It's time again to buy new uniforms for the Pottsville Area Crimson Tide Band, and Craig N. Shoener, the band director, said he wanted to recognize the 80th anniversary of the high school building in the design.
"We get new uniforms usually once every 10 years. The last time the district bought them was in either 2001 or 2002," Shoener said at the Pottsville Area school board's April workshop Wednesday night.
Before the district spends an estimated $80,000 for 140 uniforms for band members, 45 for honor guard and color guard, 25 for majorettes and 200 raincoats, Shoener presented the school board with the basic designs.
Helping him were three students who came in as models, junior Travis Dudash and sophomores Elise Horvath and Autumn Evans.
On Jan. 3, the district celebrated the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Pottsville Area High School building at 16th Street and Elk Avenue.
Earlier this year, Shoener invited Mike Pearson, regional manager of uniform-maker Stanbury: The Final Touch Accessory Co., West Chester, to the high school.
"I showed him the curtain in the auditorium and the symbol on it for PAHS. I thought it would be a good logo for the new uniforms. It's a symbol of tradition and the history of the school," Shoener said.
The symbol is a white laurel wreath with the letters "PAHS" in its center.
The school board agreed that logo should be part of the new uniforms and Pearson brought a sample to show how it would look on fabric.
Shoener said he selected a shade of red for the uniforms, but school board Member Charles R. Wagner said he'd like to see some other shades of "crimson" and "maroon" before the order is placed.
Pearson said the company needs "between 120 to 150 days" to complete the order. The school board is hoping to have the new uniforms for the band for the first home football game at the end of August.
In other matters at Wednesday's workshop meeting, the board accepted the resignation of Lori Rauenzahn, who served as high school special education director for five years, according to Superintendent Jeffrey S. Zwiebel.
Rauenzahn has accepted a job with Cumberland Valley School District, Mechanicsburg, Zwiebel said.