Band and Orchestra Teachers Resign

North Creek High School music directors Brayden Swope and Joseph Sugrue have both resigned their positions within the course of a week. Swope had been on leave since November 5th pending an investigation into student communications, and resigned on March 3rd, 2026. Sugrue resigned later that week, on November 26th, with no official reason given from either teacher in communications with students and staff.

The orchestra program has gone through three directors over the past four years, and the band has had four in the same time period. Some students are becoming apathetic to the changes. “I don’t care, I just want some peace and quiet, some consistency,” senior Aiden Alba said. This lack of consistency has caused a lot of unease for other students; an anonymous Wind Ensemble member said, “In terms of the future, I don’t know how it’s going to work, for example, I don’t know how jazz is going to work. I don’t know how any of that is going to work.” Some students are upset by the resignation, due to the belief that it was because of negative interactions with students and the culture. This same member also said, “Most people in the band really did like [Sugrue]. It was only a couple that really didn’t, and made the push to get him out.”

The resignations raise questions about the future of the department. The orchestra’s trip to the Anaheim festival has already been booked and cannot be refunded, so the department is working to ensure that preparations for that festival take place. The vacancy in the position means that currently, it is unknown who will be directing the orchestra at the festival, leaving a lot of students worried. Junior and Vice President of the orchestra board, David Jung, said, “We don’t even have music or any repertoire finalized at all; however, for us right now, what’s best is if we don’t panic too much.” The attitude of the orchestra board is that they must persevere; Jung said, “In my opinion, I think we just need to push forward, and eventually we’ll make it.”

Interviews for the vacant position are currently taking place, and the acting director for the band has said that he believes a new director will be hired by next week. Orchestra is more unclear, but the acting orchestra director believes she will not hold the position during the next calendar year, with a replacement soon to be found.

Music-related clubs are struggling as well. Tri-M—a music honor society—was in the midst of appointing a new board when director Brayden Swope was put on leave. David Jung said, “I don’t even know if [Tri-M] is still happening. We were originally supposed to have a board for Tri-M, but I don’t think that happened.” While Swope was an important part of managing that club, choir director Vanessa Littrell also advised the club and should provide stability during this time.