From left, Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education Vice President Joe Pawelski, President Paul Abbott, and Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker conduct district business Tuesday. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Jamestown High School is without a marching band director – again.

The Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education learned Tuesday about Marc Lentsch’s resignation.

Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker acknowledged his commitment and his effort in 2025

“Marc Lentsch, who has been our marching band director and assistant for a long time has decided to make a change, and he would like to spend some time on some personal projects, and probably also support the marching band, but just not as its director so completely understandable,” Whitaker said. “It’s a challenging job, and he did a wonderful job, and put in a lot of time, a lot of effort and in service of our music program and of our kids.”

Whitaker noted that the open position will be posted on different job sites, and Lentsch told Whitaker that he would help find a new marching band director. Lentsch will continue his position as band director at Persell Middle School.

“We want to make sure that the program continues as a strong program, and is a great opportunity for kids, and I know that the school board also feels that way, and ready to support the marching band, our students, and our staff and volunteers,” Whitaker added. “There’s a lot of moving parts in that program to include paid positions, but also volunteer positions and student commitments and transportation and the whole thing.”

Board President Paul Abbott said the board always has supported rigorous band, music, and arts programs.

“We’re certainly going to do everything we can to ensure we have a rigorous program this summer and fall,” Abbott noted.

Lentsch has served as a band director in the Jamestown Public Schools for the past 18 years, serving as a band director at Jamestown High School prior to his current post at Persell. From 2006 to 2009, Lentsch served as co-director of the marching band with Meghan Murray, before spending the last 15 years as the organization’s assistant director.

Lentsch also served as director of the Jamestown High School Winter Guard program and is a member of the North East Color Guard Circuit Hall of Fame and previously served on the Winterguard International Advisory Board and Steering Committee.

In April 2024, the school board approved his appointment.

Lentsch replaced Meghan Murray who resigned as director in February 2024.

JHS student Lilian Stormont said marching band helped her improve her percussion skills, but also has improved her sense of community, and connecting with other people.

“I just like to express my love for marching band and why I think you should keep going. I’ve been involved for around three years. It’s been a huge passion of mine, and next year, I’ll be moving up as senior drum major,” Stormont said.

Samuel Mathis, another JHS student, said when Murray resigned, communication about who would replace her was the best.

“I just like to see that we make sure everything is covered more clearly, so we can better communicate what the students want (than) to what can be served to them,” Mathis said.

In other business the board approved an amendment to its district-wide school safety plan. The board approved the plan in August 2025.

Executive Director of Information and Student Services Jessie Joy said the district was required by the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) to make changes to its existing safety plan by January.

The changes, Joy said, are in response to Desha’s Law, which is named in honor of 12-year-old Desha Sanders who tragically died from cardiac arrest while in school.

“It happened during the basketball practice and the AED (automated external defibrillator) was not accessible to the staff that were with her, and really none of the staff members that were with her were trained in CPR or (using the) AED,” Joy said.

According to nysed.gov, the new requirements for building-level emergency response plans include building and venue specific requirements and procedures that address medical needs, transportation, and emergency notification of parents/guardians in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest incident.