting on June 10,” DeArment said. The administration will work with principals to create music schedules.

Later during the second public comment period, music teachers, a student from the District, and community members shared their displeasure with the decision to move forward without hiring a new teacher for the elementary/middle school music program.

Lisa Schenker, a paraprofessional at Lewistown Intermediate School, shared that study halls create coverage issues, some of which she has had to cover, taking time away from her duties with special education.

Marquise Siennick, a 2024-25 ninth-grade student at Mifflin County Junior High School from Burnham, shared that when he lost his mother, he turned to music and the music program to cope. He said he wants those same music opportunities for his siblings because music is such a powerful tool for stress relief, coping, learning, and more.

Brett Miller, of Lewistown, stated that instituting more study halls regardless of their place with the lack of full art, family and consumer science, tech ed, and music schedules, music, and other such classes are all necessary for students to thrive. Miller shared his passion for students and for advocating for the education of his children.

Miller asked, “What are we doing to make” Mifflin County School District marketable.

Douglas Garner, of Reedsville, said that the District should show why the community should choose the Mifflin County School District by supporting programs like music education.

Del Fuller, PSEA Central Region president and president of the Association of Mifflin County Educators, called the decision to cut one teacher a “drop in the bucket” compared to the several million-dollar budget deficit at Mifflin County School District. Fuller added that the District pays more money in charter school tuition.

Earlier during the Committee of the Whole meeting, directors discussed the resignation of Board President Rose Salvo, effective June 11.

Directors will conduct interviews, nominate potential candidates, and appoint a new director at their next meeting on June 26.

The appointed director will serve on the Mifflin County School District Board of Directors June 26 through Nov. 30.

The Board will then nominate and elect a Board president to serve until reorganization in December 2025.

Directors will also nominate and elect an alternate Operating Committee member for the Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology, a member for the Curriculum and Professional Development Committee, and a member for the policy committee.

More information about other business discussed during the Mifflin County School District Board of Directors Thursday meeting will appear in a later edition of The Sentinel. The Board will meet at the Mifflin County School District Administration Building on Thursday, June 26, for their regular voting meeting.