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John R. Black, Band Director

John R. Black graduated from West Texas State University (now WTAMU) in 1981 with a Bachelors of Music Education degree.  Mr. Black began his teaching career as the head junior high band director at Monahans Junior High and later served one year as high school assistant and three years as the head high school director.  In 1988, Mr. Black left Monahans for Dallas to accept the band director position at Dan F. Long Middle School, now in his 21st year.

Mr. Black’s bands have received numerous first divisions as well as winning the Yellow Rose Classic contest at San Antonio, runner-up awards, and Best-In-Class awards at ETC World Events Lone Star Showdown, Best-In-Class and Outstanding Overall awards at DC Festivals Lone Star Showdown, and Best-In-Class at American Classics Big D Classic.  The second band has won Best In Class seven times.  Mr. Black received the Very Important Profession of Teaching award by the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD in 1996, the Honorary Life Member Award from the Dan F. Long PTA in 2002, Dan F. Long Teacher of the Year 2006 and serves as Fine Arts Department Chair and a member of the Campus Improvement Council.

Mr. Black is an member of First United Methodist Church of Carrollton where his wife Dessa is the Business Administrator.  Mrs. Black originated the FUMC and this web site.  She enjoys web design.  Mr. Black served as FUMC Orchestra Director for six years and director of the Canticle Ringers (handbell ensemble) for four years.

Mr. Black has two sons.  Paul, a graduate of Texas Tech University and Newman Smith High School plays french horn.  He has participated in the  Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony, Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (2003, 2005, 2007), and the Texas All-State Band.  Paul is a student of Christopher Smith and Chris Dulin.  Philip is a senior at Newman Smith High School (playing trumpet), has also participated in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (2007, 2008), and has had great success at district, region contests, solo/ensemble contests, and band camps.  Philip is a student of Kyle Johnson, Dr. Eric Swisher (Murray State University), and Dr. Paul Hankins (Delta State University).

About teaching, Mr. Black says, "Working with students is a great honor and a lot of fun. It’s exciting getting to watch students grow and learn over a period of years with great success. I strongly recommend teaching to anyone with a love of working with youth."
 
 
Belinda Parks, Assistant Band Director

Belinda Parks grew up in Ashland City, Tennessee. After graduating from Cheatham County High School, she began her music studies at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. While studying music education she met a fellow musician, and her future husband, Rob. They have two daughters, Arianna Belle Parks and Adelyn Willow Parks.

     Mrs. Parks earned a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Austin Peay State University in 1997. Belinda completed graduate studies at the University of Kentucky where she received a Masters Degree in Music Education. As a teaching assistant for the Wind Division of the UK School of Music, Mrs. Parks served as an assistant conductor with the UK Symphony Band, Basketball Pep Band, and as an instructor for the UK Wildcat Marching Band. As a performer, Mrs. Parks performed with the acclaimed UK Wind Ensemble under the direction of Richard S. Clary. In addition to her appointment with the Wind Division, Mrs. Parks instructed courses for the Music Education Division, focusing on music education courses for elementary education majors.

Mrs. Parks has taught music education from kindergarten through the university level. She began her teaching career in Pleasant View Tennessee as head band director at Sycamore High School. In addition, she served as the assistant middle school band director at Sycamore Middle, a position she held for two years before beginning graduate studies in the fall of 2000.

Following Graduate School, Mrs. Parks accepted a position at Mary Todd Elementary School in Lexington, Kentucky where she taught for three years, specializing in instrumental and choral instruction. Mrs. Parks taught private flute lessons in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District beginning in the fall of 2006 after her husband was hired as a band director/percussion specialist at Newman Smith High School.

After spring break in March 2006 Mrs. Parks assumed the position of assistant band director at Dan F. Long Middle School as a long-term sub.  Since then she has had great success leading the concert band to straight first division ratings and Outstanding In Class CC Second Bands at the DC Festival Lonestar Showcase of Music on two occasions as well as receiving division one ratings at UIL contest. Mrs. Parks has since accepted the offer to assume the position full-time.  She also assists with the orchestra at Central Park Baptist Church. Belinda’s primary flute teachers were Dr. Lisa Read Vanarsdel (APSU) and Gordon Cole (UK).
  
 
  
Rob Parks
   
Mr. Parks is in his fourth year as Percussion Director at Newman Smith High School. Mr. Parks received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Austin Peay State University where he studied percussion with David Steinquest. Mr. Parks is working towards the completion of a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Kentucky where he studied with Professor James Campbell and received a Master's Degree in Percussion Performance. In addition, Rob has studied various hand drumming techniques with members of the acclaimed Hands ‘On Semble, Michael Spiro, and N. Scott Robinson. While at UK, his teaching duties included the percussion methods class, undergraduate percussion lessons, arranger/instructor for the UK Drum Line, Director of Blue Steel Professional Steel Drum Band, and Assistant Conductor with the UK Percussion Ensemble. Mr. Parks performed regularly with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra as an extra percussionist and timpanist. As an adjunct faculty member at Centre College in Danville, KY, he directed the percussion ensemble and taught applied lessons. During the summer of 1999 he was a member of the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps of Canton, Ohio and has served as a percussion consultant for Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps.

Robert has been on the percussion faculty at the Bands of America Summer Symposium since the summer of 2001, served on the faculty of Yamaha Sounds of Summer Camps, and has taught and arranged for high schools throughout Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and abroad in Japan. He is also a founding member of the UK Percussion Quartet, which has performed throughout Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, including a performance at the first annual Bands of America National Percussion Ensemble Festival.

Mr. Parks is a Yamaha Performing Artist and an endorser of Innovative Percussion and Evans Drum Heads.
  
 
 
Newman Smith High School  (www.NSHSBAND.org)
Bill Centera......................................Band Director
Andy Rein........................................Associate Band Director
Robert Parks....................................Percussion Director


 
 
Creekview High School  (www.CREEKVIEWBAND.org)
Pete Hazzard......................Band Director
Kara Hoeflinger....................Assistant Band Director
Michael Gibson...................Assistant Band Director
Dan F. Long Administration  (http://cfbstaff.cfbisd.edu/long/)
Nick Lasker..........................................Principal
Kimberly Guinn.....................................Assistant Principal
Barry Fox.............................................Assistant Principal
Katina Boutte.......................................Counselor
Stephanie Buckner................................Counselor
CFBISD Administration  (www.cfbisd.edu)
Dr. Annette T. Griffin....................Superintendent
Dr. Bobby Burns..........................Asst. Superintendent, Administration/Personnel
Mark Hyatt........................ .........Asst. Superintendent, Support Services
Dr. Charles Cole..........................Asst. Superintendent, Student, Family, & Community Services
Dr. Sheila Maher.........................Asst. Superintendent, Curriculum & Instruction
Jim McDaniel..............................Director of Fine Arts (visit the CFBISD Fine Arts web site)