New band teacher comes to Havre from Mississippi

Editor's note: The Havre Daily News is attempting to interview new teachers in the local school districts. People who know of new teachers, or the new teachers themselves, can contact the Havre Daily at [email protected].

Havre Middle School is getting a new band teacher from Mississippi.

"If I ever teach band again, I want to teach middle school because I love starting kids out with nothing, they don't know know how to do anything, so making sure they have great fundamentals," Luke Ratcliff said, "going from 'I don't even know how to do this' sounding like elephants to eventually seeing them go, 'Oh my gosh, I'm good at something and I can play music."

Middle schoolers are funny, they are silly and if one can get them on their side to teach them and they that they cared for they can do really great things with music, Ratcliff said.

He said he is not only teaching middle school band, but also a couple guitar classes and piano classes.

With COVID-19 and the social distancing guidelines in place, he said, he thinks he can space the students and their instruments out six feet apart in the band room or use the assembly room if necessary.

"I can definitely, pretty sure space everybody out six feet and either have them wear masks, make some cloth masks with a hole and have some cloth coverings on their bells," Ratcliff said. 

As for assignments if the school goes back to remote learning, he said, the students can record them playing then send it to him through email or use "The Band app."

He added that the students can also do written assignments, theory worksheets, notes and to show that they are learning things.

"Sometimes it's cool to have like a virtual all of them on - you can't really have an organized band rehearsal, but you can do some stuff hearing them all play or even sectionals all the trumpets on video chat," he said. "There's so many things you can do - it's almost like you can do more holding the kids accountable for their own playing because they are at home."

"You are at home, what do they do? You got to practice," he added.

Ratcliff is originally from Ridgeland, Mississippi, outside of Jackson, and attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, he received his bachelor's in music education and trumpet performance.

He received his master's degree in trumpet performance from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, and went on to receive another master's degree in trumpet performance from Southeastern Louisiana University, in Hammond, Louisiana. 

Prior to Havre, he said, he taught band and choir from scratch for one year in Kosciusko, Mississippi, two years in  Potts Camp, Mississippi, then went to teach Franklin County Schools  in Meadville, Mississippi, for three years. 

"I'm super excited," Ratcliff said. "When (Assistant Principal Jeremiah) Nitz showed me the band hall the other day, a couple days ago, it's like from Mississippi, and with all the resources they have and just really, the biggest thing I haven't had is great administrations in Mississippi. Meeting (Principal Dustin) Kraske and Nitz, they care about kids from what I hang around them a little bit. They care about the kids, they care about the resources to get the kids what they need not just for band, but for everything."