Franklin Music Faculty

ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC 

Mr. James H. Barrett (Jamie) resides in Franklin, MA, where he has been teaching music at Jefferson Elementary School since 1999. He also provides private guitar instruction after school, as well. His interest in music began with a very musical family, and piano, singing, and clarinet lessons at a young age. After discovering the guitar, Mr. Barrett went on to play in school productions and jazz bands and began gigging in night clubs before he was of age. He went on to play in several bands throughout the New England area. He attended a number of different schools for music, such as Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, CA, Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, E.C.S.U., and UMASS/Boston. In 2008, he was awarded the MAEC Music Educator Award for Distinguished Music Educator. Following that, he completed his Master's of Music in Music Education through Boston University and became certified in Orff Schulwerk at Bridgewater State University. Mr. Barrett continues to write songs for both his school's curriculum, the Franklin community, and himself. He loves to perform and can be seen at local libraries, festivals, and coffee houses.  http://musicwithmrbarrett.blogspot.com/ Mr. Barrett also loves running, hiking, kayaking, and many other outdoor activities, as well as spending time with his wife Kim, 2 kids, and 2 kitties!

ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC

Mary MacMurray (Mrs. Mac) is in her 21st year teaching. She is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Music Education: Emphasis in Voice. She also has a Master’s Degree in Teaching General Music from Bridgewater State University along with certifications in Orff I and II. She lives in Franklin with her husband and three kids. The power of music in EVERY child’s life is extremely important to her. She feels very fortunate to share this passion at Parmenter School and Kennedy School, in the town she also attended school in as a child. She hopes being your child's music teacher will help them learn to love music as much as she does. 

ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC

Brian Gustafson (Mr. G) has been teaching elementary general music in Franklin since 2000. He has taught at Parmenter, Davis Thayer, Keller, ECDC, Oak, and even the Brick School. He has a Bachelors in Music Education from Boston University and a Masters from UMASS Amherst. He has performed in many musical theater productions across southeast Massachusetts. He is 6'5" and is much better at teaching music than basketball.

Middle School BANDS

Nicole Wright has been teaching at Horace Mann School middle school since 2011. She has a Bachelors degree from the University of New Hampshire and a Masters degree in Music Education from The American Band College of Central Washington University.  

Ms. Wright is an active member with the Franklin Life Long Learning Music Academy where she is the director of the 4th and 5th grade after school band program and the middle school Honor Band. She has also been the assistant pep band director with Franklin High School since beginning teaching in Franklin. She remains an active private low brass instructor and performer with the Claflin Hill Wind Ensemble and substitute performer for the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra. 

In addition to her love of music, she loves cooking, golfing, and playing with her dog Lexi!

MIDDLE SCHOOL  AFTER SCHOOL ORCHESTRA

A 2006 alumni of FHS, Steven Sergi has been teaching in the String School of Franklin and teaching private lessons for several years.  With degrees from the Boston Conservatory and Boston University, he sustains an active teaching and performance calendar.  

FHS ORCHESTRAS

K-12 DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS

Diane Plouffe is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance and continued her studies at the University of New Hampshire receiving a Masters Degree in Music Education. Mrs. Plouffe recently earned her certification in Educational Leadership from Bridgewater State University. After teaching middle school orchestra for 20 years in Franklin, Mrs. Plouffe now serves as the K-12 Director of the Visual and Performing Arts for the Franklin Public Schools. Additionally, she continues to direct the Franklin High School String and Symphony Orchestras. The founding member and Director of the String School of Franklin, Mrs. Plouffe also directs the Franklin Repertory Orchestra.

Mrs. Plouffe lives in RI with her husband Kevin. They have two daughters.       Mrs. Plouffe is the FHS Ski Club advisor and continues to be a free-lance musician and a member of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra.

FHS BANDS

Leighanne Rudsit has been teaching music for 25 years. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1995, studying Trumpet with Dr. Robert Stibler. Her teaching career began here in Franklin where she taught 6th grade Band and beginner lessons at Horace Mann Middle School, along with 4th and 5th grade beginner lessons at Parmenter, Oak Street, and Kennedy Elementary Schools. In 1999 she attended Northwestern University in Evanston, IL earning her Master of Music degree while studying Wind Conducting with Dr. Mallory Thompson. She returned to NH teaching at Winnacunnet High School for 1 year. In 2000, she was hired to take over her own High School Band Director’s position at Pinkerton Academy where she taught for 5 years. During her time at Pinkerton she created the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, 2 Jazz Bands, and received recognition for increasing the size of the Marching Band from 95 to 180 members. Ms. Rudsit won the New Hampshire Band Director’s Outstanding Young Band Director award in 2003. Ms. Rudsit returned to Franklin High School in 2005 where she now directs the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, 2 Jazz Bands, Jazz Combo, and teaches AP Music Theory. She lives with her husband and 3 children in nearby Wrentham, MA. 

Middle School  Chorus

Allison Fuller is currently in her 17th year teaching music in Franklin. Allison is the middle school choral director at Franklin Middle School and previously taught elementary music and chorus at Oak St. and Parmenter and was also previously the choral director at Franklin High School. She received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education emphasis in piano from Rhode Island College and her Masters in Music Education also from RIC with an emphasis in voice. Allison earned her level one Gordon Institute for Music Learning (GIML) certification in Music Learning Theory and served as the New England Chapter president of GIML from 2014-2016. She lives in North Smithfield, RI with her two boys Oliver and Finn.