Craig M. Bailey,  Director of Bands

Craig Bailey began teaching in 1992 in his hometown of  Lakeland, FL, where he attended the Polk County School System, graduating in 1987 with High Honors.  In 1994 he accepted a position with the Hall County School System in Gainesville, where he spent the next three years as Band Director at South Hall Middle School. 

In 1998 Mr. Bailey began a three year hiatus when he accepted a contract with a major bicycle company to race mountain bikes as a member of their ultra-marathon team.  

The fall of 2000 brought Mr. Bailey back to music education with his acceptance of the position as Director of Bands at Gainesville Middle School.

Mr. Bailey is a graduate of Berry College in Rome, GA and holds membership in the Georgia Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference and is a lifetime member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Mr. Bailey lives in Gainesville with his wife, Rhonda (also an educator), their son, Carter and many animals.   

Joey S. Forbes, Assistant Director: GMS / GHS Bands

Mr. Forbes, originally from Shelby, NC, received his Bachelor of Music degree from Mars Hill College in 1988 where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society.  He spent nine years as Band Director in Hayesville, NC and comes to us after five years in Brownsville, TX.

Mr. Forbes shares teaching duties at both the middle and high schools and is the director of the GHS Drumline, where our high school students reap the benefits of his years of vast percussion experience.

His family includes his wife, Rhonda, and his three children, Rachel, Ryan and Josh and he is an avid golfer.