Fulton County Music Department Staff

Welcome To The Fulton County Music Department

Coordinator of Music Education - John LaForge

John LaForge is the Coordinator of Music Education for Fulton County Schools. Prior to his appointment to this position in August 2004, he was the choral director at Tri-Cities High School, the Visual & Performing Arts Magnet program in Fulton County. During his tenure at Tri-Cities, his choirs performed at numerous concert venues throughout the state, including Spivey Hall and Symphony Hall in metropolitan Atlanta and at the Georgia Music Educators Association Conference in Savannah. He also served as Fulton County High School Choral Department Chair for six years and GMEA District Five Chair from 2002 to 2004.

In addition to his responsibilities as coordinator, LaForge is an active clinician and adjudicator. He also works with numerous arts organizations in the Atlanta area, including serving as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Center for Educational Partnerships in Music, the Spivey Hall Education Committee, and the Atlanta Opera Advisory Council. Most recently, he was named Georgia Director for The Metropolitan Opera.

Prior to becoming a music educator, LaForge had a successful career as a solo artist, having performed with opera companies and symphony orchestras throughout the United States, including The Washington Opera, Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Chautauqua Opera, and The Atlanta Opera, among others. He has also performed extensively in Europe and still appears regularly throughout the Atlanta area as a guest soloist with various local organizations, including the Michael O’Neal Singers, Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Sacred Chorale, the Georgia Philharmonic, and Capitol City Opera. He has received awards and recognitions from the Sullivan Foundation, the Florida Suncoast Opera Competition, the Houston Grand Opera Auditions, the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Baylor University and a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance from West Georgia College. He also studied for the Doctor of Music degree in Opera Performance at Florida State University.

John LaForge
Music Office: 404-669-4942

Fax Number: 404-669-4958

Administrative Assistant

Connie Plowden

Fulton County Music Department Chairs

Marcia Laird- Marcia Laird holds a Bachelor’s and Master of Music Education degree from Eastern Kentucky University, where she also served as a graduate assistant. She taught high school in southern Indiana from 1979 to 1988, during which time she spent several summers attending workshops at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago.
Ms. Laird came to Georgia in 1988 as Director of Bands at Miller Grove Junior High School in DeKalb County. The Miller Grove Symphonic Band received a superior rating at the 1991 Smoky Mountain Music Festival in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The symphonic band also performed at many prestigious conferences, such as the 1989 Georgia Association of Educational Leaders Conference, the 1990 Georgia Council of Social Sciences Conference, the 1992 Georgia Music Educators Conference, and the 37th Annual Southern Instrumental Conductors’ Conference at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1993. Ms. Laird left Miller Grove in 1994 and became Director of Bands at Haynes Bridge Middle School in Fulton County, then transferred two years later to Northwestern Middle School.

During Ms. Laird’s six years at Northwestern, the symphonic band earned a superior rating and the Middle School Division Sweepstakes Award at the Six Flags Over Georgia Southern Star Music Festival in 1997, performed for the University of Georgia Middle School Festival in 1997, earned a superior rating and placed second in the Middle School Division at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in 1999, earned a superior rating and Best In Class Award at the 2000 Festival of Champions Music Festival in Panama City, Florida, invited to perform at Carnegie Hall at the National Invitational Band Festival in 2001, performed at the 2001 Southern Division Music Educators National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, and earned a superior rating and placed first in the Middle School Division at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in 2002. Ms. Laird left Northwestern in 2002 and is currently Director of Bands at Elkins Pointe Middle School in Fulton County. The Elkins Pointe Symphonic Band earned a superior rating and placed first in the Middle School Division at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in 2004. They then earned a superior rating and placed first in the Middle School Division at the 2005 Nashville Music Festival, in addition to which they were honored with the National Middle School Concert Band Award from Music Festivals with the top score from 38 festival sites.
Ms. Laird’s high school, junior high, and middle school bands have consistently earned superior ratings at the district and regional concert band festivals. Ms. Laird was named “Teacher of the Year” at Miller Grove Junior High School for 1991-92 and the TBS “Super Teacher” for November 1992. She received the National Band Association “Citation of Excellence” award in 1993, and was named to the 1994, 1996, 2002, and 2005 Who Who’s Among America’s Teachers. In 2000 Ms. Laird and the Northwestern Symphonic Band were awarded the honor of the Music For Life Leadership Award and received a grant from the National Association of Music Merchants. Governor William Patton named Ms. Laird a “Kentucky Colonel” in 2001 for her leadership in music education. She was named “Teacher of the Year” at Elkins Pointe for 2006-2007 and most recently, GMEA “Music Educator of the Year” this past January at the 2007 GMEA In-Service Conference. Ms. Laird is a member of GMEA, MENC, NBA, Delta Omicron, and Phi Beta Mu. Within GMEA, she has served as District Chair, District Band Chair, District All-State Band Chair, District Honor Band Chair, GMEA State 1st Vice-President, and GMEA State President. Ms. Laird served two years as President of the Georgia Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, an honorary international bandmasters’ fraternity. She serves as a head adjudicator for GMEA M.S. Band LGPE and a clinician throughout the south.
Leon J. Daughrity, has worked as a band teacher, music educator, mentor to many students in the classroom in the classroom and as a private instructor. His primary and secondary education was in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. He then attended Lane College, in Jackson, Tennessee which is a liberal arts college that is supported by the CME church. There he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and went on to the University of Mississippi, which is where he received a Masters of Arts Degree in Music Education.   He also earned a Masters Degree in Administration Supervision from Jacksonville State University, in Jacksonville, Alabama.   Mr. Daughrity often attends state and national music education seminars and workshops to update his credentials and his teaching techniques.

He currently serves as a band instructor in Fulton County Schools in, Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his leadership capacities have included, Instrumental Music Department Chairman, District Five Chairman for Georgia Music Educators Association, and as the Band Director at Tri-Cites High School Visual and Performing Arts Magnet High School. He has been recognized many years as a star teacher and presently teaches as an itinerant band teacher at S. L. Lewis Elementary School, A. Philip Randolph Elementary School and Heritage Elementary School. While serving as a department chairman, he supervises music teachers in the elementary, middle and high schools in the Fulton County Schools system. He serves on several local, district and state committees that promote music education in schools.

Some of his professional associations include, the Georgia Association of Educators, The National Educators Association,Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), Music Educators National Conference, the National Association of Jazz Educators and the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

Sharon Anderson - North County Orchestra Chair

Sharon M. Anderson has been an orchestra teacher for 30 years with the Fulton County School System in Atlanta, Georgia.   She has served as director of the North Springs-Crestwood H.S. Orchestras, the Sandy Springs Area Elementary Honor Orchestra, the Sandy Springs M.S. Orchestra, and the Webb Bridge M.S. Orchestras. Currently, Mrs. Anderson is in her 14th year as the Fulton County Department Chair for Orchestras and teaches 180 elementary orchestra students at Shakerag Elementary and Lake Windward Elementary schools in Alpharetta.   She also conducts the FCS Elementary Youth Orchestra, a select elementary group of over 100 students.

A violist, originally from Elmhurst, Illinois, Mrs. Anderson attended the University of Illinois where she studied string pedagogy with Paul Rolland.   Her professional association career highlights include being President of the Georgia Chapter of NSOA, GMEA State Orchestra Chair, GMEA District 5 Chair, GMEA All-State organizer, ASTA National Hotline advisor, and six years as director of the GaASTA/NSOA Summer Orchestra Camp.   Over a long conducting career, Mrs. Anderson has directed performances at the UGA High School Orchestra Festival, four performances at GMEA In-Service Conferences, the University of Southern Mississippi Invitational Orchestra Festival, the NMSA National Conference Honor Orchestra, and numerous GMEA Orchestra Festival performances from Levels 2-6, both string and full orchestras. In 2005, she guest conducted the Chattahoochee H.S. Orchestra at the ASTA/NSOA National Conference. This December, she guest conducted at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago with the Alpharetta H.S. Chamber Orchestra. In January, Mrs. Anderson was a guest conductor with the Hopewell M.S. Orchestra at the State GMEA In-Service Conference.
Mrs. Anderson is active as both a clinician and adjudicator in Georgia, and has also taught with Dr. Robert Gillespie of Ohio State University in Germany and Austria. Awards include being the 1996 Sandy Springs M.S. Teacher of the Year, GaASTA/NSOA Georgia “String Educator of the Year” for 2002, and an honorary award from Tri-M, a music honorary, for contributions to music education. Sharon has been married to David Anderson for 36 years and is mother to Fulton County orchestra director, Tim Anderson, and super Schnauzer, Schultz!
Adrienne Thompson

is in her fifteenth year of public school teaching and her third year as orchestra director at North Springs High School. She is department chair of the school’s visual and performing arts magnet and orchestra department chair south for Fulton County Schools. Thompson previously taught for twelve years in the Dekalb County schools where she was on the staff of the Dekalb Youth Symphony Orchestra and served as high school orchestra chair. In Dekalb she developed a small level 3 orchestra into two orchestras, including a level 6 group receiving a superior rating over a 6-7 year span. In addition she has taught AP music theory for seven years and will serve as an AP reader during summer 2007.   She earned a bachelor of music degree in flute performance from Sherwood Music Conservatory and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University. Additional training includes educational leadership studies at University of Georgia.

Thompson has served as secretary for the Georgia ASTA chapter, and orchestra chairman and treasurer for GMEA district 4.   She also serves on the Talent Development Program advisory board of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She has a lesson plan published in MENC’s Strategy for Teaching Strings. She has used an Urban Outreach Grant to provide improvisation instruction for students in Dekalb and a Fulton Foundation grant to provide chamber music coaching to students at North Springs. She has served as a LGPE adjudicator in Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Columbus, Augusta, Dekalb, and Fulton.

Thompson is passionate about making sure that students interested in music as a career have the exposure and opportunities they need to follow their dreams. Students from her program have attended Peabody, New England Conservatory, and Curtis. They have also majored in music at Georgia State, Valdosta State and Emory University. Others have played in their college orchestras at Georgia Southern, University of Georgia, Davidson and Brandeis. Eight students from her orchestras have been a member of the Atlanta Symphony’s Talent Development Program. She actively encourages students to play in community youth orchestras, All State, and summer camp programs.

Thompson is married to Willie Thompson, a retired middle school band director. They are the parents of eight children. Marcus (deceased), attended New School in New York City (Mannes Jazz and Contemporary Division) and was a winner of the NFAA jazz award in 1998. Eric and Stanford are both currently studying at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and Donna is a first year at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Eric, Stanford and Donna have all performed solos with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Alyce is a senior at Barnard College in New York City and Dawn is a graduate of the University of Chicago. Marietta attended Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina and Faye attended Alabama A & M in Huntsville, Alabama.

In her spare time, Thompson is an officer in her investment club, an active church member and enjoys traveling.

Cristy T. Ray is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. and is in her 22nd year of teaching choral/general music in the Fulton County School System. During her tenure in Fulton County she taught High School Choral Music for 6 years and the last 16 have been in Middle School. She has served as Choral Department Chair for both Middle and High School teachers for the Fulton County System for the last 14 years and was selected as Teacher of the Year for the years of 1986, 1991 and 1997. In 1998 the Atlanta Journal and Constitution honored Mrs. Ray as one of the top 3 middle school teachers in Georgia. Mrs. Ray has been a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and The Georgia Music Educators Association for 22 years. She served as the ACDA Repertoire and Standards Chairperson for the state of Georgia from 1999-2002 and has been elected to serve in this capacity for the entire Southern Division (12 state area) beginning this 2005-06 school year. Mrs. Ray currently serves as a Choral Clinician and Large Group Performance Evaluation Adjudicator in Georgia and Alabama. Under Mrs. Ray’s direction her choirs receive ratings of superior at District Festivals yearly. Mrs. Ray has been a presenter at both the regional ACDA and presented a session on “Discipline in the Middle School” for NMSA in 1991.

Thomas Yackley - High School Chorus Chair

Fulton County Elementary Advisory Council

Susan Ali-Amhad received her Bachelor of Music Education from Shorter College. She has taught elementary and middle school general music, keyboard, guitar, electronic music, and chorus. Susan has been teaching elementary at Lake Windward Elementary School and has been a Teacher Support Specialist for 18 years in the Fulton County school system. Susan is a certified Orff teacher. She co-authored the book “Music á la Cart” in 2006. She has served as a member of the curriculum writing team for Fulton County, the McGraw/Hill Advisory Committee, the Atlanta Olympic Committee for Music Curriculum and the Fulton County Elementary Advisory Committee. She has directed the Fulton County Employee’s Chorus and the Spectrum Show Choir. Susan supervises student music teachers for Georgia State University. She has been the recipient of the following awards: Teacher of the Year (Lake Windward ES) 1994-1995, Outstanding Teacher Award (Lake Windward ES) 1989, 1990, 2003, Coca Cola Teacher of the Year 1995-1996, Expert Teacher Award 2002, and was listed in Who's Who Among American Women 2004, 2005 and 2006. She has been the Minister of Music at Clear Springs Baptist Church for 20 years. Susan is a member of MENC and Music Educator’s Leadership Institute.

Christine Fash
Chris earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia. Chris has taught elementary general music and chorus in the north and south areas of Fulton County for twenty years. Her choral background includes singing in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus (1986 – 1990); directing the Fulton County Children’s Honor Chorus (1993 – present); directing the Spectrum Show Choir (1995); the Atlanta Girls’ Choir (1994); and the Atlanta Children’s Choir (1994). Chris was named New Prospect’s Teacher of the Year for 2000-2001; Outstanding Teacher 1993, 1997, and 2004. She was named Expert Teacher in 2000. As a member of the Fulton County Expert Teacher/Teacher Leader Network program, she spent ten days in London exploring and comparing education in Great Britain. Upon her return, she presented findings to the Fulton County Leadership Conference. Chris presented at the Georgia Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development; the Georgia Coalition for Arts Education; the Core Knowledge Conference; and at various universities. Chris currently serves as chairperson for the music curriculum and assessment writing committee for Fulton County; serves on the Fulton County Music Advisory Committee, the organization committee for Music In Our Schools Month and is a member of MENC, ACDA, and Music Educator’s Leadership Institute.Chris is married to Charlie Fash. Lawson, her wonderful dog, was named after Robert Shaw’s middle name. Aside from music, running and sailing are her two great passions.
Karen Sperber Karen Sperber is the Music Specialist at Abbotts Hill Elementary School. She holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music Education from The University of Georgia. Karen completed National Board Certification in Early/Middle Childhood/Music in November 2003. Since that time she has advised several of her colleagues through the NBCT process. Karen was selected as the Elementary Teacher of the Year for Fulton County for 2007-2008. She is president of the Atlanta Chapter of American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA) and has completed Level I+II Orff Certification. She also holds her World Drumming Level I Certificate. Karen helped organize and direct the Atlanta Area Honors Orff Lunchtime Concert at the AOSA National Conference in Birmingham, Alabama in November 2005. In January 2006, she presented at the Georgia Music Educators Association State Conference. Karen has served on the Fulton County Elementary Music Advisory Committee since 2006.   She has taught several Orff and Drumming workshops in her county and state. Additionally, she teaches private violin/viola lessons. When not teaching, Karen enjoys playing tennis, gardening, scrapbooking, and reading

Sandra Parks

Myra Wheat received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Vocal Music Education from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1980. She earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in 1989 from Georgia State University. She has taught general and choral music to students from kindergarten through high school for 25 years. She has been with the Fulton County school system for the last 23 years. She performed with the Fulton County Employee Chorus for 2 years. She served as the Georgia Music Educators’ Association District V elementary chairperson from 1988 – 1992. Myra has been the recipient of four Fulton County Arts grants, and one Quest grant. She co - authored a successful “Schools of Excellence” application in 1994. She served on the “Schools of Excellence” and “Blue Ribbon Schools” reading/judging panel from 1996 – 2000. In 2001, she served as the chairperson of a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) visitation committee. She is a member of the Fulton County schools elementary music advisory board, has twice served on the school system’s music textbook adoption committee, is a member of the curriculum writing team, is a co – director of the Fulton County Children’s Honor Chorus, is on the planning committee for the Fulton County Elementary School Spring Sing, and is the planning committee chairperson for the annual Fulton County Elementary School Choral Clinic. Myra was chosen for “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” in both 2003 and 2005, and she attained the status of National Board Certified Teacher in November of 2005.

Doug Martin has been a choral director for 27 years at Roswell North Elementary. Mr. Martin received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University in 1980 and his Master’s of Music from Georgia State University in 1987. During his tenure at Roswell North Elementary, Mr. Martin has served as a teacher support specialist. He currently serves on the Fulton County Elementary Music Advisory Committee and was founder of the annual Fulton County “Music In Our Schools Month” concert. Mr. Martin was teacher of the year at Roswell North Elementary in 1991.

Vocally, Mr. Martin sang with the Atlanta Opera Chorus for 13 seasons from 1987 – 2000.

Amber Weldon-Stephens I received a Bachelors Degree in Music Therapy from the University of Georgia and did my internship in the Clayton County School System in Atlanta, Georgia. During the last few weeks of my internship, I interviewed with the Fulton County School System and was given the opportunity to create a music therapy program, which has become one of the premier school system programs in the nation today.
            During my years in Fulton County, I pursued a Master’s degree in Multiple and Sensory Disabilities from Georgia State University. I knew my therapy skills would increase if I had a better understanding of the different disabilities I served. I then pursued a Specialist degree in Special Education Administration from the State University of West Georgia. While in this program, I became an advocate for better goal and objective writing for my students. It is imperative for music therapist to translate their skills on paper in a concise, measurable manner.
            Throughout my life, I have found myself pulled to leadership roles. I have served as the first President of the Music Therapy Association of Georgia, the Vice-President, President, and Past President of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association, Music Therapy Department Chair and Internship Director for the Fulton County School System, and former president of the Redcoat Band Alumni Association which has a membership of over 5,000 former University of Georgia band members. In 2000, I was awarded the Fulton County System’s Teacher of the Year. With this award, I had the opportunity to advocate for music therapy across Atlanta.
            I have used my passion for the use of music as a teaching tool to develop two books and CDs of original music, Animal Clatter and Kidding with Clatter. These materials are used by teachers and music therapists across the United States. I love teaching and have enjoyed the 35 and counting interns that have trained in our program. I have shared music therapy with students in Canada, China, and from Korea. I have been able to share my work in presentations at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels. The Fulton County School System was selected as an example program in the latest edition of Models of Music Therapy Interventions in a School Setting, edited by Brian Wilson.
            At the national level, I have served as an Assembly Delegate for the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) for five years and was extremely proud of our work in joining the South Central Region with the Southeastern Region. I have recently served AMTA as a Council Coordinator over 6 national committees.

            A continual passion of mine is a 20 year commitment to the University of Georgia Drum Major camp where I have been the lead instructor. I have taught over 1,000 drum majors from across the southeast and am still not tired of this endeavor.

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