District Music Faculty

Michael Drobish is the Director of Instrumental Music at Lawrence High School where he guides all aspects of the Band and Orchestra programs. He directs the Concert Band, Honors Wind Ensemble, String Orchestra, Jazz Big Band and the Lawrence Cardinal Marching Band. Michael is currently the President of the Doylestown Symphonic Winds, a charter member of the Philadelphia Wind Symphony and a regular performer with the Delaware Valley Wind Symphony. He holds multipe degrees from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and has studied with Ron Kerber, Frank Mazzeo, Tony Salicandro, Kathy Mitchell and Charles Salinger.  He is a member of NJMEA and often serves as a Cavalcade of Bands jazz adjudicator. Michael lives in Doylestown with his wife and two children and maintains a small studio of private students. 

Email: mdrobish@ltps.org

Mandy Johnson is the Director of Vocal Music and activities at Lawrence High School. She directs the Honors Madrigal Choir, Treble Ensemble, and Concert Choirs in addition to Advising the Tri-M Music Honors Society. She also instructs the Introduction to theory and musicianship through Guitar courses. Mandy has earned multiple degrees from Westminster Choir College of Rider University and has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Dresden Philharmonic among many others. While Mandy has taken joy in performing with many and varied local choral and theater groups, she is now enjoying a focus on her LHS Ensembles and small private studio. Mandy is a Member of NJMEA, and adjudicates and assists with the association's regional concerts. In her free time, Mandy enjoys reading, good coffee, and hiking trips with her husband, son, and adorable beagle.   

Email: mmjohnson@ltps.org

https://mmjohnsonmusic.weebly.com/

Ron Taglairino is the Director of the Concert Band and Jazz Band at Lawrence Middle School. Ron began his music teaching career in 2004, started teaching in the LTPS District in 2006 has been teaching at Lawrence Middle School since 2009. Ron is also an alumnus of Lawrence High School. Outside of school-day teaching, Ron is actively involved in music, conducting the Lawrence Township Community Concert Band, and performing monthly with the Midnight Sun Orchestra in New Hope. He is also a member of the Mark Feingold Jazz Group where he plays tenor saxophone (www.markfjazz.com). Ron can be heard on YouTube playing with the Midnight Sun Orchestra, and on Spotify playing with local cover band Living The Dream. He also remains the lead coordinator for Princeton Tuba Christmas since 2013. Occasionally, Ron also performs in Civil War reenactments or at a living history where he can be heard playing baritone horn with the 28th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Band. Ron holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Elizabethtown College and a Master of Education in Educational Technology from the American College of Education. Some saxophone and jazz educators with whom he has studied include Eric Haltmeier, Beverly Butts, Kirk Reese, James Houlik, and Larry McKenna. Ron is a member of NJMEA, CJMEA, NJEA, and NEA. Ron lives in Ewing with his wife, Amanda who is also a music educator, and his two children, Lucas and Clara.

Email: rtaglairino@ltps.org

Email: kbriceno@ltps.info

Tom has been teaching at LMS since 2016, directing the choirs and teaching Performing Arts/Musical Theatre classes. He has also served as music director for several shows at LMS and 1 at the High School, and also created the fight choreography for the 2021 LHS production of "Romeo and Juliet". He has also taught elementary music in Virginia, Florida, and Nassau, Bahamas, and spent 7 years at Hopewell Valley Regional School District, both at Timberlane MS and at the high school, where he produced and directed the winter musical and the spring theatre productions. In the past, Tom has also worked as a professional actor, puppeteer, caterer, box office assistant, and guitar sales manager. The "Jack-of-all-trades" thing definitely applies. Tom has an awesome daughter, Emily, and a really cool cat named Poopers.

Email: tzumchak@ltps.org

Rachel Scaturo is the 7th Grade Chorus teacher at LMS, as well as a member of the Language Arts Department. She holds degrees from the University of Delaware and Westminster Choir College. She has sung with the Yale Camerata, Princeton Pro Musica, and the Capital Singers of Trenton. She has performed with the American Family Theatre and the Surflight Theatre, among others. She continues singing as a church musician and in a local rock band.  

Email: rscaturo@ltps.org

Mrs. Clark has been teaching instrumental (strings) and general music in Lawrence Township Public Schools since 2005. Mrs. Clark graduated from The College of NJ with a Bachelors of Music Education degree viola concentration and has earned over thirty masters credits from different colleges and universities.  Through the years, she has written and received many LTEF grant funds to bring creative projects to the music classroom including three commissioned pieces. She is an active member of New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) and Central Jersey Music Educators Association (CJMEA). She presented at different music conferences on various music education topics at state conferences in New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and Virgina. Mrs. Clark has an active private studio for students and adults of different abilities. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Chris a fellow music teacher and their two children Hayden and Aimee.

Email: mclark@ltps.org

https://sites.google.com/ltps.info/lis-music/home

Evan Kilgore is the Band Director at Lawrence Intermediate School where he is excited to be teaching grades 4-6 Band, Jazz Band, and 6th Grade General Music. Evan is a graduate of the University of the Arts where he received his B.A in saxophone performance. He has had the privilege of studying with Anthony Salicandro, Chris Farr, Mark Allen, Joel Frahm and Larry McKenna. He currently lives in Hamilton, NJ with his wife and cat, Penny.  

Email: ekilgore@ltps.org

Bess Anne Ploener is a 4-6 music teacher at Lawrence Intermediate School. She teaches general music and chorus to fourth through sixth graders, as well as runs the advanced vocal ensemble for 5th and 6th graders and co-runs the LIS Musical. She has sung and taught locally including at the McCarter Theater Center in Princeton, NJ. She currently sings with the Glassbrook Vocal Ensemble, a professional choir based out of Ewing, NJ. She lives in Kingston, NJ with her husband and rescue dog, Izzy.

Email: bploener@ltps.org

https://sites.google.com/ltps.info/lis-music/home

Ben Franklin Elementary School Colleen LaFlamme is the music teacher at Ben Franklin Elementary School. She currently teaches elementary general music, but has previously taught everything from PreK music to college marching band. Colleen holds music degrees from Duquesne University and Boston University, and you can find her on Twitter @laflammemusic.

Email: claflamme@ltps.org

https://www.ltps.org/Domain/1047

Debbie Lingel is the general music teacher at Eldridge Park Elementary School. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree from The College of New Jersey and her Masters of Music from University of the Arts. In addition to teaching, Debbie is also a musical theater performer and participates in local theater productions throughout central NJ.

Email: dlingel@ltps.org

https://www.ltps.org/Domain/571

Matt Schlomann is the general music teacher at Lawrenceville Elementary School. This year, he is also the vocal music director for the Lawrence High School musical - Grease. Matt earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The College of New Jersey. In addition to teaching, Matt also enjoys performing in a choral setting - most recently performing the music from "Home Alone" with the TCNJ Chorale and the Philadelphia Orchestra. You can find Matt on twitter @MrSchlomann. 

Email: dlingel@ltps.org

Tanya Damon is the music teacher at Slackwood Elementary School. She previously taught middle school music in another district before teaching general music at Slackwood.  Tanya has a Bachelor of Music degree from The College of New Jersey, and also attended Asbury University. Tanya lives in Burlington County with her husband and two children.

Email: tdamon@ltps.org

https://sites.google.com/ltps.info/tdamon/home?pli=1

Please welcome Sarah Foster, our district's new Instructional Supervisor! Sarah will be responsible for the supervision of math and science instruction in Grades 7-12 and art education for all students in K-12.

As an experienced educator, Sarah is passionate about educational equity and has presented at the NJDOE’s annual State Conference for Equity. She is an advocate for programs that serve the whole child, for every child. Sarah believes in building relationships with staff, students, and communities when designing educational experiences for learners in order to support and celebrate everyone in their successes. 

Sarah comes to Lawrence Township from Robbinsville Public Schools, where she has served for the last four years as the Supervisor of Secondary Curriculum and Professional Development. Prior to this, she taught visual arts in Hopewell Valley for 11 years.

Sarah has a bachelor’s degree in Art Education from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Rider University. She replaces Yvette Panasowich as she retires after 16 years in the district. Sarah is excited to join the district’s leadership this summer and looks forward to a successful school year!

Email: sfoster@ltps.org

Email: dbariexca@ltps.org