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.
Congratulations to Bowie High School for Achieving Exemplary Status in the Texas Educational Theatre Association’s Award of Distinction.
The award recognizes individual schools and districts that are making outstanding contributions to raising standards for theatre education through achievement, curation of resources, diversity and advocacy for theatre arts.
Members of the Texas Educational Theatre Association proudly congratulate Bowie High School for earning this award. This prestigious recognition highlights schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to fostering theatre education and participation in their communities.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsosnline.com
Bowie Independent School District Trustees extended the contract of Superintendent Dr. Donna Hale for one year and hired a new intermediate principal during its June 16 meeting.
Hale underwent her first annual summative evaluation in closed session as the board reviewed her overall work during the year. The superintendent said it has been a eventful year and she was happy the board extended her contract.
Landon Wesley was selected as the new principal at the intermediate school, replacing Jason Childress who moved into the new director of student services position last month. Wesley has been the campus assistant principal the past three years and has also served as teacher in the district. His wife, Rachel, is a science teacher at the junior high.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
Abigail Hill, Nocona High School valedictorian, is the 2026 UIL feature writing state champion. Nocona faculty have been looking through school records and UIL records to see when Nocona last had someone won state. UIL record archives only date back to 1983 and they didn’t see anyone listed as winning a gold medal in Academic UIL. According to Nocona records, she is the first UIL Academic Champion since 1973. (Courtesy photo)
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News