New school district band instructor focused on quality

The new band director for the Hot Springs County School District comes to us from Basin where he taught fifth through eighth grade band and high school band and choir.

Originally from Green River and Star Valley, Gerry Burton received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education and his Masters Degree in Counseling Education from the University of Wyoming.

Burton began his teaching career at a 5A school in Kansas teaching both elementary and high school vocal music.

He then took a sabbatical from teaching to obtain his Masters Degree then opened a private counseling practice, which he ran for 10 years.

Burton and his wife, Ashlee, a new first grade teacher at Ralph Witters Elementary, have seven children ranging from fourth grade to 22-years old. Two of their children, a senior and a sophomore, are finishing this year in Lovell before moving to Thermopolis to join the family. The Burtons also have two grandchildren.

"I want to create a quality music program," Burton said. "Quality is most important.

"I want to bring back half-time shows to our football games and we will have a pep band at every home game and regular volleyball game."

Burton added that anyone may come join in with the pep band at the games, just let him know in advance and bring your instrument.

"We'd love more sound," he said.

With a new teacher comes new experiences and to that end, Burton is using some of the eighth graders as mentors for the younger players at the middle school and has added a vocal performance class to the high school curriculum. The performance class will be teaching the fundamentals of performing on stage using modern music and jazz pieces.