Band Directors on the Move Are Playing Musical Chairs
A game of musical chairs following the retirement in June of Marilyn Van Scoyoc, East Hampton High School’s longtime band director, will bring Christopher Mandato to East Hampton High from the Montauk School, where he was band director, and Shawn Ward, a 2008 East Hampton High School graduate and a former student of Dr. Van Scoyoc’s, to Montauk as Mr. Mandato’s successor. The Montauk School Board unanimously appointed Mr. Ward last week after receiving 20 applications and interviewing 12 candidates.
Mr. Ward has spent four years as a substitute teacher in the East Hampton, Springs, and Amagansett schools. His primary instrument is trombone, but he also plays piano, tuba, and baritone horn. As a student in East Hampton, he took part in band, jazz band, the pit orchestra for musicals, chorus, and two audition-only singing groups, Camerata and Manly Men.
Of Mr. Mandato, Mr. Ward said, “I want to show him he left his school in good hands and make my former teachers proud. I’m blessed to be able to give back to this community. I’m local and I really just want to see all kids succeed out here in the arts.”
Dr. Van Scoyoc recalled her former student as hard working and talented. “I think he’s going to do a great job out there and I’m really excited for him,” she said. “It’s really nice to have a local student who grew up here and went to our school systems become a great music educator, teaching students in our community.”
Mr. Ward is working on a master’s degree in early childhood and in special education at Touro College in Bay Shore. He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from Syracuse University. He is 25 and one of the 14 children of Steve Ward and the late Louise Ward, two longtime residents who fostered and adopted many children while living in Montauk and East Hampton. He was the first of 10 children to be adopted.
“It’s always been natural to me, especially growing up with so many siblings. I was constantly showing people younger than me how to do something,” he said. He also spent more than 10 years as a summer camp counselor and this year is camp director at Hampton Racquet.
At the Montauk School, Mr. Ward will work alongside Steven Skoldberg, who directs the chorus and teaches music in grades one through six. In addition to instrumental band, Mr. Ward will teach general music in grades seven and eight, which will involve some guitar instruction, music history, music technology, composition, and an introduction to international music.
“He is going to be an excellent role model for our students,” Jack Perna, the Montauk superintendent, said. “My colleagues from the neighboring school districts have worked with Shawn and they all had wonderful things to say about his musical and teaching abilities.”
“I’m thankful to have a job where I can be close to my family but be in my own kind of new community,” Mr. Ward said. “As much as Montauk is part of East Hampton, it is its own entity, and I feel excited about teaching in a new culture.”