What is better than one band director? That would be two band directors. After the retirement of longtime band director Scott Rybolt, the Dexter School Board made the decision to hire co-band directors Cody Jinkerson and Kyle Clay.
Jinkerson is a familiar face to Dexter band students, as he has worked with Rybolt for the past six years. He also spent a year as a student-teacher in Dexter. Jinkerson graduated from Potosi High School in 2009, he then attended Southeast Missouri State before arriving in Dexter.
Clay is a 2007 graduate of Dexter High School where he was a member of Dexter band under the direction of Rybolt. He was not yet ready to follow in Rybolt’s footsteps after high school. Clay first went to college to be a mortician, which he was for about two years in Jackson.
“I had to take a good look at myself and I could not hardly take care of myself. I was not ready to be a teacher,” said Clay. “Being a mortician was interesting to me as strangely as that sounds. It helped me get some discipline in my life until I realized I wanted to go back to school to be a band director. A band director is always what I wanted to be.”
This proved to be a correct path. Clay just completed a five-year stint as band director in Scott City. While at Scott City, Clay built the band to 45 members. He started with seven.
Clay said two things drew him back to Dexter.
“The chance to follow Mr. Rybolt, he was my teacher, someone who had a big influence in my life growing up. The chance to come in after him was once in a lifetime,” said Clay about coming back to Dexter. “The other big point was Mr. Jinkerson, the chance to work with him. We were in college about the same time and I had a lot of respect for him then. He was always working to get better.”
“I think we have the same mindset,” Clay continued. “And working with somebody, you have to get along and I think we are going to get along really well. He was another big selling point for me coming down here.”
“Especially with this year in general, this is just a completely different year. There are going to be changes just as school as a whole in the country,” said Jinkerson addressing the possible changes. “They (students) also have a new teacher. We told the students back in February that Mr. Clay would be teaching here and he was a student of Mr. Rybolt. He knew how the band program worked and he knew what to expect. But he also has the personality that he wants to work with them and he wants to have fun.”
Jinkerson said there was not a whole lot of hesitation on the part of the students in regards to Clay. Jinkerson explained that work was underway to make more room for the students in the band room.
“Change for anybody is scary at any point. Even for me, I am making a big change from my life in Scott City to come here,” said Clay. “I think at the beginning it will be a little like who is this guy? They know me, they have seen me but they have not had me as a teacher yet. We are going to have a good time. We are going to get some work done.”
“We are completely student focused on making sure it is best for them (students),” said Jinkerson. “When they (school board) did the hiring and interviews for the other band director, the center of it was someone who was good for the kids. And that is what the district got: someone who is good for the kids.”
The new band directors also have the added challenge of COVID-19. Jinkerson said CDC guidelines will be followed and the music association will issue guidance on COVID.
Jinkerson went on to say that studies are being done on air dispersal from the instruments and the risks related to that dispersal. One such item that will be included in the study will be how much air is spread around the room by the instruments. Jinkerson said it is hoped that this study will be available soon. The study is being done by the National Federation of High Schools and the University of Colorado. Jinkerson explained how the information in the study will be used to keep students safe.
“We have to ease the minds of the parents first of all that when they come in our room they are not coming somewhere that we are just going to spread germs around everywhere,” said Jinkerson. “We are using air so there is a dispersal rate. What is that dispersal rate? Will this affect your child much? Once we get guidance from there paired with the Dexter Task Force, who is working on the COVID plans right now, we can better go forward with intelligence of what to do.”
“To ease the kids’ minds, we are listening, we are watching and we are taking everything into consideration,” stated Jinkerson. “To make sure we can provide you with the best experience without taking away the experience.”
“I think that is our biggest issue, aligning ourselves with the CDC guidelines and everything the school district is putting in place.” added Clay. “As far as kids learning how to play instruments, we can work on that, that is not a concern of mine. It is making sure we are complying and everyone is safe.”
As part of the school’s safety protocol, machines have been purchased to sanitize classrooms. The machine will produce a fog- type mist that will sanitize the room yet won’t be harmful to students or staff.
The new band directors are excited to get going even with the added challenges.
“I am excited to get going, I wish it was under normal circumstances,” said Clay. “At the same time I am ready to meet everybody and start making some music.”
In a message directly to their students Jinkerson kept it simple.
“I miss you guys and gals,” he said. “They are requiring teachers and that is what I want to do, I want to teach them. They are fun, they are energetic and they bring life to the world and I want to be a part of it.”
While they are not able to be with their students right now, Clay and Jinkerson said this:
“You miss them, you want to help them out but there is nothing we can do except say keep listening, keep following the guidelines,” they said. “If we keep following the guidelines close enough, this will go away sooner.”
“To our students if you are reading this,” said Jinkerson. “Please practice.”