Westlake High School has named four new positions to direct its Fine Arts programs.
Brandon Baker has been named Head Choir Director at Westlake High School. With 10 years of teaching experience, he previously served as Choral Director at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville ISD. Other teaching positions were held at Discovery High School outside Atlanta, Ga. and Horn Lake Middle School in suburban Memphis, Tenn. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Music Education from Florida State University.
Austin Byers joins Westlake as Assistant Band Director, joining Westlake after four years as Associate Band Director at Cypress Woods High School. He has a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Texas and completed his student-teaching requirements at Hill Country Middle School and Westlake HS.
Thomas Turpin steps into the role of Head Band Director at Westlake after spending 15 as Director of Bands at Westwood High School in Round Rock ISD. He also served as Assistant Director of Bands at John Paul Stevens High School in San Antonio two years. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Alabama.
Following six successful years as Principal of West Ridge Middle School, Dianne Parks returns to Westlake as Dean of Arts & Student Life and overseeing the Fine Arts Department. Dianne previously served as Westlake as assistant principal, instructional leader and supervisor of Fine Arts from 2008 to 2014 before being named Magnet Director at Kealing Middle School.