Nov 21, 2002 By Christine Haines 3 min read

CALIFORNIA – A number of band members, band parents and director Frank Stetar attended Tuesday’s California Area School Board meeting to see that the band’s upcoming trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., was approved by the board. There are still details to be worked out regarding transportation for the trip, but the board did give its approval.

Stetar said he’s certain the transportation issues will be settled before the April 10 trip to the Festivals of Music competition.

“They’ll compete in a parade,” Stetar said. “Usually, there are bands from all over the country that come to these things.

Stetar said the Festivals of Music competitions are highly regarded in the music field and it’s an honor for the band to participate in the competition. Stetar said the band members also deserve the added perk of the trip to Myrtle Beach.

“They’ve given up every Saturday since the beginning of the school year,” Stetar said. “They’ve done three events in one weekend at times and we’ve had 95 percent attendance.”

Stetar said that in addition to the competition, the band will also have a chance to visit an aquarium and other educationally related activities. The students are covering the cost of the trip themselves, with a cost of approximately $475 per student. The cost includes transportation, breakfast and dinner, the competition fees and all entrance fees for other events.

In other matters, the board voted to apply for a grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development for the construction of a new softball field. Board president J. Budd Grebb said the board is seeking $50,000, with assistance with the grant writing from state Rep. Peter J. Daley (D-California).

The board had a split vote on whether to pay Dr. Lorraine Vitchoff $2,380 for services contracted during the last school year and performed over the summer for the technology curriculum. Directors Barry Niccolai, Nancy Pinardi and John Bayer voted in favor of paying Vitchoff, while directors John Digon, Donna Tyrpin and Grebb voted against payment. Etta Kokoska abstained from voting.

Grebb said there is a conflict over whether the board had approved the work before it was actually done.

“It was brought up at a previous board meeting, and it was voted not to have that program,” Grebb said. “There’s a conflict on the dates on when it was approved.”

Bayer said regardless of any question of when the work was approved, it’s been done.

“I voted for it because the services have already been rendered,” Bayer said.

Bayer said the district doesn’t have a full-time curriculum coordinator, so Vitchoff is hired on an as-needed basis at great savings to the district.