Some students at Albert Lea High School plan to attend the next board meeting to oppose staffing changes that are a result of Albert Lea Area School’s realignment.

Ashley Schoonover, a junior, and other band members have passed around a written petition with more than 150 signatures and made a Facebook page with, as of this morning, more than 200 “likes” against losing the current band director, Peter Gepson.

Superintendent Mike Funk told the school board Monday evening the administration would be recommending the staffing changes and the board will have to take action on it on April 19.

“Mr. Gepson’s done so much to improve the band program,” Ashley said.

Her father, Todd, also plans to speak at the next board meeting to tell them he doesn’t think they should make any cuts to the music program.

“I don’t think it was very well thought out,” Todd said.

The realignment of the district will make the elementary schools be kindergarten through fifth grade, the middle school be sixth and seventh grades and the high school be eighth through 12 grades. Funk said Monday evening that because there will be fewer students in the elementaries, they won’t need the same staff as they do now.

Board Chairman Bill Leland also said there is no reduction in programming but with the realignment inefficiencies will be corrected.

“I would love to keep Peter,” Leland said. “It boils down strictly down to contractual issues.”

Staff at Albert Lea Area Schools were told Friday about transfers and cuts that will happen for the 2011-12 school year. It included the loss of a music teacher. Because of the way music licensure works, the cut had to be the person with the least seniority. That person is Gepson, the high school band director. No new staff will be added, but there will still be a full-time band director at the high school.

Funk told the school board Monday evening that it was unfortunate to lose a teacher who “is doing a great job for us.”

In Funk wrote in his blog on the district website Tuesday evening that people are “justifiably passionate” about losing a specific teacher and went on to say that as superintendent he has to run the district in the most efficient way possible. He said there are a number of quality teachers who may lose their jobs to budget cuts and decreases in state aid.

Ashley and her friends say they understand the contractual issue, but that they still don’t want to lose Gepson.

“He pushed me as a student to do the best I can,” sophomore Kelly Schroeder said.

Junior Chelsey Rynerson said she thought about quitting band and Gepson convinced her to stick with the program, for which she is grateful.

“He cares about students sticking with it,” Rynerson said.

Todd said he is concerned that the district is saying they aren’t cutting teachers from the music program and that they’re singling the band program out.

“It looks like a huge cut to the music program,” Todd said.

For now the students are making T-shirts and posters and trying to get as many people as they can to help support them in their quest to keep Gepson at the high school.

“We don’t want a transfer,” Ashley said.

Gepson said he didn’t want to comment but did say he’d like to encourage the public to come to the jazz band concert Friday at the high school.

School board member Jill Marin said the board is open to input from the community and said nothing is final yet.

“We’re still considering all options before the next board meeting,” Marin said. “I do believe the fine arts program is a very important part of the school experience for students.”