Director of Bands Heather Hurley relies on her large toolbox of strategies so her students at Princeton Community Middle School can succeed at their own pace and in their own way. “Nothing I do is random,” she explains. “Every activity has a purpose and connects to the bigger picture, allowing learning to build naturally and meaningfully over time.”
Hurley is highly prepared and organized, which drives her to teach with purpose. This intentional efficiency results in clear routines and fun, engaging ideas that keep her students excited while giving them a strong sense of structure.
She started her job at Princeton during COVID. “It was a time of significant disruption,” she acknowledges. “While upholding the high expectations of a 70-year-old program, I focused on accountability, work ethic and self-discipline to restore structure and ensemble culture without lowering standards. Long-standing traditions were preserved, while new, student-driven traditions were introduced by incorporating current interests with musical purpose.”
Band Night is one of these new traditions. The 7th- and 8th-graders experience marching band firsthand by playing two marching band pieces and the Princeton Fight Song with the high school band during halftime at a football game. “They get to sit in the stands and play pep tunes, cheers and cadences with the high school band. This event builds community and strengthens the connection of the music program across grades 7 to 12,” Hurley says.
A new ensemble that Hurley started is the Zero Bell Concert Band, an advanced ensemble made up of select 7th- and 8th-grade students chosen through an audition process. The group, which consists of 65 to 75 students, meets daily from 7:05–8:00 a.m., making it an additional class beyond their regular school day.
Hurley has introduced innovative lessons into her teaching. In her 7th-grade general music class, she teaches the History of American Music, which starts with a unit on rap and hip-hop. “Students explore the genre’s cultural roots while applying their learning to write original raps using couplets, stanzas, rhymes, slant rhymes, storytelling and flow,” she explains. “Students also create original beats using music tech software and record their performances. This hands-on approach builds creativity, historical understanding and modern music-making skills.”
Hurley calls Princeton music a very special place with dedicated teachers who deeply value the program and its history, students, community and traditions. “Band teaches students responsibility — showing up prepared matters because others are counting on you. It builds work ethic through daily practice and long-term goals — students learn that effort leads to real progress. Most importantly, band becomes a family where students build their closest friendships and fondest memories together,” Hurley says.
