1. Call the former director, just ask about the kid and how they were. Don’t ask about the things promised, specifically, but ask where they would have been leadership wise in their program if they had stayed.
2. If they look to be a benefit to your program, look for a way to include them. When I was in a similar situation (senior move in), I invited the kid to leadership camp with the leadership team. I did not give them a position, just told the drum majors (not the rest of the team) that I wanted to get the kid acquainted to our program. By the end of the leadership camp, the student had earned everyone’s respect and the drum majors asked to give them a position (visual captain, which is what we call kids who help teach marching fundamentals and check forms). Kid was a rock star.
As far as the other students feeling threatened, talk to the section leader and see if they can make some headway there.
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