Brian Kowalski
DeKalb,IL
Summary
Educator with over 20 years of experience in middle-level and secondary education and a demonstrated history of successful educational program development, professional mentoring, and promotion of social-emotional learning in the curriculum. Utilizing a servant-leadership style, recent focus has been on Educational Leadership, specifically applying personal experience to school operations improvement, curriculum development, partnerships and collaboration, and DEI initiatives. With extensive classroom, extracurricular, and committee experience as well as leadership in school programs and professional organizations, opportunities in school leadership and administration are of particular interest.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Music Teacher and Choral Director
Sycamore Middle School
08.2014 - Current
- Conduct curricular choirs and teach required music courses
- Design and implement curriculum for chorus and general music classes
- Grew student enrichment experience offerings, including honor choir participation at the local, regional, and national levels
- Increased choral program participation by 25%
- Initiated group vocal lessons into choral curriculum, improving curriculum rigor and assessment capabilities
- Team Leader for Allied Arts Department
- Direct annual school musical, conduct extracurricular choir, and organize field trips
- Prepare students for music festivals, contests, and community performances
- Liaise with the parent booster organization to coordinate fundraising efforts and special event planning
- Maintain budget, equipment, and materials for the Vocal and General Music departments
- Supervise and mentor Music Education students from local universities
- Committee work: Building Leadership Team, IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Acceptance) Committee.
Theatre Director and Assistant Choral Director
DeKalb High School
01.2015 - Current
- Direct fall play and co-direct spring musical - responsible for production selection and design, student recruitment, publicity, and performance organization
- Develop student actors' performance skills in character development, dialogue analysis, and movement/choreography
- Coordinate with theatre team members on production logistics
- Collaborate with choral director in Madrigal and a cappella choir repertoire selection, song arrangements, ensemble rehearsals, and performance preparation
Music & Drama Teacher and Choral Director
Kaneland Harter Middle School
08.2004 - 06.2014
- Conducted curricular choirs and taught both required and elective courses in music and drama
- Designed, planned, and implemented curriculum for chorus, general music, guitar, and drama classes
- Directed annual school plays and musicals, conducted extracurricular choirs, and organized field trips
- Doubled choral program participation, adding four curricular choirs to course offerings and second full-time choral director to staff
- Added a second school theatrical production annually, based on student involvement and interest
- Maintained budget, equipment, and materials for the Choral Music and Drama departments
- Committee work: Academic Advisory Committee, Operations Committee (Secretary), Scheduling Committee, Response to Intervention (RtI) Committee.
Director of Music
Newman Catholic Student Center
05.2002 - 06.2004
- Directed music at the weekend liturgies and various other services, including weddings, funerals, special seasonal services, and community and ecumenical events
- Planned and oversaw the technical and logistical aspects of all liturgical services, including training and scheduling volunteers
- Managed contracted employees, budget, and payroll in the music department.
International Group Travel Consultant
Kitz Travel
01.2002 - 01.2018
- Organized and chaperoned European performance tours for high school music departments
- Created itineraries, planned concerts, and managed individual student financial accounts
- Coordinated lodging, transportation, and sightseeing excursions with foreign travel services
- Accompanied groups to liaise between participants, hosting organizations, and contracted companies.
Substitute Teacher
School District U-46
08.2001 - 06.2002
- Implemented lessons plans and led classroom activities during teachers' absences in various instructional areas at the middle school and high school levels.
Education
M.Ed. - Curriculum And Instruction
American College of Education
Indianapolis, IN12.2024
M.Ed. - Educational Leadership
American College of Education
Indianapolis, INM.M. - Music Education
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, ILB.A. - Music
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, ILSkills
- Verbal and Written Communication
- Collaborative Team Building
- Relationship Building
- Multicultural Awareness, Inclusivity, and Diversity
- Student-Centered Learning
- Adaptable Teaching Styles
- Curriculum Development/Instructional Methods
- Program Development
- Student Recruitment
- Budgeting and Fundraising
- Performance Coaching
- Faculty Collaboration
Affiliations
- Sycamore Education Association
- Illinois Education Association
- National Education Association
- Illinois Music Education Association (District 8 Choral Representative: 2022-present)
- American Choral Directors Association
Certification And Accreditation
State of Illinois Professional Educator License: #1998133 (Music, K-12)
Honors And Awards
- Kane County Educator of the Year, Nominee, 2012
- Rookie Teacher of the Year,” Kaneland Education Association, 2005
- Nominated for membership in Pi Kappa Lambda, National Music Honor Society, 2004 & 2006
- Recipient of Loyola University Chicago Presidential Academic Scholarship Award, 1995
References
Available upon request
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
German
Limited Working
Timeline
Theatre Director and Assistant Choral Director
DeKalb High School
01.2015 - Current
Music Teacher and Choral Director
Sycamore Middle School
08.2014 - Current
Music & Drama Teacher and Choral Director
Kaneland Harter Middle School
08.2004 - 06.2014
Director of Music
Newman Catholic Student Center
05.2002 - 06.2004
International Group Travel Consultant
Kitz Travel
01.2002 - 01.2018
Substitute Teacher
School District U-46
08.2001 - 06.2002
M.Ed. - Curriculum And Instruction
American College of Education
M.Ed. - Educational Leadership
American College of Education
M.M. - Music Education
Northern Illinois University
B.A. - Music
Loyola University Chicago
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