OHS Music Instructors
» Jane Triplett - Symphonic Band and Bulldog Marching Band
» Pam De Boer - Concert Band, Jazz Band and Color Guard
» Dennis Vasconez - Vocal Music and Show Choir
» Carlene Easley - Orchestra and Symphonic Orchestra
» Ellen Wubbels - Long-Term Substitute

Jane Triplett BAND DIRECTOR 1993 TO PRESENT / e-mail: mrst@ohsbands.com
	Jane Triplett was born and raised in Eldora, Iowa, and received her Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Iowa State University. Jane has many years of teaching experience in Iowa. She currently directs the OHS Symphonic Band and is the director of the Bulldog Marching Band. Jane is a member of the Iowa Bandmaster Association, Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association, where she did hold the position of co-chair of the Honor Bands for two years and she held the position of Conference Registration Chair for the Iowa Music Educators Association for three years. She is an accredited and active adjudicator for the Iowa High School Music Association. Jane Triplett graduated from Eldora High School. She attended Iowa State University and received a BS in Music Education and in August 2002 received a Masters in Music Education at Southern Oregon University through the American Band College program of studies. Outside of school time Jane gives several private woodwind and piano lessons and enjoys spending time with her husband, Steve, and their son, Kyle. They reside in Fairfield, where Steve is the Superintendent of Fairfield Community School District.
Pam De Boer BAND DIRECTOR 2001 TO PRESENT / e-mail: deboerp@ohsbands.com
	Pam De Boer was born in California and grew up in Erie, Illinois. She received a Bachelor of Music Education in 1984 from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois and attended graduate school at Bowling Green State Universty in Bowling Green, Ohio. She is currently studying toward earning her master's degree. Pam has served as the president for the Des Moines Community Jazz Center. She has taught many years in Iowa, 2 years in Canada, and a year in Minnesota. In 1998, Pam worked with the Calgary Stampede Show Band and directed the Stenson Show Band in 1999. Both bands are based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Currently, Pam directs the Concert Band, Jazz I and II, and the Color Guard at Ottumwa high School. She is a member of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association, International Association for Jazz Education, and the Music Educator's National Conference. She is an accredited and active adjudicator for the Iowa High School Music Association. She teaches brass privately, and in her free time, Pam enjoys traveling, biking, and cooking.
Dennis Vasconez VOCAL DIRECTOR 2002 TO PRESENT / e-mail: vasconezd@aea15.k12.ia.us
	Dennis Vasconez was born in Elgin, Illionis and was raised in Carpentersville, Illinois. Dennis graduated from Dundee-Crown high school in Carpentersville, Illinois and received his Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. Dennis is the director of five choral ensembles at OHS which includes Troubadours (mixed choir), Preludes (mostly 9th grade choir), Bells (all female choir), Meistersingers (chamber choir), and the Sudden Impact (show choir). He is also a member of the Iowa Choral Directors Association and American Choral Directors Association. Before coming to Ottumwa he taught at Belle Plaine, Iowa and Brooklyn, IA. He is happily married to his wife Melissa. Melissa also has her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Simpson college. She directs the show choir pit band, leads sectionals, cleans choreography whenever needed and much, much more. Dennis and Melissa have two wonderful boys named Caleb and Ethan. Both boys already have a great love for music.
Carlene Easley ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR 2005 TO PRESENT / e-mail: easleyc@aea15.k12.ia.us
	Carlene Easley was born in Red Oak, Iowa. She has also lived in West Des Moines and Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Ms. Easley was one of the first students to go through the Suzuki program when it was introduced to the public schools. Her first violin teacher was from Japan. She received her high school education in Oregon, Illinois and college education from Illinois State University. She has also have received Suzuki certification from the Chicago Suzuki Institute. Before coming to Ottumwa in 2005, she was the orchestra director in Amarillo, Texas for nine years. In Ottumwa, she will direct the OHS Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra as well as teach all level of orchestra students. In her spare time, she teaches privately. Ms. Easley lives in Ottumwa and enjoys the soft GREEN grass and the tall GREEN trees. She looks forward to teaching at Ottumwa High School and feels very welcome here.
Ellen Wubbels PART-TIME DIRECTOR 2006 TO PRESENT
	We are pleased to welcome Ms. Wubbels to our Ottumwa instrumental music staff. Since Ms. De Boer needs to go to Evans every day while Mr. Ackerman is on sick leave, Ms. Wubbels is helping as long-term substitute at OHS. She is giving lots of band lessons and helping All State contenders. Ms. Wubbels went to college at what is now Truman State University and student taught with Mr. Marlin Woollums at Evans Middle School. After teaching at Grundy County R-5 in Missouri, I-K-M Schools and Oskaloosa Elementary, she took time off from teaching to have two sons, Landon (17) and Caleb (15). Later she spent time teaching part-time at William Penn and Vennard College as well as church director for 2 years. Ms. Wubbels' primary instrument is the oboe and secondary is the saxophone. She and her husband, Morris, reside in a 1912 home near New Sharon & Rose Hill.