Jo Ann Champion is the Director of Bands at Hutto Middle School, where she directs the Wind Ensemble and instructs Beginning Band students in flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, and horn. In addition, she serves on the the HISD District Advisory Committee, as the Secondary Instrumental Music Liaison on the HISD Fine Arts Committee, and as Department Chair for the HMS Electives Department. Prior to joining the Hutto Middle School staff, Mrs. Champion taught in the Smithville and Lexington school districts.

Mrs. Champion completed a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Studies with Instrumental Emphasis from the University of Texas at Austin and has dual Master's degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University: a Master of Music degree in Music Education with a concentration in Wind Band Conducting, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership. Mrs. Champion also holds a Texas Principal Certificate.

Mrs. Champion is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, Women Band Directors International, Tau Beta Sigma International Band Service Sorority, Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Fraternity, and Pi Kappa Lambda International Music Honor Society. She is also a Provisional Member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, a Life Member of the Texas Exes, and is active in the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band. 

Under the direction of Mrs. Champion, the Hutto Middle School Wind Ensemble has earned multiple awards in performance, including 10 UIL Sweepstakes Awards in the annual UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation and recognition for exceptional performance and Best in Class in multiple festival appearances in the Central Texas area. While pursuing her Master of Music degree, Mrs. Champion was elected by the Faculty College at Stephen F. Austin State University for recognition in Who's Who Among American Colleges and Universities. In addition, she was selected for a Texas Music Educators Association Graduate Scholarship in 2014 and was awarded the Pat McNallen Scholarship in Music Education by the Texas Music Educators Association the following year. In 2015, Mrs. Champion was named a Music and Arts National Music Educator of the Year nominee and was recognized as a State Semifinalist in the HEB Excellence in Education Awards. In 2019, Mrs. Champion was selected as a scholarship recipient to attend the West Texas A&M University Band Director Workshop in Canyon, TX, and in 2020 she was chosen to participate in the University of North Texas Conducting Collegium where she studied with Dr. Eugene Corporon, Dr. Daniel Cook, and Dr. Andrew Trachsel.  

Among her memorable experiences in band, she has performed for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, on CBS this Morning, and in 2019, traveled with the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band to Normandy, France, to perform in the commemorative events celebrating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. 

In her free time, Mrs. Champion enjoys reading, writing, cooking, hiking, and geocaching.  Being passionate about the value of arts education for all children, Mrs. Champion is proudly affiliated with the Texas Arts Education Campaign, and regularly spends time advocating for legislative action to protect, fund, and improve access to the fine arts in Texas' public schools. This is Mrs. Champion's nineteenth year at Hutto Middle School and her twenty-sixth year in education. Her husband of 22 years, Brandon, and daughter, Emily, are happy and proud to call the Hippo Nation home.

Brent Acuff graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and has been a part of the Hutto Middle School Band staff since 2008. While in college, Mr. Acuff studied percussion and played in several ensembles, including the SFA Steel Drum Band. He is now the assistant band director at Hutto Middle School and directs the HMS Symphonic Band, and teaches beginning band classes in clarinet, saxophone, trombone, euphonium, tuba, and percussion as well. In addition to band classes, Mr. Acuff sponsors students during the National Novel Writing Month challenge every November (everyone has a story to tell; you just have to write it down...). 

If your goal is to make Mr. Acuff talk for hours on end, mention any of the following: coffee, Disney, or pens and paper. 

The best way to contact Mr. Acuff is through email (brent.acuff@huttoisd.net). Please feel free to get in touch with any questions you may have.