By: Ryanna Lui
Former Band Director Maxwell Lowe is no longer working at MHS as of Nov. 3rd this year, Principal Francis Rojas stated. Personal issues are cited as the reason behind Lowe’s departure, and the administration is actively searching for a new staff member to fill the vacant band director position, Rojas said.
The selection process is still in its early stages, Rojas said. The job opening is posted, and the administration hopes that further action will be taken within two weeks, Rojas added.
“I just spoke with Ms. Moore, who is our district band music lead [and] have been discussing when we’re going to look at the applicant pool to start doing some interviews,” Rojas stated. “Hopefully we have interviews done before the end of the year.”
As Lowe left earlier this semester, his former classes are now being taught by the other two remaining band directors, Music Director Emily Moore stated. Although she now has additional responsibility over two classes, Moore does not mind because she has experience teaching those subjects, she said. Furthermore, the teachers are compensated for the extra work, Moore said.
“I took over Jazz Band and Symphonic Band, and Mr. Fagundes took Percussion and Wind Symphony,” Moore stated. “We get a stipend for all the marching band stuff and extra concerts and everything we do.”
Regardless, Lowe’s presence did contribute to the improvement of marching band this year, Marching Band Student Christina Jung said. Some students particularly enjoy his teaching methods, she continued.
“Practices are more efficient, like, we get a lot more done than we did last year. Less yelling at the students,” Jung stated. “I know some people, really liked him and his style of teaching. He focuses a lot on individual parts, he nitpicks a lot to get all the details.”
Nonetheless, Lowe’s absence did not heavily affect marching band’s performance, Moore stated. He left at an undemanding time, Moore continued.
“The season was almost over, and it got cut short because of air quality,” Moore elaborated. “We didn’t go to our last competition, so we were already almost done anyway.”
Teachers are bound to their teaching job until the end of the school year, Rojas said. To resign, a teacher must discuss with and obtain permission from the administration regarding their situation, Rojas said.
“Sometimes there are situations where the district will allow a teacher to leave because of family reasons, personal reasons, or health reasons,” Rojas explained. “The normal process if someone were to say ‘I’m out’ and they just stopped showing up, the courtesy is a two-week notice. But even with the two-week notice, we can hold you to the contract you signed for the year. But again, some people might have personal situations where they have to go, and we work with them on that.”