Wendy Weeks
Director of Choirs
Mrs. Weeks proudly hails from the outstanding music programs of the Abilene Independent School District, singing under the direction of Don Scargall at Madison Junior High, and Bobbie Sumerlin and Barbara Perkins at Cooper High School. While in high school, Wendy had the privilege of performing the Brahms Requiem in the 1989 TMEA Texas All-State Choir under the direction of Robert Shaw.
Mrs. Weeks earned the Bachelor of Music degree from Abilene Christian University, where she majored in Music Education and Vocal Performance. As a member of the ACU A Cappella Choir, she performed a concert at TMEA. As a vocal student of Julie Pruett, she participated in NATS competitions, opera and oratorio performances, musical theatre productions, and served as an ACU Sing Song Hostess. She was awarded the Janey Nance Hall Music Scholarship in her senior year at ACU.
In 1995, she began her teaching career at Cooper High School as Assistant Choral Director with her former choir teacher and mentor, Barbara Perkins. From 2000 to 2011, Mrs. Weeks taught elementary music at College Heights and Jackson Elementary schools. College Heights Elementary School honored Mrs. Weeks in 2002 by naming her Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Weeks furthered her music education during the summers earning her Kodaly Certification through the West Texas Kodaly Initiative in 2008.
From 2011 to 2017, Mrs. Weeks served as Choral Director at Craig Middle School, where she also acted as the Fine Arts/Electives Chairperson. Under her leadership, the choral program grew from 120 students to one that served almost 300 students. The Craig Choir annually placed many students in the TMEA Region XVI South Zone Honor Choirs, and consistently earned Sweepstakes ratings at UIL Concert & Sightreading contest each spring. In 2014 and again in 2016 respectively, the Craig Concert Boys Choir and Concert Girls Choir were selected as Invited Performing Choirs to the Texas Music Educators Association’s annual convention in San Antonio.
Mrs. Weeks currently holds memberships in ACDA, TCDA, ACDA, OAKE, TMAA, as well as TMEA, where she has served as Middle School Choir Coordinator. She is active as an adjudicator and as a clinician. Wendy and her husband, John, are proud parents of three daughters, Hayley, Whitney, and Courtney.
Derek Jones
Associate Director
Also a former student of Abilene ISD, Mr. Jones sang under the direction of Cara Naizer at Cooper High School, where he served as choir president and graduated as the valedictorian of his class.
A graduate of Baylor University with a BME in Choral Music Education, Mr. Jones participated in many outstanding choral and educational experiences that have shaped his career. He has taught as a student intern for the Youth Chorus of Central Texas, served as a choral scholar for St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, and worked as the Baylor Men's Choir's Liaison with the Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies. Mr. Jones was a vocal student of Mark Diamond and a member of the Baylor Concert, A Cappella, and Men’s choirs, where he sang under the direction of Lynne Gackle, Brad Holmes, Kristina MacMullen, and Randall Bradley. During his student teaching semester in Midway ISD, Mr. Jones was honored with the TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award.
Mr. Jones began his teaching career as the assistant choral director and 5th grade music teacher at Wylie West Junior High, where he received the Rising Star Teacher of the Year award in 2025. Now, Mr. Jones has proudly returned to AISD, where he teaches alongside his own former teacher and mentor, Wendy Weeks.
Mr. Jones currently holds memberships with TCDA and TMEA. He is a lifelong member of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, where he sings in the Celebration choir and regularly serves in the music, children, and youth ministries.