Mrs. Kris DuBois - Instrumental Music:  Jefferson, Mariaville, Woestina, 6th Grade Band: Middle School,
 
Mrs. DuBois received her Bachelors degree and Masters degree in Music Education from Ithaca College with a concentration in oboe for both.  She started in Schalmont as a part-time instrumental teacher becoming full time her 2nd year with the district.  Mrs. DuBois teaches 5th Grade Band and lessons at Jefferson, Mariaville, and Woestina Elementary schools, along with the 6th Grade Band at the Middle School.  She also teaches one section of Kindergarten at Jefferson. She truly enjoys shaping the musical lives of our young students here at Schalmont.  Outside of her work at Schalmont, she is active with the Schenectady Pipe Band that her husband leads throughout the year. 
 

Mr. Mark Eiser — Middle School instrumental

Mr. Eiser brings over 31 years experience to Schalmont, having taught in both the High School and Middle School. He now teaches all band instrumental music lessons at the middle school. In addition, he conducts and rehearses the 7th Grade Band & 8th Grade Band. He also organizes and directs the Jazz Band and various small ensembles. Mr. Eiser is a graduate of SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. Outside of school, Mr. Eiser directs the Rotterdam Town Band and plays his trumpet in many venues throughout the capital district. He lives in Burnt Hills, with his wife Carol. They have four children.

Mr. Sean Lowery - High School
 
It all began is a little log cabin made of earth and wood......sorry, that's Johnny B. Goode's bio.  As for Mr. Lowery, he received his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at S.U.N.Y. Potsdam, NY in 1981.  In January of 1983 he completed the Master's in Performance and Literature program at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where he held an assistantship in the Brass and Music Education departments.  After receiving his Master's degree, Sean enrolled in the Jazz and Contemporary Media program also at Eastman.

Mr. Lowery began his teaching career at Middleburgh Central Schools in Middleburgh, NY in May of 1983.  In the fall of 1986 he accepted the position of High School Instrumental Music Director at Schalmont where he directs the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Band.

In 1986, Mr. Lowery became a permanent member of "Doc Scanlon's Rhythm Boys" a local swing, rhythm and blues band of which he is still a member.  To date the group has recorded 4 albums and has traveled around the globe, performing at the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland as well as at the Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Mr. Lowery has performed with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Temptations, Tom Jones, The Manhattan Transfer, Julio Eglesias, and Dionne Warwick, to name a few.
 

Mrs. Kristen Waters — Woestina, Mariaville

Mrs. Kristin Waters is delighted to be joining the Music Department of Schalmont, teaching general music at the Woestina and Mariaville Elementary schools.  She attended the College of St. Rose and graduated Cum laude with a B.S. degree in Music Education K - 12.  While attending St. Rose, Mrs. Waters performed with the Masterworks Chorale and Madrigal Singers.  She is a member of MENC and NYSSMA.  In addition to teaching at Schalmont, she is a private voice teacher and a staff member at the Camp Wood Haven Girl Scout facility in Galway.  Her future plans include pursuing a Master's degree in Music Theory.  She lives in Scotia with her husband and daughter.

Mr. Robert Renzi - High School
 
Mr. Renzi has a degree in Psychology from Siena College, and a Masters degree in Music Education from the College of St. Rose.  He is currently in his 11th year as choral director at Schalmont High School where he directs the High School Chorus and Concert Choir.  He also teaches vocal lessons to all members of the Concert Choir and teaches the music theory course which is now college accredited from the State University at Albany where he is an adjunct faculty member.  He also sings tenor professionally in "One Man Short," a male, vocal a cappella group that performs throughout the region.  Mr. Renzi frequently directs choral festivals in the area and was recently appointed the director of the Clifton Park Community Chorus, a sixty voice mixed choir.

Mrs. Eileen Scheffer — Middle School, Jefferson,  Tri-M Music Honor Society Advisor

Mrs. Eileen Scheffer received her music education degree from Hartwick College and started teaching at Schalmont in 1980 where she taught at the Middle School until 1986. During that time, she obtained her Masters Degree in Special Education from the State University at Albany. She then left teaching to have a family, and remained in the district as a resident. She had three children — two who are now graduates of Schalmont, and the third attends the High School. Mrs. Scheffer returned to teaching in 1994, part-time at Schalmont, along with being the head teacher/director of the OLA Nursery School for the past 11 years. Mrs. Scheffer is now a full-time music teacher. She teaches all the 1st graders and morning kindergarteners at Jefferson, the Middle School 8th grade general music classes, and she also conducts the 7th Grade Chorus and 8th grade Chorus. She is the Music Coordinator for the district.

Eileen is a member of MENC and ACDA National Music organizations and serves as a piano adjudicator for NYSSMA. She is the Co-Chair of the Board of the Schalmont Teachers' Institute and the co-author of the Music Connections In The Classroom program. Mrs. Scheffer loves sharing the “joy of music” with her students and the community.

Mrs. Nadine Toma — Middle School – General Music & Chorus

Mrs. Nadine (Angers) Toma grew up in Rotterdam and attended Draper High School. Eventually, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the College of St. Rose, graduating magna cum laude. As a voice major, Mrs. Toma continued her education at CSR, earning summa cum laude honors at the graduate level. While her teaching career began in the Ichabod Crane School District, Mrs. Toma has been at Schalmont since 1986, teaching middle school general music and chorus. Mrs. Toma has also supervised “extra” middle school performances including select choruses, musicals, recorder groups and talent shows.

Recently, Mrs. Toma was surprised and honored to learn that a former student submitted her name to Who’s Who Among American Teachers. Mrs. Toma is an experienced vocalist who has been singing professionally since she was 13, performing at clubs, restaurants, weddings, and parties. From spring through fall, she is also a featured singer on the Lac du St. Sacrement steamship on Lake George. Of course, music isn’t Mrs. Toma’s only interest. In addition to making jewelry, she is an avid reader and a published poet. She also enjoys cooking and baking, gardening, exercising, golfing, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband and family.
 

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