Former Nacogdoches High School band director Jim Hagood will be honored during a special reception at 5:30 p.m., Monday, May 11, at Nacogdoches ISD’s Professional Development Center, located adjacent to the District Support Center at 4632 NE Stallings Drive. The public is invited.
Hagood came on board at NHS in 1980, tasked with the job of guiding the Golden Dragon Marching Band to first division performances in marching and sweepstakes winners.
That occurred in Hagood’s first year with the district. Bands win sweepstakes awards by earning all 1s in marching in the fall and all 1s in concert and sight-reading competitions in the spring.
Hagood’s success over the next 20 years established a durable tradition of excellence the band has replicated ever since.
The NHS symphonic band program honored Hagood during its spring concert May 4 by performing “For the Man in the Yellow Jacket,” a march commissioned by NISD Director of Fine Arts Deshmond Johnson and written by Texas A&M University Director of Bands Dr. Timothy Rhea.
The music is an acknowledgement to Hagood’s commitment to the NHS band program, and the title is a nod to the yellow jacket he wore while directing the band at Dragon football games.
After retirement from NISD, Hagood filled in as band director at Center High School for three years (where one of his students was Deshmond Johnson, NISD’s fine arts director) and one year at Timpson.