Faculty & Staff

BAND STAFF

Mark Santore, Director of Bands

Mark Santore is presently serving his fifteenth year as Director of Bands at Laurel Highlands High School. Mr. Santore’s present duties include conductor of the Laurel Highlands Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, Pep Band and director of the “The Pride of Laurel Highlands”, the Mustang Marching Band. In addition, Mr. Santore is the instructor for Intro to Guitar, Music Theory & Technology, AP Music Theory, assists with the Percussion Ensemble and is the department chair for Art and Music in the Laurel Highlands School District.

Previously, Mr. Santore has taught elementary general music at G.C. Marshall and R.W. Clark Elementary Schools, was the assistant director of the Laurel Highlands High School Band, and director of the 2008 musical “Grease”. Prior to his appointment at Laurel Highlands, he served as Director of Music at Lafayette School in the Uniontown Area School District for one year.

Mr. Santore holds a master of education degree from California University of Pennsylvania, a bachelor’s degree in music education from West Virginia University and is a graduate of Laurel Highlands High School. While working on his bachelors, Mr. Santore was a member of the WVU Wind Symphony, WVU Concert Band, and a member of the award-winning “Pride of West Virginia” The Mountaineer Marching Band, where he served as saxophone section leader. In addition, Mr. Santore studied conducting under John Hendricks III, Dr. Kathleen Shannon, and Don Wilcox. Mr. Santore is currently on staff at WVU's Mountaineer Music Leadership Academy where he is an instructor for leadership in instrumental ensembles.

While at Laurel Highlands, Mr. Santore has expanded the music curriculum to include a percussion ensemble and applied music courses, he has received grants funds over $12,000.00 for a Music Theory Technology Lab and overseen the renovation and new construction of the auditorium and music suite at Laurel Highlands High School. Mr. Santore is a member of several professional music organizations including the National Association for Music Education, the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association where he is serving as newsletter and web editor for District One and a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, International Honorary Band Fraternity. Mr. Santore resides in South Union Township with his children Paxton, Parker and Elliana.

Lauren STEWART, Director of Choirs & Theatre
ASSOCIATE Marching Band Director

Lauren Stewart is presently serving her fourteenth year as the Director of Choirs and Theatre at Laurel Highlands High School. She graduated from Karns City High School in Butler County, and went onto receive her Bachelor’s Degree in music education from West Virginia University. While at West Virginia, she studied both percussion and voice. She was involved in the “Pride of West Virginia”, the Mountaineer Marching Band playing piccolo, cymbals, and bass drum. In 2008, Mrs. Stewart received the Most Outstanding Band Senior award. She was also involved with the Women’s Choir, African Drum and Dance Ensemble, Steel Band, Percussion Ensemble and Choral Union.

After graduation, Mrs. Stewart worked as a day-to-day substitute with a long-term substitute position at Moniteau High School as their choir director.

At Laurel Highlands High School, Mrs. Stewart is the instructor for Theatre, Musical Theatre, Advanced Theatre, Chorale Choir, Chamber Choir, and Percussion Ensemble. Through her leadership the choirs and percussion areas have grown in size and ability. Mrs. Stewart is also the assistant director of the “Pride of Laurel Highlands”, the Mustang Marching Band. While at Laurel Highlands Mrs. Stewart has directed the plays/musicals “And Then There Was One, Too”, “Flowers for Algernon”, “Parlor Games” "Legally Blonde", "The Wizard of Oz", "Beauty and the Beast" "Phantom of the Opera" , "Cinderella", "Into the Woods" and "Mary Poppins".

Dylan Stewart, Percussion Coordinator

Dylan Stewart is presently serving in his eleventh year as the Percussion Coordinator for Mustang Marching Band. Mr. Stewart graduated from Morgantown High School (Morgantown, WV) in 2006, and went on to receive his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University in 2011. While at West Virginia, he was involved in the “Pride of West Virginia”, the Mountaineer Marching Band, playing in the drum line for four years and would eventually become one of the percussion instructors (Snare Tech) for the WVU Marching Band. In the Summer of 2010, Mr. Stewart marched for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corp.

At Laurel Highlands High School, Mr. Stewart has transformed the drum line by incorporating a drum corps style as per his experiences at MHS, WVU and with the Blue Stars. Mr. Stewart continues to arrange for marching percussion in the Morgantown, WV and Uniontown, PA areas.

Lisa Brown, Majorette Instructor

Lisa Brown is currently serving her fifteenth year as the majorette instructor for the Laurel Highlands Marching Band. She holds a bachelors degree in business administration and accounting from Cal U. She is recently retired as the guidance office administrative assistant at Laurel Highlands High School. Mrs. Brown is also a very active clinician and judge for majorettes as well as a private teacher.

MELISSA PATITUCCI, Color Guard Instructor

Bio coming soon...

KATHIE GROVES, ASSIStANT DIRECOTOR

Kathie Groves is currently serving her eleventh year as an assistant marching band director. She graduated from Karns City High School in Butler County and received her Bachelor’s Degree in music education from Slippery Rock University where she studied oboe 2003. Right after graduation Kathie was hired by the Butler Area School District where she was an associate marching band director for nine years and currently teaches fifth grade band and general music. In 2012 Kathie received the prestigious “Citation of Excellence” from PMEA, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, with whom is a member. She is a member of the Harrisville Community Band, Laurel Highlands Pit Orchestra and freelances for numerous venues. Kathie has private studios out of May’s Music Shoppe in Butler and her home in Chicora where she resides with her husband Jeff. Kathie has three children Steve Groves, Lauren Stewart and Leah Balk and 3 grandchildren.

RICHARD"MAC"MCCOY
Director emertius

PAST DIRECTORS

Mr. Jim Miller

James B. Miller: 2000 - 2008 (8 Years)
Jim Miller was the Director of Bands at Laurel Highlands High School from January 2000 to June of 2008. He is a 1989 graduate of Aliquippa High School, a 1991 graduate of Pennsylvania State University with an Associate’s Degree in Engineering Technology, and a 1995 graduate of Slippery Rock University with a B.S. in Music Education. Under the leadership of Mr. Miller the band was able to create various marching band staff and summer staff positions that have continued to help the band increase in quality. In addition, Mr. Miller helped expand the current course offerings at Laurel Highlands to include Music Theory, AP Music Theory and Introduction to Guitar. The marching band also continued to compete in PIMBA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association) until his final year as marching band director in 2007. In June of 2008, Mr. Miller stepped down as the high school director to fill the position of middle school band director where he is currently teaching.

Mr. Dan Myers

Daniel Myers: 1997 - 1999 (2.5 Years)
Dan Myers was the Director of Bands at Laurel Highlands High School from June 1997 - October 1999. He is a 1995 Graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Music Education (Saxophone). Under Mr. Myers' leadership the band was able to purchase a wide variety of marching and concert percussion equipment, a new set of band uniforms and saw one of LH's largest marching bands of the past two decades with 130 members in 1999. Currently, Mr. Myers is an elementary band director in the greater Johnstown area.

Mr. Richard "Mac" McCoy

Richard "Mac" McCoy: 1965 - 1997 - Director of Bands Emeritus (33 Years)
Richard "Mac" McCoy was the first and longest serving director of bands at Laurel Highlands. After graduating in 1960 from WVU's School of Music, Mr. McCoy was a long term substitute in the North Union and South Union School Districts. In 1965, after the merger of North Union and South Union High Schools, Mr. McCoy was named the band director for the newly formed Laurel Highlands High School. Mr. McCoy created a band program that has performed at various locations throughout the eastern United States with numerous awards for outstanding performances. Under his leadership the marching band went through three sets of uniforms, created the Laurel Highlands Jazz Ensemble, and saw the largest marching band in the history of Laurel Highlands with over 150 members. Mr. McCoy returned as the interim director from October 1999 to January 2000 when Dan Myers left Laurel Highlands to return to the Johnstown Area until Jim Miller was appointed the director. In 2008, Mr. McCoy was officially named Director of Bands Emeritus or Director for Life. Mr. McCoy continues to work with the high school bands today and serves as the announcer for the marching band.

LHSD MUSIC FACULTY

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Erin Holly K-5 General Music / 5th Grade Choir Hatfield & Hutchinson Elementary Schools [email protected]
Rachel Zenobi K-5 General Music / 5th Grade Choir Clark & Marshall Elementary Schools [email protected]
Jim Miller 5th Grade Band Program All Elementary Schools [email protected]

MIDDLE SCHOOL
Jim Miller 6-8 Bands / General Music Laurel Highlands Middle School [email protected]
Amber Trump 6-8 Choirs / General Music Laurel Highlands Middle School [email protected]

HIGH SCHOOL
Mark Santore 9-12 Bands / Theory / Guitar Laurel Highlands High School [email protected]
Lauren Stewart 9-12 Choirs / Theatre / Percussion Laurel Highlands High School [email protected]