Carlisle hires veteran band director to lead program D ulany plays for T riple

Crown T eam G ermany

By Mark Buffalo

Sports Editor

With the departure of band director Alicengrace Allen to Beebe High School, the Carlisle School District hired a veteran band director, who is entering his 30th year as a teacher.

Patrick Matarazzo has been the band director the previous 24 years at Lonoke High School. He was recently hired to replace Allen by the Carlisle School Board.

“I’m super excited,” Matarazzo said. “I can’t really put it into words. The community of Carlisle — I’ve seen bits and pieces of it with us playing football the first game of the year — but the people I’ve met that I had never met before since it was announced that I was going to be here are super awesome.

“I met a board member yesterday [Thursday] and I had no idea she was a board member,” Matarazzo said. “I was at the store and I opened the door and this lady came out and she was talking to another lady. She turned around and looked at me and said ‘you’re the new band director, aren’t you?’ I had no idea who she was.”

Matarazzo said the two of them carried on a conversation for a few moments.

“I told her the same thing — the people here are super nice,” he said. “The kids are really nice. They are really eager to do anything that I’m asking them to do. I’m tickled pink. It’s almost like my first year teaching.

Carlisle High School principal B.J. Greene said the district was sad to have Allen leave but felt fortunate to get Matarazzo to replace her.

“First and foremost, we were truly sad of the news that Mrs. Allen was hired on by Beebe to lead their band,” Greene said. “Mrs. Allen has built our band into a great program, which when we started looking for a new director we knew we wanted to try to find a director that has experience in being a director.

“We honestly feel that Mr. Matarazzo fell into our lap. There was no way we could have found a director that has been in the business as long as he has. So, once he applied, we were quick to get him in. He had done an incredible job for Lonoke, which is evident by how talented the kids he has put out.

We are extremely excited to have him in Bison gold.”

Greene said Matarazzo has hit the ground running in Carlisle.

“I don’t believe there has been a day I have been at school that he was not been at the school working,” Greene said.

During his time at Lonoke, Matarazzo taught high school band. He also taught some at the junior high/middle school. He also taught high school choir.

Matarazzo got his teaching start at Stamps High School. He was there for five years after graduating from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. date of the first publication of this notice, or they shall be forever barred and precluded from any benefit in the estate. This notice first published this 28th day of June, 2023.

Matarazzo grew up in North Little Rock, graduating from North Little Rock Ole Main High School in 1982. He was in the army for four years before going to UAM.

Matarazzo said he started as an accounting major at UAM then switched to instrumental music his second semester.

“I had a full band and full choir scholarship while I was there,” he said.

In addition to his bachelor’s degree from UAM, Matarazzo has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. Matarazzo spoke highly of his predecessor.

“What she [Allen] was able to do during Covid — in this part of the state, Carlisle has one of the biggest bands in size,” he said. “The kids really accomplished a lot the last couple of years. The kids are ready to go to the next level.

“I’ve been with the band four times. I get that impression from them. They are ready to step it up a notch and move forward from where they’ve gone the last couple of years.” Matarazzo has four children, two of which are with his wife Emme. The children are 33, 19, 4 and 1 years old.

Estate of THERESA LISKO MCCASKILL, Deceased

Hazen lefty softball pitcher Lexi Dulany, daughter of Jeff and Cherie, played for Triple Crown Team Germany in the 18U TCS International Challenge in Westminster, Colorado. The Challenge is designed to give outstanding softball players the chance to represent their ethnic heritage in an international-flavored softball event comprised of 30 teams drawn from players all over the USA. Actual international softball opportunities can be available to some of these players in future. Players are selected from recommendations, articles, and videos.

According to TCS Germany Coach Mark Stoicheff: "We wanted Lexi as her being lefthanded adds a dimension that we had lacked in 2022, and we were not disappointed. She is a very capable pitcher with a large amount of upside potential, not to mention a fine lefthanded hitter.

I would not be at all surprised to see her in Division 1 after high school. She has not only the talent but the work ethic and the personality that next-level coaches will seek for their programs."

The Challenge is only in its 3rd year, but has been discovered and followed in person by some of the very top-end college coaches, such as Mike White of Texas and also Heather Tarr of both the University of Washington and Team USA.

With a large 18U field, the event has recently included 16U and a 14U division is anticipated in coming years.

Looking ahead, Coach added:

"It is clear to me that we not only want to have her with us again in future, but that we NEED such a vital player if we want to take our efforts at future Challenges to a higher and more successful level. We had a very large roster, from a dozen states, coast-tocoast this year that'll be slimmed down by about 20% next year, and we know after her performance in this event that Lexi will be able to be relied upon considerably more going forward. With such a large, basically college-sized, roster, players mostly did not play as much as they're used to in travel or high school, but I can tell you that won't be a problem for Lexi in future events."

New CHS band director looking for instruments to be donated

By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor

New Carlisle High School band director Pat Matarazzo is looking for donations of used band instruments for the program, which he took over recently for Alicengrace Allen.

“Do you or someone you know have a used band instrument sitting around that is not being put to good use?” Matarazzo said. “Why not donate it to the Carlisle Bison Band Program”

Matarazzo said the program will take the used instrument and clean it, repair it, and put it in the hands of a student that wants to be in band.

“All patrons of the program that made a donation will get a tax deduction form for their donation,” he said.

Instruments being accepted are flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, french horns, electric pianos and bass guitars.

“All electric keyboards and bass guitars need to be in working order,” Matarazzo said. “If possible, please take the opportunity to provide a student the experience of learning to play a band instrument.” having claims against the estate must exhibit them, verified, to the within six (6) months from the c/o Lisa B. Shoalmire, Attorney at Law 1820 Galleria Oaks Drive Texarkana, Texas 75503

Matarazzo said this is part of a three-year plan he has for the Carlisle band program.

“We want to start band in the sixth grade versus the seventh grade,” he said. “That’s one of the motivations for doing this horn drive, so kids can get an instrument to play on to see if they like it or not, to carry on when they get into the seventh, eighth or ninth grade.” For more information, contact Matarazzo at pmatarazzo@carlisle.k12 .ar.us or call him at (501) 765-0424.

The City of Carlisle is now accepting applications for a seasonal position with the Mosquito Department. This will be for 3-4 hours per evening at $15.00 per hour. Duties include driving/spraying for mosquito control and other as assigned. Applicant must have a valid Arkansas driver’s license. Applications may be picked up at the Mayor’s Office at 215 S. Court or printed from our website at www.carlislear.org. Deadline for applications is July 8, 2023. City of Carlisle is an Equal Opportunity Employer.