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Mr. Brent Wheeler
7-8 Band
7-8 General Music
I am a graduate of Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas and I received my Masters Degree in Music Education from Emporia State University. My major areas of performance are clarinet and saxophones.
I have spent the last 22 years teaching in the Hickman Mills C-1 School District and the last four years at Smith-Hale Middle School teaching band and orchestra. The previous nineteen years I have been the Director of Bands at Ruskin High School for nine years and the Director of Bands at Hickman Mills high School for ten years where I have directed the Concert Bands, Marching Bands, Pep Bands, Jazz Bands and Jazz Combos. Under my direction the performance groups have been consistent first division winners at music festivals in Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Washington D.C., Chicago, Tennessee, Oklahoma and many other states in the U.S.A.
I am presently a member of MMEA, MBA, NEA, Alpha Sigma Gamma Iota, Alpha Sigma Gamma Lambda Chapter, NorthWinds Symphonic Band, Kansas City Philharmonia and a member of Concord Fortress of Hope Church.
I am happily married to Sharon Wheeler who is a third grade teacher at Ervin Elementary School. We have two beautiful daughters, a handsome son-in law and two amazing grandchildren.
Mr. Lester Morris
6th Grade Band
6, 8 General Music
Mr. Morris is currently the 6th Grade Band Teacher, the Music Appreciation Teacher for 6th Grade and an 8th Grade class, as well as the Smith Hale Music Department Chair. This is his 2nd year at Smith Hale Middle School. He previously taught Music in Kansas City, Missouri, Public Schools from 1994 - 2019. His tenure in Kansas City, Missouri, Public Schools included teaching Band, Orchestra, Choir, Music Appreciation, and General Music. Mr. Morris also teaches privately and at A-Flat Music Studio Inc where he also serves as an Assistant Conductor of their A-Flat Youth Orchestra. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degrees in both Music and Education from William Jewell College in 1991 and a Master of Arts Degree in Music Performance on the Horn from the University of Central Missouri in 2006. He enjoys playing his Horn with the Kansas City Wind Symphony and the Connection Point Church Orchestra. He has toured performing music in Bulgaria, China, Greece, Japan, Poland, Russia, Thailand, as well as the United States. As a Missouri Certified teacher in both Vocal and Instrumental Music in grades K-12, his personal mission is to cast musical visions to the students at Smith Hale MiddleSchool and bring those visions to reality.
Ms. Melody Holliday
6-8 Orchestra
8th Grade General Music
Ms. Holliday is in her 2nd year of education and her first in the Hickman Mills School District where she teaches 6th-8th grade orchestra and 8th grade general music. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she played in both the Conservatory Orchestra and Conservatory Wind Ensemble. She is currently working on a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Park University. She spent her first year as a teacher in Kansas teaching K-8 general music, band, and orchestra. Ms. Holliday is excited to join the Smith-Hale team and help build the music program!
Ms. Autumn Schulte
6-8 Choir
7th Grade General Music
Autumn Schulte is the 6-8th Choir Directer, as well as the 7th grade General music instructor. Autumn has been with Smith-Hale since she began teaching four years ago. She graduted from Missouri State University in 2018 and is certified to teach Vocal Music K-12. She is certified in level one of the Kodaly method, and his method is the one that guides her teaching practices. Besides teaching, Autumn also likes to perform and takes part in music jams where she is the lead singer nearly every weekend. Her goal for Smith-Hale is to build up the music program to a point that 80% of students are involved in either Band, Orchestra, or Choir throughout 6-8th grades.
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