Past WV Band Directors

John Kehres 1966-1968

Mr. Kehres, a veteran of the Korean Conflict and graduate of both Mansfield University and Columbia University first began his music career in 1953 at the Porter-Tower High School. There he instituted the fondly remembered May Day festivities. Upon the formation of the Williams Valley School District he became the high school band director. During his employment, Kehres also directed the high school chorus and both elementary chorus and band. His last position was as elementary chorus/general music teacher. He was the only educator to hold all those positions. Tragically he died of a massive heart attack in 1982. In his memory, the WV Educators Association formed 4 John Kehres Memorial Music Scholarships given out annually to members of the elementary band and chorus, and high school band and chorus.

Gerald Snyder 1969-1970

As with new districts there were many problems to iron out for many school programs. Unfortunately this is what Mr. Snyder encountered. The administration wouldn’t allow band practice on the football field and required a new field show each week which put a lot of pressure on the band members and him. After a tiring run he handed in his resignation.

Bill Morris 1971; 1979

Bill Morris graduated from the Navy School of Music, where he was active with Army band programs in Seoul, South Korea, and Fort Meade, Md.

He directed the WV high school for one year before becoming the elementary director in 1972. Then in 1979 Mr. Morris was assigned to be the high school band director in addition to being at the elementary. This was Mr. Morris’ second time as high school director. By the end of December he resigned from the district due to the responsibility of having to cover grades 4 – 12.

He was a life member of the Gratz V.F.W, PA Music Educators Association, the Lykens Liberty Hose Company Band, and the Tower City American Legion.

_{John Potlunas was a 1970 graduate of Nativity BVM High School; and earned a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1974 from West Chester State University. He earned a master’s equivalency in music education from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.}

<sub>John had been employed as the high school band director for Nativity BVM High School, Williams Valley Jr. & Sr. High Schools, and retired from Tamaqua High School. After retirement, he volunteered as an assistant for the Exeter Area Township Senior High School marching band.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and was the former director of Cressona Band, and former conductor of the Schuylkill Youth Symphony. John played clarinet in the pit orchestras for local high school musical productions, and was a former member of Anthracite Philharmonic. He was a brother of Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity, and Phi Beta Mu.</sub> 

Brad Volek, a native of western PA, recent graduate of Grove City College, moved east in the fall of 2011 to revitalize the Marching Pride which over the years had dwindled down from the marching machine of 120 strong to 20 something. In the two years he directed the band it had grown to just over 70. The concert band also recovered. Another of his accomplishments was to resurrect the jazz band and dub it the Cool Blue Jazz Band. Mr. Volek also brought back the mid-winter Pops concerts. Because of his fondness for Star Wars, his students affectionately called him Darth Volek.

After resigning from WV he moved back to Sharon, PA where he is director of the Sharon High School Tigers instrumental music department.

A recent graduate of Gettysburg College Keith Gromis continued the music program that Mr. Volek had begun. Along with his assistant director Edward Wilson (who was also the h.s. choral director), they made sure their passion for music was passed on to their students on the field and on the concert stage. Gromis gave lessons throughout the school day and taught music theory I and II as well as seventh grade general music.

He currently teaches music at Eastern York High School with his assignments including concert band, jazz band, marching band, and lessons, as well as courses in music theory, Intro. to Guitar, Music Technology, audio visual coordinator for the EYHS Performing Arts Center and the assistant director for the spring musical.

Having been educated in and graduating from the Upper Dauphin School Ms. Bordner attended Messiah College. Upon graduation she was a long-term substitute music teacher at her alma mater until being hired as Williams Valley’s band director. She musically guided the students through their secondary musical experiences for two years. Ms. Bordner Swenger currently is the elementary instrumental teacher for the Chambersburg Area School District.

Edward Wilson, the assistant band director, filled in as the director upon Elise Swenger’s leaving and the district did not replace her in a timely manner. At that time he was also the high school choral/general music instructor. Upon the hiring of Megan Carraher, he was relieved of his instrumental duties.

After receiving a Bachelors degree in music at Mansfield University, this oboist was hired as director of WV bands in the fall of 2017 after the marching band season. While spending the year working to continue the rebuilding of the high school bands she was offered a job as adjunct professor of oboe at the Susquehanna University. Mrs. Carraher is also the middle school and elementary band director at Juniata Elementary School in Mifflintown, PA.

_{Matthew Paul Haas joined the staff of Williams Valley Jr./Sr. High School in the Fall of 2019. He currently directs the Viking Pride Marching Band, the Symphonic Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble in addition to teaching 8th Grade Music Appreciation and Music Theory I & II.A native of Palmyra, Lebanon County, Haas earned his Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education degree from Grove City College and is currently enrolled in the Master’s of Music in Music Education Online degree program through Rutgers University. From 2008-2013, he was the Director of Instrumental Music at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta, NJ. While in the Garden State he was active in many music education organizations, serving on the Audition Panel for the 2009 MENC All-East Band Festival in Providence, RI and was named Festival Manager for the 2012 Sussex County Honors Band Festival. In the Fall of 2013 Haas returned to south-central Pennsylvania, where he was employed by Substitute Teacher Service, Inc. based out of Lancaster from 2014-2017. In addition to day-to-day substituting, he also completed three Long-Term Substitute Ensemble Music positions – two at the Milton Hershey School in Dauphin County and one in the Mount Union Area School District in Huntingdon County. Haas joined the National Judges Association in 2015 and served as a Field Judge for the Tournament of Bands Competition Circuit in the Mid-Atlantic States until 2019. Haas remains active in a number of community music organizations. He is part of the Music Ministry Leadership Team at Derry Presbyterian Church in Hershey where he directs the adult handbell choir and participates in the church’s brass ensemble and sanctuary choir. As a low brass performer, he plays primarily with the Washington Band of Annville but has sat in with ensembles across Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.}