Head of Music Department Mr. Gaines sings song of farewell

After 31 years, Doctor David Gaines is turning to the next chapter of his life, retirement. Doctor Gaines worked in Massapequa first as a band director. He worked to bring the band up to the same caliber as the orchestra and chorus. After 21 years of hard work Dr. Gaines was promoted to the Head of the Music Department.

 

Dr. Gaines worked to develop “a high level performing band program” and eventually received the NYSSMA Presidential Citation for creating such an outstanding music department.

 

Dr. Gaines exclaimed that despite the awards and accolades he has received over the many years his best memory is “working to develop a music program for special education students at East Lake, Berner, Ames, and at the high school level.”

 

Though Dr. Gaines has received many awards and recognition for his talents as a band teacher and the Head of the Music Department, he didn’t originally know he wanted to become a teacher. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do exactly but I liked working with kids even in high school. I worked at summer camps and just enjoyed being around youth. It was always about working with kids first, music came second to me,” he said.  

 

After over three decades of hard work Dr. Gaines is ready to retire. During his retirement he plans to work at Queens College and continue to work for NYSSMA, “as well as getting back to sleeping and catching up on reading,” he added.

 

Dr. Gaines’ predecessor will have big shoes to fill and Dr. Gaines would like to leave some words of advice for his predecessor and former students and colleagues.

 

“I would advise that person to consider what they have here and not to act hastily. I would also like to state that I couldn’t be happier or prouder of my time here at MHS. It has been a great experience,” he said. “Massapequa will always be somewhere that I look at and continue to look at fondly regardless that I won’t be making the decisions anymore.”

 

With that said, Dr. Gaines is looking forward to his retirement and we all thank him for his years of dedication in the music program and beyond!

0.00 avg. rating (0% score) - 0 votes