SCHOOL NEWS
New Nocona band director excited to join a full creative team
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Lori Jech (pronounced like Yech) is looking forward to working with a creative team in the Nocona High School Band program as she picks up the director’ baton for the “Pride of the Tribe.”
Jech joins Randy Brooks, who served as a director last year moving up from the middle school band program. The pair are not strangers as they both attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University and they discovered a photo from a teenage band camp that both attended.
The 60-year-old director comes to Nocona after a two-year run at Windthorst High School. She grew up in Kingfisher, OK the oldest of five siblings. In turn she grew up to have six of her own children, four boys and two girls ranging from 21-year-old twins to her oldest at 39.
She earned her bachelor of music education from the University of Oklahoma and began her career as a teacher in the Duncan schools. Why music education? Jech laughs she was something of a klux and her mom wanted to put her in dance, but no studio in Kingfisher, so baton twirling was the next best thing.
“I have been marching since I was four, exclaims Jech. “I fell in love with John Phillip Sousa marches and the like. That was all it took. In the back of my mind I wanted to pursue music, but my parents wanted a doctor or lawyer. I played basketball and softball and it was fun, but my saxophone was it.”
Read the full story on the new band director at Nocona High in the Thursday Bowie News.
Members of the Mighty Marching Maroon Band of Bowie High School crowned its royals during halftime ceremonies on Oct. 16. Band Sweetheart is Lilli Zilfo and Band Beau is Adam Hofbauer. Congratulations to the marching band for its work at UIL contest Saturday. While the band did not advance to area Director German Torres said he was very proud of their work this year.
Autumn has arrived in Montague County, and local school districts are gearing up for a full lineup of family-friendly fall festivals throughout the month of October.
From games to coronations, residents will have plenty of opportunities to support local students and celebrate the season.
Forestburg Independent School District starts its festival at 3 p.m. on Oct. 24, featuring games, a silent auction, gift baskets and a coronation of festival royalty.
Bowie Elementary will have its fall festival from 5 to 7 p.m on Oct 24. The event features both live and silent auctions along with carnival games.
Tickets are on presale at five for $1, or at the festival four for $1. Unlimited game wristbands also can be purchased for $20.
The seasonal celebrations wrap up on Halloween.
Saint Jo Elementary Parent Teacher Organization hosts its fall fest from 12 to 2 p.m on Oct. 31, in the Saint Jo Cafeteria, featuring various activity booths and local vendors.
Gold-Burg ISD follows from 2 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 31, on the GISD campus.
Attendees can enjoy games, a haunted house, food and a pie-in-the-face booth. Tickets may be purchased with cash or check only.
Other fall events include a family fun night hosted by Calvary Baptist Church at 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, at 204 Decatur St. The event will include food and a trunk-or-treat.
The Bowie Independent School District Board of Trustees celebrated student achievements and reviewed a perfect school security audit at its Oct. 19 meeting.
The meeting opened with recognitions. High School Principal Dr. Dean Johnson recognized teacher April Word and her theater students, Adryana Torres, Aowyn Word and Lilliana Zilfo, for excelling at Theaterfest 2026.
Johnson said the students earned the title of featured performers, placing them in the top 15 performers in the state. Word also got an award for exemplary campus theater director at the event.
Read the full school board story in the Thursday Bowie News.
Top photo- The school board recognized the Bowie Junior High cross country boy’s team after they won district runner-up at the recent meet. (Photo by Caroline Crain)
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