Staff
Daniel Galloway
Director of Bands
Daniel Galloway has taught for 30 years in Texas public schools. He is currently the Director of Bands at Jordan High School in Katy, TX. He previously taught at Clements High School for the past 18 years and before that at Mayde Creek Junior High for 5 years earning the school’s first sweepstakes award for its band program and also taught in Galena Park ISD and Aldine ISD. He earned his Bachelors of Music from Stephen F. Austin State University studying with Dr. Kevin Sedatole.
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The Clements Band has been recognized as one of the premier band programs in Texas in both the concert and marching idioms. The Clements Bands consistently won Best in Class awards and place over 70 students in the TMEA Region 13 All Region Bands under his direction. Most recent the Clements Band was named 7th place Texas State Honor Band Finalist in the 2014 Class 5A TMEA State Honor Band Contest, 11th in the 2016 Class 6A TMEA State Honor Band Contest and 9th in the 2018 Class 6A TMEA State Honor Band Contest. Recently the Clements band placed as a finalist at the prestigious Bands of America Atlanta Super Regional. Daniel is also a co-conductor of the Clements Symphony Orchestra which recently performed at the Mid-West Band Clinic in 2014.
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The Clements Symphonic Band recently performed at the 2019 Midwest in Chicago under Daniel’s direction.
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In 2020 Daniel embarked on a new adventure opening a brand new High School in Katy ISD, Jordan High School.
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Jordan High school opened during the pandemic and has participated in every event as a normal year earning 3rd place at UIL Area E 5A Finals in 2020, placing students in Region , Area and State and earning a sweepstakes in year one. Jordan has gone on to earn finalist appearances in 2021 at the Friendswood Marching Festival, Lonestar Preview, USBANDS REMO Cup 3rd Place medalist and 4th place finish at the highly competitive Area E 5A UIL Marching Contest. In 2022 the Jordan Marching Band in its first appearance at a BOA Regional earned 10th Place in Prelims and 12th place in Finals at the BOA North Houston Regional. The Jordan Band then earned 2nd in 6A at the Katy Invitational losing only to Seven Lakes HS and then earned a Finalist position in the UIL 6A Area Marching Contest moving up into the top class in Texas. To round out the 3rd season Jordan placed 2nd at the US Bands Remo Finale winning guard in prelims and finals and effect and music in prelims. The Symphonic Band was also a National Wind Band Honors Commended Winner in 2021 and National 5A Winner in 2022.
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In 2023 the Jordan Marching Band advanced to the Area I 6A Finals earning 6th place and 2nd place at The Katy Marching Contest in finals. Jordan also earned 1st place in their class at the US Bands Southeastern Texas Championships and Outstanding Music and Effect in Finals.
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The Jordan HS Symphony Orchestra which includes the Top Band students earned a prestigious invite to the Midwest Clinic and Conference this December. Only 3 Symphony Orchestras in the world were invited to perform!
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The Jordan Symphony comprised of students in the Jordan 1st Band was recently invited to perform at the National Orchestra Festival at the American String Teachers Association Conference in 2023. This is a prestigious invite only event that has a submission process and is the first National Recognition in the history of Jordan HS. The Jordan Symphony is conducted by Daniel and has been invited to perform and compete at the Lincoln Center in New York City at the National Orchestra Cup in the Spring of 2024.
Daniel instructed the 2010-2011 Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps as a brass instructor for the mellophone section and high brass and recently instructed the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016, 17, 18 and 19 Santa Clara Vanguard Brass and 2019 Vanguard Cadets. He was on visual staff with Spirit from JSU from 2006-2009, judged for DCI from 2004-2005, and is currently a brass instructor for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps for 2022, 2023 and the upcoming 2024 season.
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Daniel is currently member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association and the Texas Color Guard and Percussion Association where he judges Ensemble and Visual. Daniel also held the position of Vice President of Marching Band Judge Education for the Texas Music Adjudicators Association for 5 years in addition to judging for BOA, OBA, New York Field Band and Western Bands Association in California.
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Daniel also judges Indoor Percussion Effect Visual and Visual and all 3 captions for Winds and also Artistry for Concert percussion. The various circuits he has judged in include the TCGC, NTCA, CIWA, SCGC, GIPA, GCPC, LMGCPC and IPA.
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Daniel has 2 children, Ashley 31 and a graduate of Texas State University with a Business degree and lives in Denver, Colorado. Kaitlyn 26 is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin under the direction of Fred J Allen and is the Associate Director of Bands at Langham Creek HS in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD where he resides. His wife Jackie of 32 years is a Deaf Education teacher in Cy-Fair ISD and both of his children were in the Langham Creek Band Program as section leaders and drum major.
Lauren Batchelor
Assistant Band Director
Ms. Lauren Batchelor is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. During her time at the University of Texas, she studied clarinet under Professor Jonathan Gunn. She performed in the nationally recognized Wind Ensemble under Professor Jerry Junkin. She also spent four years in the Longhorn Band where she served as section leader for the last two. It was in the Longhorn Band that she performed on the national stage in football games across the country and even on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
She was on the Visual Staff for the Westwood High School Marching Band in Round Rock, TX in the fall of 2019. She also served as a camp counselor for Longhorn Music Camp for two summers.
Ms. Batchelor attended Magnolia High School in Magnolia, TX. During her high school years, she made the TMEA All-State band for three years in a row. She was also a member of the Houston Youth Symphony.
Mitchell Vereide
Assistant Band Director / Percussion
Clayton Benoit
Colorguard Director / Fine Arts Secretary
Clayton Benoit is a recent transplant to Texas from Louisiana. After beginning his performing career at E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux, Louisiana, Clayton then continued performing with The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Lake Area Independent Winterguard. Clayton's teaching career started in 2008 and has included working and choreographing for schools and programs such as E.D.White Catholic High School, Acadiana High School, Ouachita High School, West Ouachita High School, Lafayette High School, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, West Monroe High School, Erath High School, Sterlington High School, Elite Percussion, Lake Area Independent, and Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps where he served as Colorguard Caption Head from 2020-2022. Clayton was also the founding director of Acadiana Independent World Winterguard out of Lafayette, Louisiana. Under his direction, Clayton's various groups have been given titles such as WGI Regional and Power Regional finalists, LMCGPC medalists, BOA Grand National Finalists, and DCI Open Class finalist. Clayton served on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Mississippi Colorguard and Percussion Circuit for 6 years. This is Clayton's third year at Jordan but his first year serving as Colorguard Director as well as Fine Arts Secretary.
