Ross M. Haney serves as the NCES Music Teacher and NCMHS Assistant Band Director of Nicholas County Schools in Carlisle, KY. His duties include planning and presenting general music lessons to his school's student body, directing students in various special musical events throughout the school year, and assisting the district's band program through the beginning band, marching band, and athletic bands.

He founded and directs the Bluejacket Singers, a completely extra curricular choir comprised of third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students which has rated Distinguished at the KMEA District 8 Choral Assessment for the past five years, Superior at the Trills and Thrills Music Festival three times, and Gold at the Holiday World Music Festival once.

Mr. Haney holds a Bachelors of Music Education from Morehead State University (Morehead, KY), and additionally has completed training in all levels of the Kodály concept and the Orff-Schulwerk approach. He has presented at state and local conferences regarding building an elementary music program and navigating the professional landscape for young teachers. He prides himself on finding any way to promote and enhance music literacy among his students, engage them in active music making, and give them the tools and experiences to be lifelong lovers of music. 

Community is also a focus of Mr. Haney's, as he has served as Director of the Gateway Community Youth Chorus of Mt. Sterling since 2022 and Director of the Licking Valley Singers of Cynthiana since 2025. 

In addition to his work in music education, Mr. Haney serves as the Magistrate of Nicholas County's 5th District and enjoys collecting Lego and spending time with his cats Largo and Fiyero. 

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Education

Masters of Educational Technology
Morehead State University (in progress)

Bachelors of Music Education
Morehead State University

Kodály Certified Educator
The Kodály Institute of Kentucky - Lexington, KY

Orff-Schulwerk Certified Educator
Levels I and III - The University of Kentucky - Lexington, KY
Level II - Nazareth University - Rochester, NY

Teaching Experience

2021 - Present
Elementary Music Teacher and Assistant Band Director
Nicholas County Schools - Carlisle, KY

2019-2021
Music Teacher
West Louisville Elementary School - Owensboro, KY

Leadership

Magistrate
5th Magisterial District of Nicholas County

President
Nicholas County Education Association (NCEA)
​
Past K-5 General Music Chair
Kentucky Music Educators Association - District 8

Past Region B Representative
Kentucky Education Association - Central District

​Past President
Kentucky Association of Kodály Educators

Affiliations

National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA)
National Education Association (NEA)
Kentucky Education Association (KEA)
Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE)
Kentucky Association of Kodály Educators (KAKE)
American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA)
Kentucky Orff-Schulwerk Association (KOSA)
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity

Awards and Accolades

KMEA District 8 Elementary Music Teacher of the Year (2024)
Youngest Magistrate Elected in Nicholas County History (2022)
Helen F. Fulbright Music Education Citation Award (2019)
​Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Collegiate Honor Award (2019)
First Recipient of the MSU Art of Music Teaching Fellowship Award (2019)
MSU Undergraduate Research Fellow (2018-2019)
Nicholas County Gold Star Citizen (2017)
Eagle Scout Award (2016)
​John Philip Sousa Award (2015)

Professional Development Presentations​

Kodály Orffer You Some Tips?: Combing Two Approaches
Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference (2026)

Professionalism for the Teacher: Tools for the Trade (with Dakota Burnette)
Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference (2023)
Kentucky Association of Kodály Educators Workshop (2021)
Kentucky Collegiate NAfME Conference (2021)

Building Your Program: It's Elementary!
Kentucky Association of Kodály Educators Elementary Music Summit (2022)
Kentucky Collegiate NAfME Conference (2022)

Available Presentations
Kodály Orffer You Some Tips?: Combing Two Approaches
Building Your Program: It's Elementary!
That Was So Fun I Forgot I Was Learning: Engaging Students Through Play
Let Me Google That: Digital Tools for Elementary Music
Professionalism for the Teacher: Tools for the Trade (with Dakota Burnette)