The loss of the band director at Albert Lea High School has put a face on the changes in Albert Lea Area Schools coming as a result of a district realignment, prompting some parents and students to voice their concerns to board members and administrators.

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 Peter 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.

Superintendent Mike Funk said it was unfortunate to have to cut a teacher who “is doing a great job for us.”

Gepson has been with the district since 2008. He also has taught at Virginia High School in Virginia and Triton High School in Dodge Center.

The staffing changes will be implemented because of the realignment of the district, which 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.

A few board members said Monday they were concerned about music programming in the district. Because there are fewer students at the elementary schools and because middle school teachers won’t have to travel to teach sixth-graders, one full-time position had to be cut.

Board Chairman Bill Leland said he was concerned about the music program because it’s been cut and refunded before. He said he’s hopeful the next high school band director will help the program “continue to grow and get stronger.”

Funk said administrators started looking in December at how staffing would have to change, and he met with building principals to find the best system for each building. Because of this there are numerous staff being moved among the buildings.

“We want the strongest team for each grade,” Funk said. “We’ve got good teachers throughout the district.”

At the school board workshop Monday evening, Funk asked board members to air their concerns about the staffing changes before they have to take action on it at the next board meeting on April 19.

In all there are about 15 positions, some full-time and some part-time, proposed to be cut, and Funk expects to ask seven to 10 back after some budgeting things are finalized. He mentioned the district has applied for a state grant and is still waiting to hear about some federal funding.

Funk said he is concerned about the cuts and the moving of teachers because of the relationships teachers have with families. He said the administration is just trying to do what’s best for the students in the long run.

“We’re hoping it’s a positive thing for the district,” Funk said.

In other action the school board:

• Heard from Southwest Middle School staff and Principal Jean Jordan about the changes that will be implemented at the school when it transitions to a sixth- and seventh-grade middle school. Albert Lea High School Principal Al Root made a similar presentation at the last board meeting to keep the board aware of what changes are being made. Some of the new changes that are possible include team teaching, cross-age tutoring and daily advisories with specific purposes, among others. Many different staff members spoke about the different changes that could help the age group they’re working with and the board members expressed their appreciation for how enthusiastic the Southwest staff was while presenting.

• Heard from the high school’s robotics team, Catalyst, about the competition they recently attended. The team placed 43rd out of 60 teams at the FIRST Robotics competition earlier this month and showed those present at the workshop Monday how the robot works.