Steve Adams
SM South Band Diretor
Mr. Adams has been the director of the SM South band since 1986-87. His undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the University of Kansas.
Graduating from SM South in 1979, playing trombone in the South bands was the foundation for a great high school experience. It was here that Mr. Adams learned that an outstanding music program must emphasize quality music, student leadership, and teamwork. Building a career at South has been a dream come true!
Mr. Adams is married to "the world's greatest band chaperone", Shari, who is also a '79 SMS grad. His adult children, Megan and Tom cherish the fact that they grew up around the South Band and its students. A favorite pastime for Mr. and Mrs. Adams is hanging out with their 3 granddaughters!
Megan Hoelscher
Indian Woods Band Director
Megan Hoelscher, a UMKC graduate, is the director of the Indian Woods Middle School band which is the only middle school to feed SMS. Under Megan's teaching, the IW's band is considered one of the top middle school programs in the region. The ties continue. after being hired while in college to work with the marching band for two years, Megan student taught at SMS and IW and was hired upon graduation as the director at IW. Besides being an excellent teacher, Mrs. Hoelscher is a top competitive distance runner and a fine trumpet player. She has won both the Kansas City and St. Louis marathons! Megan's commitment to her training should serve as a model of what setting a goal and working to earn it is all about. Besides her work at IW, Megan helps out with the marching band, spearheads the band's 5K, and assists on all of our trips. Megan's husband found his career in finance but he is a former "scream' trumpet player in high school and UMKC. He gets and supports his wife's dedication to her students. Yep, the rest of the staff are all fans of Doug.
Cynthia Szczesny ("SEZ nee")
SM South Spanish Teacher
SM South Band Assistant
Cynthia Szczesny teaches Spanish at South and works with the band during 1st hour. Cynthia is a 2009 SMS graduate, former band president and was an all-state trumpet player. Throughout her college career at William Jewell College, she was very active in music and now plays all over town in professional and top-flight amateur ensembles. She was the Megan Taylor soloist with the band in 2014. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and high standards have been very helpful to recent successes in the band.
Paul Schapker
South Area Elementary Band Teacher
SM South Assistant Band Director
Mr. Schapker joined the South staff in 2016. Paul is a KU grad and earned a graduate degree in conducting at Oklahoma State University. While at KU, he was hired as our percussion instructor with the marching band. Paul has taught band in Goddard, KS and was the assistant director the SM North area. As the assistant director in the South area, Mr. Schapker teaches elementary band at all six, South feeders, as well as working with the concert and marching bands at SM South. He has taken over design and drill writing responsibilities for the Rompin' Stompin' Raider Band.
Sheri Greene
Indian Woods Beginning Band Director
Indian Woods 7th Grade Assistant
Sheri Greene teaches beginning band and assists with 7th grade at Indian Woods. She also teaches band at Merriam Park and Nieman Elementary schools in the SM North area. Sheri is a flute and piccolo player and graduated from William Jewell College, where she met her husband Justin. She earned her Master's degree from Emporia State University. Her career started in Olathe as a beginning band director for eight years. She left Olathe when her son Cyrus was born and then had her daughter Tess two years later. She enjoyed staying home with her kids and became a substitute teacher when they started to attend elementary school. The band room is a place where everyone belongs, so Sheri is very happy to return to teaching and to welcome students into this program.