Brookhaven School District has announced the hiring of a new Director of Bands and a new assistant band director. Brookhaven High alum James Green has been named as the director, and Parklane Academy alum Nicholas Kleppinger is the assistant.

Brookhaven native Green holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso.

For the past three years, Green has served as a band director for the Franklin County School District. At Franklin County, Green co-teaches the high school bands, grades 7-12, teaches the 6th Grade Band, and assists with 5th Grade Band. 

During his time there, Green has helped the program achieve generational success. Under his leadership, the Pride of Franklin County Marching Band achieved All-Superior ratings at the Copiah Marching Festival for the first time since 1988, as far as records indicate. He also helped the band achieve Superior ratings at the 2024 SWMBDA Concert Festival, marking the first known time in school history that the program had achieved Superior ratings at both district marching and concert festivals in the same school year.

Green has also re-established and directs the Franklin County Community Band. He served as the 1st Vice President of the Southwest Mississippi Band Directors Association in 2024 and is now the SMBDA President. He holds professional affiliations with the SWMBDA, Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Mississippi Professional Educators, National Band Association, National Association for Music Education, and International Trumpet Guild.

Green is passionate about music, often arranging music for his ensembles and studying musical literature during his free time. He is also an avid sports fan, supporting the Arkansas Razorbacks and Southern Miss Golden Eagles. 

He is a third-generation educator in the Brookhaven School District with two of his grandparents serving as a teacher, coach, and/or administrator, including his late grandfather James A. Sinclair, whose name is placed on the BHS gymnasium. His aunt is the principal of Mamie Martin Elementary School, and his mother is head coach of the Brookhaven High tennis team. 

Green said he is excited to return to BHS and cannot wait to begin his tenure as the leader of the Ole Brook Bands.

Kleppinger, a native of Magnolia, now lives in Brookhaven. He is a graduate of Parklane Academy and earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Southwest Mississippi Community College and William Carey University.

During his college years, Kleppinger was an active member of various ensembles, including choir, steel drums, and jazz band. He also competed in multiple Winter Guard International (WGI) events, ranging from state-level to international competitions. Additionally, he traveled across the South as a vocalist with the southern gospel quartet Four the King.

His student teaching experience took place within the Brookhaven band program at Alexander Junior High and Brookhaven High. Following graduation, he began his professional teaching career as the assistant band director at Wesson Attendance Center, a position he has held for the past two years.

Kleppinger is married to Jadeyn Fuller Kleppinger, a second-grade teacher at Mamie Martin Elementary.

“Words cannot express how excited I am for next year,” he said. “I give God all the glory and thank Him for this opportunity. I will not waste it.”