(This article, reprinted with permission, featuring Jeff Schneider, Class of 1972, appeared in Bexley News on April 11, 2007)  5/30/07

Schneider has plans to put down the director’s baton

Members of the Bexley Music Parents are pulling together a May 31 tribute event.

By David S. Owen
Bexley News Reporter

After serving in the music department for the last 28 years, Bexley City Schools Band Director Jeff Schneider has announced his decision to retire at the end of this school year.

Schneider, 52, came to the school district as band director in 1979, teaching music to students in grades 5-12.

“I used to joke around when I was a junior in high school and told the band director at that time, Mike Jenks, that I was going to replace him,” he said.

“And it came true… this is such a great community and it’s so strong because of the schools… it’s been an honor teaching here,” he said.

After graduating from Bexley High School in 1972, Schneider received his bachelor’s degree in music education from Ohio State University in 1976 and received his master’s degree from Vandercook College in Chicago in 1993.

“As a teacher at Bexley, they expect you to work on your own education which I think is really important,” he said.

He served as one of the band directors at Lima City Schools for two years from 1977-79, and came to Bexley schools at the beginning of the 1979-80 school year.

He said one reason for pursuing retirement is tied to an accident he experienced in the spring of 2005while snorkeling off of Andros Island in the Bahamas.

Schneider injured his left lower leg after being knocked against fire coral, which is a poisonous coral.

After the injury he experienced flu-like symptoms but was not sure it was anything else.

Doctors eventually discovered it was a bacterial infection as a result of the fire coral and told Schneider he needed surgery on his legs since they were beginning to swell.

He said it was a wake-up call, and with his teaching schedule, he decided he needed to focus more on physical therapy and taking care of himself.

He said he has liked music all of his life and he always wanted to be a teacher.

“My purpose as a music teacher is to provide kids an opportunity to participate and enjoy music,” he said.

He said he plans to travel in his retirement, exploring places he has not been to before, and possibly do some part-time teaching.

“There are lots of little projects I’d like to do, and I guess, knowing the type of person I am, I don’t want to get involved in too many things,” he said.

“Teaching music, coaching sports and sharing it with young people is what is important,” he said.

“I’m a little apprehensive about the spotlight of retiring… and I’m always ready to get on somebody who’s retiring and throw a party, but now that it’s me, I’m kind of like thinking, ‘Is there a way I could just sneak out the back door and nobody would notice?’,” he said.

Bexley Music Parents, a support organization for Bexley’s school music programs, is planning a tribute for Schneider for May 31.

A search in underway to find his replacement.

For more information about the tribute event call Burton Hirsch, president of Bexley Music Parents, at 614-231-6800 or visit bexleymusicparents.org

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