The choir department has gone through some drastic changes. Three choir teachers in two years makes it challenging for students in the program because with every new music teacher comes a new technique and style to learn.

Mrs. Leigh Jackson took over the BIC choir in the second semester of the 2015 school year. She is a 1996 graduate of ASU, and she has been married for 19 years. Mrs. Jackson began her music teaching career as a band director at Gosnell. She stayed there for five years until she became pregnant and decided to stay home with her children.

She has three children William, Hailey, and Claire. Will is in high school, and Haleigh and Claire are both at the East campus. Mrs. Jackson took over the family farm office about 7 years ago when her mother-in-law retired. She also began teaching kinder choir at ANC.

This year in choir the students will be visiting all nursing homes to sing to the residents. They have concerts planned for fall and spring and will be attending all region tryouts on October 25.

¨I am very lucky to be working so closely to Dr. Page and Mrs. Qualls,¨ Mrs. Jackson said.

This year the choir class is only offered in the morning at both campuses, and Mrs. Jackson’s time must be split equally between all 40 choir students. However, next year Mrs. Jackson´s hopes are that they can have choir classes all day long.

¨Mrs Jackson makes up for all the changes by being a good teacher” senior and sixth year choir student Amy Robinson said. “Other teachers just wanted us to learn the songs and memorize the words and pitch. She wants us to understand the music.¨