Tag Archives: Secondary Teachers

Honoring Talented High School Band Directors who Appeared in the New Year’s Day Rose Parade

Posted on by

In today’s blog post you can read more about the talented and dedicated band teachers who directed their students in this year’s New Year’s Day Rose Parade.

With appearances at five Disney theme parks and on five continents, the Pennsbury High School “Long Orange Line” Marching Band (above) hails from Fairless Hills, Pensylvania. The group was led by Band Director Mr. Frank Mazzeo. Frank earned his bachelors’s degree in music education from West Chester University and his master’s degree in music performance from Temple University. He has been a teacher in the Pennsbury School District since 1986. While there, he has implemented a 4-12 curriculum, initiated such programs as Pennsbury Community Band, the Symphonic Winds Soloist Competition, the Pennsbury Bands Festival at the Kimmel Center and Trenton War Memorial, the All Pennsbury Elementary Festival, the Pennsbury Middle School Honors Festival, the Pennsbury Summer Music Program, the Pennsbury Symphonic Orchestra, and the Pennsbury Symphony Orchestra.

Also traveling to Pasadena to appear in this year’s event was the Ronald Reagan High School Band (above) from San Antonio, Texas, led by Band Director Mr. Dan Morrison. Dan graduated from the University of Illinois with both his bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music education. Impressively, he has garnered the Daniel J. Perrino School of Music Award for excellence in music education. The 300-member group from Reagan High School includes performing arts students pulled from color guard, choir, and dance classes, and outstanding musicians playing brass, woodwind, percussion, and orchestral instruments.

Making another appearance in this year’s Rose Parade was made by the Bands of Santiago Sharks (“BOSS”) (above) of Santiago High School, hailing from Corona, California. Two dedicated educators share the task of directing this impressive group. The first is Mr. Kris Parish. Kris earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Oral Roberts Uni­ver­sity in 1980, and his master’s in secondary education from Cal­i­for­nia State Uni­ver­sity, San Bernardino, in 1985. Mr. Parish has served his entire  38-year teach­ing career in the Corona-Norco Uni­fied School Dis­trict. The other co-director is Mr. Joe Dudek. Joe graduated from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. He returned to CSUF to complete his master’s degree in instrumental music conducting in 1996. The BOSS is comprised of four large concert bands, three full jazz bands, a number of jazz combos and chamber ensembles, a drum-line, and an award-winning color guard.

Hailing from Saratoga Springs, Utah, was the Westlake High School Marching Thunder (above). This group was led by Mr. Brek Mangelson, Director of Bands. Brek  Mr. Mangelson earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Brigham Young University in 2006. In 2015, he completed the requirements for his master’s degree in instrumental conducting from the University of Utah. Westlake’s band was founded with just 40 members in 2009. This talented group has grown to over 170 members today. The Westlake Band is a two-time Utah State Marching Band Champion, and has been named a Bands of America regional finalist six times, while their color guard currently reigns as Utah Winter Guard State Champions.

Learn more about all the wonderful performers, participants, and floats,  featured in this year’s Rose Parade at this link: Rose Parade 2018 Lineup.

As Promised, More Great Band Teachers from this Year’s Rose Parade

Posted on by

Yesterday I described some truly great band directors who led their students in this year’s Rose Parade. There are so many of them, I couldn’t fit them all in one post. Here are some more.

An annual favorite since 1972, the Los Angeles All District High School Honor Band, directed by Mr. Anthony White, made its annual appearance in the Rose Parade. Pulled from all high schools in the LA Unified School District, these 250 or so young musicians are known for their energetic marching style, powerful brass and percussion sound, and for playing contemporary selections. Anthony, who is also a professional jazz musician, graduated from UC Riverside in Riverside, California, and earned his teaching credential at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

The 215 members of the Lindbergh High School “Spirit of St. Louis” Marching Band traveled from St. Louis, Missouri, to make their school’s third appearance in the annual Rose Parade. This hardworking group of young people was led by Band Director Mr. David Wyss. David earned his bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 2000, and his master’s in education from Southwest Baptist University in 2009. The Lindbergh students dedicated this year’s performance to their previous beloved band director, Mr. Bob Spiegelman, who passed away from lymphoma in 2011.

Also participating in the event was the 265-member Londonderry High School Marching Band and Color Guard hailing from Londonderry, New Hampshire. These stellar student musicians were led by Music Director Mr. Andy Soucy, a graduate of Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire. This is the school’s fifth appearance in the Rose Parade, and under Andy’s leadership, the group has also played on the Great Wall of China in 2008 during the Beijing Olympics, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York, and both inaugurations of President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C.

Band Director Mr. John Cisetti directed the Louisburg High School Marching Wildcat Band from Louisburg, Kansas, in their first appearance in the Rose Parade. This dedicated educator, who has led the Marching Wildcat Band for the past 39 years, attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City Conservatory of Music where he earned his bachelor’s degree in music education, his master’s degree, and a degree as an educational specialist. Louisburg High sent 189 talented student musicians to Pasadena this year.

In tomorrow’s blog read the final installment of this year’s list of wonderful band directors who led their students in the 2018 Rose Parade! Learn more about all the wonderful performers, participants, and floats,  featured in this year’s Rose Parade at this link: Rose Parade 2018 Lineup.

 

Some of the Talented Band Directors who Led their Students in this Year’s Rose Parade

Posted on by

Another fabulous New Year’s Day Rose Parade has come and gone, and once again, I was completely impressed by the caliber of the musicianship displayed by our nation’s high school students, under the direction of some very talented professional band directors. Here are some of this year’s participants, listed in alphabetical order.

Leading the Air Academy High School Marching Band from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was Director of Bands Mr. Stoney Black. Stoney earned his bachelor’s degree in Percussion Performance from Colorado’s Adams State College in 1994. In 1998, he earned a second bachelor’s in Music Education from Metropolitan State College in Denver, and he completed his master’s in conducting from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University in 2007. The Air Academy’s stellar band program, originally founded in 1957 with only 20 members, has grown to nearly 200 members today. This amazing group of young people has been recognized as Colorado State band champions ten times within the last two decades. The most amazing thing about them is that all Air Academy students are allowed to join the band without having to go through an audition, even if they have had no previous musical training.

Nearly 300 students who form the Albertville High School Aggie Band from Albertville, Alabama, also traveled all the way to Pasadena for the New Year’s Day event. This impressive group of musicians, color guard members, and dance line participants were led by Mr. Chris Lindley, who has been their band director for the past 21 years. Chris earned his bachelor’s degree in music education at Jacksonville State University in 1996 and his master’s from the University of Alabama in 2004. Assisting Chris is Mr. Taylor Cash, a graduate of Jacksonville State University and Boston University with both a bachelor’s and a master’s in music education. Also assisting Chris is Missy Lindley, who earned her bachelor’s in music education from the University of North Alabama.

Also appearing in this year’s New Year’s Day Rose Parade was the Homestead High School Mighty Mustang Marching Band hailing from Cupertino, California, located about 40 miles south of San Francisco. This impressive group of student musicians was led by co-band directors Mr. John Burn, Music Department Curriculum Leader, and Mr. Eric Weingartner, music instructor.

Tomorrow I will write about some of the other dedicated and talented educators who led bands in this year’s parade. Learn more about all the wonderful performers, participants, and floats, featured in this year’s Rose Parade at this link: Rose Parade 2018 Lineup.

Jean Doerge: Chalkboard Champion and Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives

Posted on by

There are many examples of dedicated educators who have also served in political office. This is true of Jean McGlothlin Doerge, a high school business teacher who also served in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Jean was born June 4, 1937, in Galbraith, a small town in Natchitoches Parish in Central Louisiana. After she graduated from Cloutierville High School, she enrolled in Northwestern State University (NSU) in Natchitoches. She completed the requirements for her bachelor’s degree in education in 1958. She also became a bride that year, having married fellow student Everett Doerge, also a teacher.

Jean accepted her first teaching assignment as a business teacher at Minden High School in Minden, Louisiana. The following year, she transferred to Arp Independent School in Arp, Texas, where she taught business courses. She also served as the adviser for the school’s newspaper, yearbook, and cheerleaders. At other schools in the following years, Jean taught girls’ physical education, coached the girls’ basketball team, and taught 9th and 10th grade Language Arts. Jean returned to Natchitoches for one year when her husband was hired to coach at Northwestern. At the end of the year, the couple moved back to Minden, where Jean returned to her post at Minden High as business teacher and adviser for the school’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). She spent the next 28 years teaching there, during which time she earned a master’s degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

As an educator, Jean was clearly an innovator. She was one of the first public school educators in Louisiana to implement computer technology and word processing instruction into her classes. Through the years, she served as instructor for summer classes and night courses at Northwest Technical College in Minden and nearby Homer. She also served on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as a secondary representative. Doerge retired in 1992 after 34 years of teaching.

In 1998, the former teacher was elected to serve the unexpired term of her husband, State Representative Dr. Everett Doerge, who had passed away earlier that year. She was re-elected in 2007, and served until 2012, when term limits prevented her continued service. As a legislator, Jean supported many education issues at all levels.

For her distinguished career as an educator, Jean has earned numerous prestigious awards. She has been named to the NSU College of Business Hall of Distinction, and she was the recipient of the Golden Rose Award and the Golden Apple Award presented by the Epsilon State of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, which recognized her for noteworthy legislation impacting retired teachers’ benefits. She is a member of the FBLA Wall of Fame, and she been recognized by SACS for serving on their  commission from 1988-92.

Jean Doerge: truly a chalkboard champion.

Carol Liu: Chalkboard Champion and Former California State Senator

Posted on by

There are many examples of talented educators who have also served in political office. One such educator is Carol Liu, a secondary school history teacher who served as a California state senator representing District 25 from 2008-2016.

Carol was born September 12, 1941, in Berkeley, California, and raised in Oakland. She earned her bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in 1963. She then attended UC Berkeley to earn her teaching credential and administrative credential.

After completing college, Carol taught history for 14 years at both the junior high and senior high levels in Richmond, California. Her teaching career there spanned from 1964-1978. During this time, she also served as the Executive Director of the Richmond Federation of Teachers (1975-1978). Carol then became a school administrator, a position she held from 1978-1984. Additionally, she was an instructor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.

In 1992, Carol decided to get her feet wet in politics. She was elected to the La Canada Flintridge City Council, where she served until 1999. During that time, she was also selected as mayor of the City of La Canada Flintridge, a post she held from 1996-1999. In 2000, Carol was elected to the California State Assembly on the Democratic ticket. She served there until 2006. In 2008 Carol was elected to the California State Senate, where she served until 2016. While in office, the former teacher served as chairperson of the Senate Education Committee. Her efforts included bills to reinvigorate career and technical education at the high school level, lower the costs of college textbooks, protect foster children, and prevent domestic violence. She also worked towards meeting the needs of low-income families, legislated on behalf of seniors and those with disabilities, and promoted environmental issues.

Read more about Carol Liu’s work in the Senate on Ballotpedia or from the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) at Scorecard.