Ira Jenkins been a band director for eighteen years. Prior to coming to AHS in 2013 Mr. Jenkins taught elementary, middle, and high school bands in Atlanta Public Schools, Cobb County, Fulton County, and most recently in Westchester County (NY) as well as Bergen County (NJ). His Bands have consistently earned superior ratings. His bands have performed at High Notes Music Festival (CT), Ossining LIVE (NY), Carowinds Music Festival (NC), VH-1 (GA), NYSSMA Majors, Six Flags Music Festivals (GA), and many GMEA LGPEs. Mr. Jenkins' students have earned chairs in County and District Honor Bands as well as All State Bands.
Mr. Jenkins' previous responsibilities have extended far beyond the classroom. He has served as an assistant high school marching band director, visual caption head, color guard caption head, and directed numerous winter guard programs over the past 17 years in GA, SC, AL, MD, NJ, and NY. Mr. Jenkins served as the conductor of the Rivertowns Middle School Honor Band in Westchester County, New York. In addition to teaching in New York, Jenkins served as publicity chair for Westchester County School Music Association (WCSMA).
Mr. Jenkins' professional affiliations include marching band and winter guard adjudication with the USSBA, NYSFBC, WGAZ, CWEA, FFCC and DCI; and he holds memberships with GMEA, NAfME, SAPA, WGI, NYSSMA, NYSBDA, and FFJA. Mr. Jenkins completed his undergraduate degree in music education at Florida A&M University and Georgia State University. He holds a masters degree in educational leadership from Kennesaw State University and an educational specialist degree in music education at the University of Georgia.