Lovell schools swap band and choir teachers in effort to strengthen programs

By: 
Garrett Randolph

The Lovell school district has implemented a significant change this year by swapping its middle and high school band and choir teachers, a move designed to improve scheduling, ease the workload for staff and enhance music education for students. The change, according to Lovell superintendent Doug Hazen, addresses longstanding logistical challenges while creating a more cohesive and supportive environment for both staff and students.

In a district the size of Lovell, shared staff has long been a necessary but challenging reality. Teachers like Keath Fenton and Carisa French, who teach both band and choir, were previously required to split their time between the middle and high schools, often racing between buildings to accommodate the schedule. While manageable, the situation made it difficult to offer students the best experience and placed extra pressure on the teachers.

“We’ve had a number of shared staff over the years,” Hazen said. “When teachers are constantly running between two buildings, it can be difficult for them to feel fully part of either school’s culture, and it adds constraints to our scheduling.”

The recent decision allows each teacher to focus solely on one school. Mrs. French, who now teaches only at the high school, can concentrate on developing the high school’s band and choir programs, while Mr. Fenton, who remains at the middle school, is able to dedicate himself to younger students. This shift creates a stronger sense of community for the teachers within their respective schools and gives them more time to invest in their programs.

“I love the new schedule. I honestly don’t want to go back,” Fenton said. “I am not forgetting things in one building. Working with a smaller age range is easier to meet the students’ emotional needs. Not running back and forth between buildings gives me more time for planning and preparing for my classes, ensuring higher quality instruction.

“I also feel like an actual member of a team now. Being split between buildings didn’t allow for professional relationships with my colleagues.” 

Fenton, now in his fifth year with the district and eighth year teaching overall, brings a wealth of experience to his role at the middle school. He has taught elementary music, choir, theater and band, and has performed in four countries. 

“I’ve directed nine musicals, four plays, conducted two pit orchestras and performed in five pit orchestras,” he said. “I’ve been trained in opera, Broadway and jazz singing styles.”

French, too, is pleased with the change.

“When I interviewed for the choir job over here, they told me they were talking about splitting high school/middle school rather than band/choir,” she said. “I said I was good either way. It wasn’t approved for last year, but they let us know again last spring that they were wanting to make the change. Although I would be good either way, they said I would be teaching at the high school.

“I was excited and sad at the same time -- excited to not have to go back and forth and try and be part of two staffs and events for middle and high school. I was sad because I love teaching middle school.”

Beyond benefiting the teachers, the swap helps solve a major issue for the district: scheduling. Previously, classes had to be arranged around the availability of shared teachers, who could only be at one school in the morning and the other in the afternoon. This created limitations for when certain courses could be offered, leaving some students without access to the full range of music education.

“It’s really about giving our students more opportunities,” Hazen said. “When you have teachers in one building all day, you have much more flexibility with when and where you can schedule classes. This change should enhance the offerings in our music programs.”

Fenton agrees, noting that the students have adapted quickly to the change. 

“I think it’s beneficial to the students. I’m able to work with any of the students who need help during flex time, where before I wasn’t even in the same building as all of my students, so they couldn’t get the extra help they needed,” he said. “I’m also able to do extension activities during flex. For instance, I’ve started a jazz band and a ukulele group. So, they are also getting more.”

As with any change, there have been mixed reactions from students and parents. For many students, having one teacher throughout their middle and high school years created consistency and familiarity. Transitioning to a new teacher at a different stage of their musical journey has been an adjustment, but Hazen believes the benefits of the switch will outweigh any initial discomfort.

“Any time you make a change like this, there’s going to be some adjustment,” Hazen said. “We understand that students who had a certain teacher for years might feel a bit unsettled, but overall, the feedback has been positive. We believe that this change will ultimately create stronger music programs at both the middle and high school levels.”

The decision to swap the teachers wasn’t made lightly. According to Hazen, one of the key factors in the decision was the district’s confidence in the capabilities of Mr. Fenton and Mrs. French, both of whom were open to the idea of handling both band and choir, rather than focusing on just one.

“We were fortunate to have two teachers who were open to doing both band and choir,” Hazen said. “Mrs. French had done this before in another district, so that experience definitely helped open the door for this change,” he said.

“When they said I would be teaching at the high school, I was excited and sad at the same time: excited to not have to go back and forth and try and be part of two staffs and events for middle and high school. I was sad because I love teaching middle school,” French said.

While it’s still early in the school year, Hazen is optimistic about the long-term effects of the switch. Both Mr. Fenton and Mrs. French have already started putting their own creative spin on their respective programs. 

“It’s been a challenge to keep up with choosing music and planning events for both choir, band and drama, but it’s also been so much fun. These are great kids. They work hard and are willing to try all the new things I ask them to,” French said.

“This has been an extremely positive change,” Fenton said. “It took a little bit of time to adjust and to get into the swing of things. But now it’s running smoothly and will have a long-lasting positive impact on our students’ musical education.”

“It’s going to take some time for them to really build their programs now that they’re solely at one building,” Hazen said. “But I’ve been really pleased with the progress so far. Both of them have been able to implement new ideas that weren’t possible before.”

One of the less obvious but impactful results of the switch has been the sense of stability it provides for both teachers. No longer having to split their time between two schools, Mr. Fenton and Mrs. French can fully invest in their respective programs and build a stronger sense of identity with their students.

“I’ve not encountered a shared staff member who loves being split between two buildings,” Hazen said. “It just raises the level of coordination, from understanding how both schools operate to managing communication between them. It’s a lot for anyone to juggle. By making this change, we’re hoping to reduce some of that stress.

“At the end of the day, it’s about creating the best possible learning environment for our students. We’re going to give this our full effort and see where it takes us. If we need to make adjustments, we will, but I think this is going to be a positive change for everyone.”

Lovell’s middle and high school music programs are in the hands of passionate and dedicated teachers, and the district is eager to see how this new arrangement will help shape the future of music education for Lovell in a positive way.

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