The Catalina Foothills High School band program is seeing a change in leadership going into this school year. The previous assistant band director, Ramon Sepulveda, stepped down from his position in May, and his former student and mentee is taking his place.
Thomas Gerald just graduated from Arizona State University and was a student teacher at CFHS last semester. This is his first semester working directly with the program director Renee Shane-Boyd. Shane-Boyd said Thomas Gerald will flourish in his position.
He knows a lot about visual performance and this is marching band season right now so hell contribute a lot, said Shane-Boyd.
Renee Shane-Boyd has been the director at Catalina Foothills High School for 31 years. For the past 16 years, shes had Sepulveda by her side as the assistant director.
He worked really hard when he was here to develop his skills as a young teacher and really became a master teacher, she said.
Now, Thomas Gerald feels honored to be in his place. Sepulveda was Geralds band teacher in 5th grade and his band director in high school.
He was one of the people that really pushed me into music education. So its really special to be trying to fit in his shoes and follow in his footsteps, said Gerald. Hes so excited to work with the students.