EDUCATION
Sean Cleland, the new band director at the Jones County High School, has stepped into his new role at the high school after showing off his talents at Gray Station Middle School for two years, landing his dream job.
“For the past two years I was the feeder middle director over at Gray Station Middle School, and I got the opportunity back in May when there was a change in leadership,” he said. “Mr. Rackley saw the quality I was sending from the middle school, and the job I was doing here, so I decided to accept.”
Cleland said he got into the profession to be a high school band director. He became a part of the middle school and loved the energy middle schoolers brought. He said he always had the mentality for high school, so this position made more sense for him.
“This was 14 years in the making. I was a sophomore in high school when I decided to become a high school band director. My high school band director was talking so passionately about what we were doing, and somewhere in my heart I decided I wanted to share that with my future students one day,” he said.
The director said he received his undergraduate at Georgia State University, and spent his time in Forsyth County, working there. He said he finished his degree in five years, then taught in Fulton County for one year, where he taught elementary school. He said teaching elementary school wasn’t for him. He said he has his masters’ degree from the University of Georgia and plans to get his PhD at some point.
“I live in McDonough. I enjoy the drive here, because I get quiet time and have time to think things through. I enjoy where I’m working and I enjoy where I live, so it makes the drive in between not so bad,” Cleland said. “The plan is to move to Jones County, though. I love the community here, and I just want to see music programs soar here.”
Melody Dixon, a student of Cleland’s, plays the trumpet and is in ninth grade. She said she enjoys fine arts in general and learning about music. She said she wants to act on Broadway one day. The student said being in the band has helped with her confidence.
“Mr. C is nice, and he’s a really good teacher. He was my teacher at Gray Station, so now I get to see him for another four years. He teaches us how to play an instrument, how to clean it and anything that has to do with the band. I hope he stays here a long time,” she said.
Cleland said he always loved music, but he wasn’t always good at it. He started out on the trombone when he joined the band in school. When he continued music in college; it became who he was.
He said it’s in his blood, since his father and grandfather were both musicians.
The director said his students seem to enjoy having him as a band director at the Jones County High School. He said he got to know some of them already through Gray Station Middle School and got to step into the role having some knowledge of his students already. He said he wants to see his students grow their talents and share their passion for music.
“I try to teach my students that this is a team, and that there are no benched players,” Cleland said. “For me it’s about teaching the confidence to play, the confidence to trust in each other and have a passion for what we’re doing.”
