February 28, 2023, is more than a year away, but the Habersham County School System is already making plans for that day’s departure of veteran high school band director Ryan Dukes. Dukes has informed school administrators he is retiring.
During a discussion of personnel changes at Monday night’s school board meeting, Habersham County School Superintendent Matthew Cooper said it’s his aim to name a successor by the end of this school year to make a smooth transition.
“What we would like to do is name that band director by the end of this school year, have them start in the fall, and spend a good bit of that next year working alongside of Mr. Dukes,” Cooper said. “We will need time to find the right person,” he added, citing the band’s traditions and its importance to the local community. “It won’t be a bad thing to have two leaders there for the program and, obviously, when Mr. Dukes goes into retirement, that persons’ ready to step up: They’ll know the parents, the students. They’ll be ready to go.”
Habersham Central High School Principal Jonathan Stribling has been tasked with forming a search committee to fill the position. Stribling agreed that “being able to have somebody there in the fall will be very advantageous to us as we make that transition.”
Dukes joined the Habersham Central High School Fine Arts Faculty as the Director of Bands in 2007. Under his leadership, the HCHS Band program has grown to over 180 members participating in three concert bands, a jazz band, different chamber ensembles, Indoor Drumline, Winterguard, and the award-winning Marching Band of Blue, according to the school’s website.
He is only the third band leader at the school since the 1970s.
On December 10, Habersham Central held its annual Christmas concert which also served as a band reunion, featuring Nelson Payne. Payne was the high school’s band director for 22 years. He retired in 2000. Payne performed during the concert and the school honored him by naming its band room after him.
(Video courtesy Terri Allen/Facebook)
