Don Newman retired as Director of Bands at West Harrison High School in Gulfport, Mississippi in 2024. He retires after teaching for 33 years, all in the state of Mississippi. While at West Harrison, Mr. Newman directed the “Pride of South Mississippi” Marching Band, and the Wind Ensemble, in addition to overseeing a program of more than 140 students in grades 9-12.
Mr. Newman’s work as an adjudicator, consultant, and designer in pageantry dates to 1995 when he began to judge winter guard for the Gulf Coast Judges Association. Since that beginning, Mr. Newman has served as a local judge for the Gulf coast Judges Association, a General Effect judge for Winterguard International, a Visual judge for Drum Corps International, where he was on the Championship week panel six times in twelve years and has judged marching bands extensively throughout the United States. He has written, consulted, and taught bands in Mississippi and Texas over the course of his career. In addition, he was the Visual Caption head for the Southwind Drum Corps in 1995 and 1996, where he helped lead the corps to their first Semi-finalist ranking.
Mr. Newman currently resides in Gulfport, Mississippi with his daughter Mackenzie, and their awesome cats Moses and Ruthie B. His son, Ryan, is currently a Junior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and his daughter Mackenzie is a Freshman at Mississippi State University and is an Honors Scholar in the Shackleford Honors College.
Mr. Newman’s work as an adjudicator, consultant, and designer in pageantry dates to 1995 when he began to judge winter guard for the Gulf Coast Judges Association. Since that beginning, Mr. Newman has served as a local judge for the Gulf coast Judges Association, a General Effect judge for Winterguard International, a Visual judge for Drum Corps International, where he was on the Championship week panel six times in twelve years and has judged marching bands extensively throughout the United States. He has written, consulted, and taught bands in Mississippi and Texas over the course of his career. In addition, he was the Visual Caption head for the Southwind Drum Corps in 1995 and 1996, where he helped lead the corps to their first Semi-finalist ranking.
Mr. Newman currently resides in Gulfport, Mississippi with his daughter Mackenzie, and their awesome cats Moses and Ruthie B. His son, Ryan, is currently a Junior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and his daughter Mackenzie is a Freshman at Mississippi State University and is an Honors Scholar in the Shackleford Honors College.