He ought to look at the band rosters, and see all the AP and IB students.  They go together....

I can't believe they didn't just let Aycock go.  He has driven the SPHS band into the ground.
 
Neither of my kids were in the band.  I just know the stories they told about how the kids couldn't stand Aycock.
 
His Pearl Harbor theme this past year was embarrasing.

Quote from CrystalClear on 05/05/10 at 9:31pm:

 
Wow!  That is awesome!  Congrats to SMS bands!!!

Quote from Hoovergal on 05/06/10 at 3:04pm:

 
The band is so small, they probably couldn't see them on the field.

Mike Aycock has caused deep divisions within the arts department during his years there. He is critical of his colleagues and has a history of going to whatever top authority there is without regard for protocol or courtesy. During his first year, he was even vocally disdainful of school board members when he learned it was to his advantage to do so.

Quote from monte on 05/08/10 at 2:01pm:

 
The Simmons band parents just received an email last week from Brain Cain asking us to "trust his judgement".  I have done just that up until this decision.  After looking at vidoes from SP dating from 06 until now, it is obvious the program has suffered greatly.  The evidence is there in plain view for anyone to see.  If anyone on this forum has suggestions for our parents, please let me know via this forum, or send me a private message.  Yes, small bands can do very well, but there is clearly no reason for a band that was a decent sized in 07 and sounded very good to dwindle to a few.  Was this job even posted?  I thought jobs had to be posted for a certain period of time before interviews began.  Also, parent representatives were involved in the SP principal decision and if I'm not mistaken the HH band director decision.  How is this any different?  That alone makes anyone involved including central office and board members lose the trust of parents and question why Mr. Aycock was handed a highly successful program after the one he is leaving is suffering.

Quote from hibousage on 05/05/10 at 10:34pm:

 
Why should our students have to be the "test subjects" for this experiment?  We are not willing to take that risk without a fight.

The Birmingham News, Wednesday, May 5, 2010, Page 4H
 
Chief academic officer is new fine arts director
 
ByTIFFANY RAY
News staff writer
 
Ken Jarnagin will leave his post as chief academic officer of Hoover City Schools July 1 to take on a dual role as fine arts director for the school system and band director for Spain Park High School.
 
Fine arts director is a new district-level position in which Jarnagin will provide oversight of arts education at the elementary, middle and high school levels and serve as an advocate for arts teachers and programs, Jarnagin will be based at Spain Park.
 
Michael Aycock, Spain Parks' current band director, will transfer to Simmons Middle School as band director there.  And Brian Neugent, this year's band director at Simmons, will become an assistant band director for Berry Middle school and Spain Park High.  The assistant director position had been eliminated last year as part of the district's cost-cutting efforts, according to Mary Veal, human resources director for the school system.
 
When people think of Hoover City Schools, Veal said, "the first things that might pop into someone's mind are the athletic programs and how well-known and successful they've been." The arts programs, she said, are "almost like a hidden treasure."
 
A fine arts director will be able to address curriculum issues to ensure there is continuity from one grade level to the next and ensure students who want to pursue the arts beyond high school receive the support and direction they need, Veal said. "This person would assist in looking at the whole curriculum.
 
Jarnagin also will help develop an evaluation tool for fine arts instruction, Veal said.  Currently, there are at least 52 fine arts personnel districtwide, she said.
 
In his new role, Jarnagin said he will "come back to where I started."
 
A former band director at Bearden High School in Knoxvllle, Jarnagin said he initially set out to become a fine arts director, but "life took me in a different direction."
 
Jarnagin said he applied for the fine arts position" when it came open because "my heart has always been centered in the fine arts."
 
With his central office experience, Jarnagin said he can bring classroom experience to the job as well as a districtwide view of curriculum and instruction, and financial oversight.
 
Jarnagin was scheduled to meet with Aycock last week to begin planning the transition. He said this year's spring concert and awards banquet at Spain Park will continue as planned.
 
Veal said compensation details were still being worked out for the fine arts position.
 
Jarnigin's current salary as chief academic officer is $I32,000, she said. Superintendent Andy Craig said the salary for the fine arts position would probably fall in the $120,000 range.
 
Administrators said the fine arts director is a permanent position, but the additional role of band director may be temporary.
 
"Dr. Jarnagin will serve in that capacity until further notice," Veal said.
 
Craig said he most likely will fill the chief academic officer position, which was created in 2007.
 
E-MAIL tray@bhamnews.com
 

I'll bet he couldn't wait to get out of there.

I think 'watch' or ' keep an eye on things' may be better than 'watch out'.  While at SPHS the numbers in band went down drastically.  Hopefully over at Simmons, and with the middles school kids, things will be different.  It would be great for the parents to give him support, but keep an eye on things.  The worst thing that could happen would be for the adults involved to tell the students that he will be a bad band director and that they won't like him.  Then that will surely come true.