Elementary School Band Program Continues to Thrive with Concert

Two years ago, the Manchester Township School District was faced with a difficult decision after its budget had been voted down – whether or not to cut its elementary school music program.

However, district officials rose to the challenge at that time to ensure that the music program would not be eliminated – and the results continue to bring joy to the ears of grateful audiences, such as those at Ridgeway Elementary School on Thursday evening.

At that time, the efforts of instructors and 91 district elementary students paid off with a tremendous performance.

“The kids did great,” music instructor and band leader Tom Scharibone said. “They are 91 fifth-graders and started playing in September, and given how much time they’ve been playing, I think they sounded spectacular.”

Scharibone added that the band was comprised of many different types of instruments, including violins, cellos, guitars, bass guitars, keyboards, saxophones, flutes, trumpets, drums, percussion and xylophone bells.

“The students played your basic holiday songs; “Jingle Bells”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “Frosty The Snowman”. They sounded really good,” Scharibone noted. The audience gave the band a wonderful reception, according to Scharibone.

“The parents get excited about me getting the kids into it. The superintendent was there, and the high school’s video production team taped it for airing on Channel 21,” Scharibone concluded.

At the time that the elementary music program was due to be cut two years ago, instructor Scharibone and Superintendent of Schools David Trethaway collaborated with all three elementary school principals to create a before-school 45-minute period of music instruction that students could elect to participate in – which roughly 70 elementary students from the district did, all before their regularly-scheduled classroom activities in their respective schools.

This school year, in order to provide more instruction for the students during the school day in addition to before classes, Scharibone and fellow music instructor Tim Apgar switched teaching assignments. Therefore, Scharibone now teaches at Whiting School, with Apgar likewise conducting classes at Manchester Township Elementary School.

Scharibone clarified that the personnel transfer between he and Apgar was due to there being more specialized instruments in the elementary band, requiring further instruction for the students. Trethaway was confident that the new arrangement would allow the program to continue.

“This transfer of assignments will make it possible to maintain and even improve our instrumental program despite the loss of a teacher over two years ago,” said Trethaway in a September statement.

“I apologize that this transfer is taking place after school has begun, but the possibility of additional teaching periods only recently became available. It is important to keep in mind that this action will maintain our instructional period before school, provide additional practice time during the school day for our students, and also provide consistent music instruction in all of our elementary schools,” Trethaway commented.