I am the Band and Guitar Teacher at Orion Jr. High. I LOVE teaching music! I've taught band, orchestra, and choir too. The first instrument I learned was the piano, but my main instrument is the French Horn. I can play ALL of the instruments! (Some I'm really good at, and some I'm only kind of good.) I love helping students learn how to play new instruments, and to find a love for music, and to have FUN. When I was a student, band was my favorite class because of the friends I made, the skills I learned and the music I got to play. I loved having a break from Math, Science, and English to do something I really enjoyed. 

When I took Beginning Band, I started to play the flute. I loved the flute, but our band needed a French Horn player. I took one for the team, and learned the French Horn. I have LOVED it ever since.

Orion Junior High was opened in August 2003.  A dedication ceremony was held on October 29th. The name Orion was chosen, after the Orion constellation.  These stars, in the Orion constellation, represent a fictional person in Greek Mythology.  He was known as a powerful hunter.  A hunter must depend on wisdom, skill, knowledge and hard work, all attributes which students here at Orion possess.  Orion is also a millennial word that means far reaching, to hunt, seek, pursuit, and to look for something. 

Orion has only had two Band Directors in its history. For the first 20 years, the Band program was lead by David Sowby. When he left to start a new adventure at a new school, Taylor Shinney was chosen to be the new band director. Orion Band has an important place in the school community through well established traditions.