 Weatherford ISD Director of Bands Joe Dolkos recently announced his intent to retire at the end of the 2011-12 school year.
Dolkos, who came to Weatherford ISD five years ago, has a total teaching experience of 35 years in public education.
Since coming to Weatherford ISD, Dolkos was responsible for helping make improvements in the Weatherford Band program earning consistent First Divisions at all UIL contests each year.
Also, the high school band won the “Outstanding Band Award” at festivals in Orlando, Fla; New York, N.Y., and Chicago, Ilinois since 2008.
For the first time in many years, the band had four TMEA All-State members. In 2010, the band won runner up in the Class 5A Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) State Honor Band competition.
Weatherford ISD sixth grade band instruction was instituted every day at the middle schools during the 2009–10 year. In 2012, for the first time in years, each high school and middle school band earned the coveted UIL “Sweepstakes Award.”
The band will take 33 students to the Texas State Solo and Ensemble contest May 26 in Austin.
Dolkos’ final farewell concert will be this Tuesday, May 22, in the Weatherford High School Durant Auditorium beginning at 7 p.m.
COMMENT FROM JOE DOLKOS
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Weatherford Independent School District for allowing me to serve the students and parents of Weatherford ISD as their band director the past five years. I will be officially retiring from the band directing profession after 35 successful years.
It has meant a great deal to me to have had the avid support of my administrators and school board during this time. Dr. Deborah Cron, Holly Teague and Dr. David Belding trusted me to lead and to make the needed improvements for the entire program grades 6–12. I know that with Dr. Jeffrey Hanks and Lynn Pool's leadership, the school district will rise to new heights of success in all areas.
I want to thank my assistant directors at the middle school and especially James Buckner and Megan Hibbitts who were my right-hand high school assistants at WHS during this time. It has been a labor of love to work with so many wonderful young men and women as students and to be a member of an outstanding faculty.
I will always be a true blue “Roo” at heart. I would hope, above all, that the Weatherford Band would always maintain the standard as the “Pride of Weatherford!" |
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There will be no school for Weatherford ISD students or staff members on Monday, May 21. This originally was a scheduled inclement weather day.
Hall Middle School students, staff members, parents, and friends attended this morning's awards ceremony in the main gymnasium (courtesy photos).