Kyle McKinzey Head Director	Mr. McKinzey is completing his first year at Bowie Middle School. Previous to his position at Bowie he served at Howard Middle School in Mansfield. At Bowie he oversee's all aspects of the band program. Coordinating all beginner, 7th, and 8th grade curriculum he also arranges much of our music. For more information on Mr. Mckinzey check here
Sergio Mendez Assistant Director	Mr. Mendez is in his thrid year at Bowie Middle School. He attended Bowie as a student and then went on to Nimitz High School. After graduating from high school, he went to the University of North Texas. At Bowie he rehearse's our Symphonic Band White, assists with the honor band, and teaches beginner flute and trumpet. For more information on Mr. Mendez check here
Mason Daffinee Assistant Director	Mr. Daffinee is in his thrid year at Bowie Middle School. Before teaching at Bowie he worked in New York State where he grew up and attended college. After College he toured with the Broadway show Blast! At Bowie he teaches one our Symphonic Band Green, assists with the honor band, and teaches beginner clarinet and low brass classes. For more information on Mr. Daffinee check here

Nimitz High School Directors

Dr. Jay Smith Head Director	Dr. Jay Smith attended the University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and the University of North Texas and holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in music education as well as a Masters and Doctorate in Educational Leadership. After a successful career as a 6A band director, Dr. Smith moved into school administration as an Oklahoma middle and high school principal for several years. Upon retiring from administration, Dr. Smith moved to Texas and returned to the high school band world. Dr. Smith’s bands have received numerous honors including being the highest scoring U.S. band (and was second overall) at the invitational International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna, Austria and has also been recognized as the highest scoring groups at the Winter Park Music Festival; the Six Flags Over Atlanta Music Festival; the Heritage Festival in St. Louis Music Festival, the OpryLand Festival of Nashville, Tennessee; and the Tri-State Music festival of Oklahoma. Additionally, bands under Dr. Smith’s direction have played for President Ronald Reagan; Oklahoma Governor George Nigh and have marched at the Sugar Bowl game in New Orleans on five different occasions. Dr. Smith and his wife Gina have three sons: Blake, a high school junior; Dan ,currently in medical school at the University of Kansas; and Jeff, a professional musician in Los Angeles, California with the acapella jazz group M-PACT. Both Jeff and Dan were two time first chair All State musicians on bassoon and trombone.; both are still active players. Research conducted by Dr. Smith in 2003-2004 concerning non-English speaking Hispanic parents and their involvement with the schools their children attend was recently published in the peer reviewed journal The Rural Educator.
Mr. Ben Price Assistant Director	Mr. Price attended the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated with his Bachelors Degree in Music Education. He has been teaching for six years now, and has recently gone back to school to work on his Masters Degree in Music Education, in addition to teaching at Nimitz. Prior to teaching at Nimitz, Mr. Price taught in Arlington, and Burleson at the middle school and high school levels. His bands have consistently earned high ratings at UIL, and other music festivals throughout his career, and students under Mr. Price's direction have earned high honors at the region, area and state levels of competition as well. In his spare time, Mr. Price enjoys reading, cooking (at one time Mr. Price was going to become a chef), and playing french horn with the Metropolitan WindsMore Information Coming Soon
Ellen LaDue Percussion Director	Ms. Ladue grew up in Welsh, LA until I was about 14 years of age, she then moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She received her bachelors degree in Percussion Music Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi in the town of Hattiesburg, MS. She received her Masters Degree in Secondary Education from William Carey College in Gulfport, MS. She Began her teaching career at Ocean Springs Middle School before moving to Texas in 2002. Before Coming to Nimitz she taught at North Garland High School Her performance experience includes Symphony Orchestra’s, Big Bands, Churches, Musicals…..and Casino’s. Ms. Ladue is currently a Doctoral Candidate in K-12 specialized education and anticipates graduation in the fall of 2009. To learn more about Ms. Ladue the the Nimitz High School Percussion program check here

Private Lesson and Sectional Instructors

	Flute
Jennifer Mendez Jmendez1982@hotmail.com	Clarinet	Jennifer a past head director of Bowie is now earning her Masters Degree in Clarinet Performance from Texas A&M Commerce.
	Saxophone
	Trumpet
	French Horn
	Trombone
	Tuba/Euphonium
	Percussion

More Information Coming Soon