The Tioga ISD music department will welcome a new band director for the 2025-2026 school year.
Current Whitesboro ISD band director Jesse Speer has accepted the same position at Tioga.
The hire was made official by a vote of the Board of Trustees last week.
“We were blessed to have several wonderful applicants for this position,” Tioga ISD superintendent Josh Ballinger said. “Mr. Speer’s credentials and experience are impeccable. He will be a great fit for our district and we are thrilled to have him on board.”
Speer has been an educator for 18 years. His resume includes stints at Collinsville, Bells, Bridgeport and S&S.
Most recently, he took Whitesboro to the State Marching Contest in 2024 and Honey Grove to State in 2023.
“Tioga seems like a special place,” Speer said. “I’ve been watching them from afar for some time. They have talented kids who want to be successful. I look forward to helping them continue to grow.”
Speer is a native of Marietta, Oklahoma.
He earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Southeastern Oklahoma State University where he participated in both concert and marching bands.
It was also at Southeastern where he met his wife— Whitesboro native, and fellow music major, Amber Brannan.
Amber is the choir director at Whitesboro ISD.
The Speers reside in Whitesboro and are active members at the First Baptist Church where they perform with the praise team.
Jesse also performs music professionally throughout the Dallas area.
He sees great potential in the Tioga program.
“We will get back to basics,” he said. “That starts this summer. The band hall will be open and I look forward to connecting with each student individually.”
He said the first order of business is a fall show selection and drum major auditions.
“Band camp will kick off July 28 and we will be planning other fun events around that,” Jesse said.
He replaces Odis Bonner, who resigned earlier this spring after three years with the district.