Director

Mr. Burke has been the band director at SHS since 2017 and a music educator for 21 years. His previous positions include Director of Bands at Screven County High School in Sylvania GA, Director of Bands at Claxton High School/Claxton Middle School in Evans County, and Assistant Director of Bands at South Effingham High School in Guyton GA.  Mr. Burke’s ensembles have received consistent superior ratings at both GMEA Performance Evaluation and marching competitions.  The Marching Phoenix under his direction, have won multiple class, division and grand championships in North Georgia.  In addition to teaching band, Mr. Burke teaches Music Technology at SHS and is an active adjudicator and clinician. He lives in Gordon County with his wife Kristen, twins sons Lewis and Jackson (18), and daughter Clara (14).  

Mr. Burke has a Master of Music Education degree from Kent State University.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Valdosta State University in 2004, where he studied trumpet with Dr. Kenneth Kirk and conducting with Dr. Joe Brashier. Mr. Burke is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), The National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and The National Band Association (NBA).

Mr. Burke enjoys fishing, hiking, playing guitar, golf, disc golf and Atlanta Braves Baseball.

Assistant Director

Lee Holley is the Band Director at Red Bud Middle School, where he has been teaching since 2021. A native of Dawsonville, GA, Mr. Holley graduated from Dawson County High School and went on to earn his Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from Georgia Southern University in 2013. He has been an active music educator ever since. Mr. Holley spent 6 ½ years as Assistant Band Director at Crisp County Middle School, and Assistant Director of the Crisp County High School Marching Band in Cordele, GA. Groups under Mr. Holley’s direction have received superior ratings at GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation. He plays saxophone and in his free time enjoys watching movies, gaming, and building models. He lives in Calhoun with his wife Kristen and daughter Penelope.

Majorette Instructor

Majorette Instructor

Color Guard Instructor

Color Guard Instructor