Kristen Brown has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She is an active member of the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) where she has been Secretary/Treasurer, President, Honor Band Chair, All-State Band Chair, Professional Conference Clinician, and Adjudicator. She earned her National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2007. She received the honor of Princeton City Schools Educator of the Year in 2008. Through the Ohio Department of Education, she is a Resident Educator Mentor and a Master Teacher. In her 34th year of teaching, she currently teaches Band in grades 6-12 at Princeton and is the 6-12 Music Department Head and Tri-M Advisor.
Princeton Music Department Staff
Kristen Brown
Jaclyn Ballman
Jaclyn Ballman has been teaching in the Princeton City School District since 2000. Prior to her employment at Princeton, she received a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Miami University. She has also earned her Masters of Music Education at Miami University. Ms. Ballman makes time for music outside of school serving as a vocalist and keyboard player at Community Christian Church in Hamilton. She has received awards for singing including placing as a finalist at the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition at Bowling Green University. When she is not teaching or singing she is enjoying time with her two children, Jenna and Brady.
Syndy Casey
Syndy Casey, a 30+ year veteran teacher, has taught in public, private, and charter school systems throughout the United States. A Princeton alumnus (class of 1983), Dr. Casey has her bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a minor in cello performance from Loyola University, New Orleans. She has a master’s degree in Vedic Science from Maharishi University in Fairfield, Iowa, and earned a Doctor of Educational Leadership at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Casey has earned Master Teacher Status in the State of Ohio, and was recently inducted into the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame for her outstanding contribution to the Princeton Music Program. Dr. Casey currently teaches orchestras 6-12 at Princeton Community Middle School and Princeton High School and directs the Theater and Thespian Programs at Princeton High School. She is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, the Ohio Music Educator's Association, and the Ohio Middle Level Association, where she serves as a state presenter and Southwest District Associate. Dr. Casey has 2 grown children, Nicholas and Catherine. She lives in Glendale with her husband, Tom Barrett, and their little dog, Sadie.
Andrew Fermier
Andrew Fermier began his collegiate career as a Jazz Studies saxophone major at the University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music before transferring to the Ohio State University, graduating with a Bachelor of the Arts in Music. Mr. Fermier has studied saxophone from local legend and CCM faculty Rick VanMatre, as well as Columbus musicians Shawn Wallace, Pete Mills, and Capital University faculty member Dr. Michael Cox.
Mr. Fermier began working for Princeton City Schools in 2019 at Evendale Elementary, and has been teaching at the high school ever since. Mr. Fermier began his musical journey as a 4th-grade trumpet player in the Philadelphia area. His family moved to Chicago while he was in middle school, and it is here that his passion for music really took off. While living in Chicago, a deep love of jazz was born and relationships were built with several key teachers who would prove to be lifelong musical mentors. Mr. Fermier has maintained a steady performing schedule over the years, beginning as a teenager, playing in small jazz groups, rock bands, horn-driven funk groups, large jazz ensembles, and continues to perform with a prominent Columbus- based fusion group. In his spare time, Mr. Fermier enjoys being active with his 3 sons.
Heather Hurley
Heather Hurley graduated from Miami University of Oxford, Ohio with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education. She has been teaching in the Princeton City School District since 2014. Prior to her employment at Princeton, she taught middle and high school band at Community Unit School District 300 in Algonquin, Illinois. Ms. Hurley currently teaches ZBCB (Zero Bell Concert Band), 7th Grade Band, PCMS General Music, assists with the PHS Bands and is an Assistant Director for the Pride of Princeton Marching Band. She was the recipient of the Princeton Board of Education Dream Keeper Award in 2017. She makes time for music outside of school, serving as an instrumentalist at Fairhaven Church in Centerville, Ohio. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Sean, 6-year-old daughter, Braelynn, 4-year-old son, Carrick, and newborn son, Roàn.
Sean Hurley
Born in Bethesda, Maryland, Sean Hurley, is an Air Force brat, who eventually grew up in Beavercreek, Ohio. Shaped by his music teachers in the Beavercreek City School District, Sean pursued both his Masters in Music Education and his Bachelor of Music Education from Miami University. While attending Miami, Sean met his wife, Heather, and they have now joined the ranks of other Miami Mergers, a growing population of married Miami alumni. They have three children at home who keep things very interesting and makes him continually grateful he can sing nursery rhymes. Sean has taught over 15 years and has had the privilege to be the guest conductor at multiple honor choir festivals, served on choral leadership teams, curriculum councils, conducted the Springfield Children's Chorus, and currently conducts the Kettering Children's Choir Cantamus. Sean is extremely grateful for being a part of the #VikingDiff and has enjoyed the passion for teaching his colleagues have shown as well as all the students' thriving desire to achieve success.
Holly Bates
Holly Bates is a dedicated musician and educator. She has been teaching in Princeton City Schools since 2023, just after she graduated with her Bachelor of Music in K-12 Instrumental Music Education from Miami University of Ohio. There, she studied violin under Dr. Harvey Thurmer, chamber music with Dr. Sarah Kim and Professor Mary Harris, and pedagogy with Dr. Brenda Mitchell. Holly also served as President of the Miami University Symphony Orchestra.
In the summer, Holly studied violin with Dr. Lin He of LSU and Ms. Jane Stewart of the NSO. She is currently a member of the Cincinnati Community Orchestra. Beyond music, Holly is a Swim Coach, Lifeguard Instructor, and Manager with the Cincinnati Recreation Commission. In her free time, she loves spending time with her dog, Roxy, and staying active.
Todd Leonhardt
Todd Leonhardt has enjoyed twenty-seven years as a music educator. Before he joined the Princeton Team of music educators, he spent eleven years in the Fairfield City School District. Mr. Leonhardt earned his Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Akron and his Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Miami University, Oxford. His current teaching responsibilities include Jazz Ensemble, Scarlet Band, Band 6, Band 7, and Band 8. He was the recipient of the Princeton Board of Education Dream Keeper Award in 2017.
Mr. Leonhardt enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He is blessed to have a family that all share in the passion of making music. Mr. Leonhardt and his wife co-direct a community steel drum band named Divine Steel.
Angie McClellan
Angie McClellan graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education, K-12. She completed her Master's Degree in Curriculum Design from Wright State University. Mrs. McClellan also attended Morehead State University from age 11-18 and studied piano privately under the direction of Jay Flippin and Dr. Lucretia Stetler. After graduating from Miami, Mrs. McClellan began teaching elementary music in the Princeton City School District at RELIS. Mrs. McClellan is married to the President of Coney Island who happened to live across the street from her first piano teacher. Her son, Alec graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Sports Management. He is currently employed by the University of Cincinnati. Livia will graduate in December from the University of Kentucky with her Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education. Mrs. McClellan owns her own piano studio in Loveland where she currently teaches 32 private students.
Shelley Miley
Shelley Miley has been a music teacher at Princeton since 2000. Mrs. Miley holds two degrees from EKU; a Bachelor of Music Education with vocal emphasis and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting. While at EKU she studied voice with Ms. Joan Boewe and Mr. Scott DeWeese, and she studied conducting with Dr. David Greenlee. Shelley performed for 7 years with "Stephen Foster the Musical" in Bardstown, Kentucky, including a three-week tour of Japan. Mrs. Miley was the guest conductor for the Jefferson County (KY) Public Schools All-County Middle School Treble Chorus in 2013. She has recently been a member of the Clermont Festival Chorale. She is a member of NAfMe and is the site chair for the OMEA District 14 Junior High Honor Choir. Mrs. Miley resides in Milford with her husband, Robert, and their two children.
Kyle Phillips
Kyle Phillips is currently in his fourteenth year of teaching, with the last eleven spent at Princeton City Schools. Mr. Phillips received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Miami University in 2010 and is currently completing coursework to earn his Masters of Music Education degree, also from Miami University.
Currently, Mr. Phillips teaches Jazz 7, Jazz 8, Jazz Lab, Band 6, General Music, Gray Band, and is the director of the Pride of Princeton Marching Band.
In addition to teaching at Princeton, he is a member of the trumpet section in the Southwest Ohio Symphonic Band. In his spare time, Mr. Phillips enjoys cooking, spending time with his nieces and nephews, and exploring Cincinnati with his fiancée Ariana.
Lesley Schultz
Lesley Schultz has been an orchestra director in the Princeton City Schools since 2008. She earned her Bachelors of Music Education from West Virginia University and her Masters of Music Education from Ohio University. Miss Schultz teaches a wide variety of music classes at Princeton, including Guitar and Music Technology. She was the recipient of the Princeton Board of Education Dream Keeper Award in 2017. Miss Schultz maintains an active performance schedule as a violist around the state with several regional symphony orchestras. In her spare time, she enjoys knitting.