DORMAN, HISEL, JONES ARE NEWEST MEMBERS
In combination with Platte County High School’s “Winter Athletic/Activities Signing Ceremony” on Jan. 31, the Platte County School District inducted three members to its Pirate Hall of Fame: Phil Dorman, Joyce Hisel, and Dr. Jay Jones.
Retired PCR-3 teacher and coach, and class of 2016-17 Hall of Fame member, Jan Patterson, introduced each new inductee, as the Pirate Hall of Fame coordinator.
Phil Dorman: Phil Dorman started teaching and coaching in the Platte County School District in 1994 and became the head wrestling coach after Coach Chip Sherman stepped down and became the assistant. In Coach Dorman’s 26 years at Platte County, he served as a social studies teacher; coach of wrestling, baseball, football, and golf; and finished his tenure as PCR-3’s athletic director for 16 years.
In 19 seasons as the head wrestling coach, Platte County was 156-35-3 in duals; his teams won 11 conference, 9 district, and 7 state championships, and produced 31 individual state champs. He was named Missouri Wrestling Association Coach of the Year six times, and was selected to the Missouri Wrestling Association’s Hall of Fame and National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Gabe Middleton Platte County’s current athletic director said, “I had absolutely no intentions of ever working for Platte County since I grew up in Smithville, however I ended up student teaching at Platte City Middle School and during this time Coach Dorman convinced me that Platte County was a great place to be and how the “orange and black” had a way of getting into your blood. Now more then 20 years later, the amount of pride I have in wearing the orange and black and the amount of love for this school, its students, its staff and its facilities is unmatched. I owe that all to Coach Dorman. He taught me how to become a coach and how to love kids while also holding them accountable.”
Joyce Hisel: Twenty of Joyce Hisel’s 29 years of teaching were spent in the Platte County School District. Joyce took the PCHS’s Concert Choir from a group of 2 students upon her arrival in 1993 to one of the top performing groups in the state of Missouri. She also created Sound Express as a show choir during zero hour, and it became an outstanding chamber and show choir, and Joyce was the assistant director and director for many of the school musicals, which secured various Blue Star Award nominations.
In 2004, her Concert Choir was selected to perform for the Missouri Music Educators Association, and in 2007 her Concert Choir performed at Carnegie Hall in New York. As a leader in her field, Joyce has been the All-District Choir Coordinator, All-State Choir Coordinator for the Northwest District, and Northwest District Representative and on the Executive Board.
She continues to be an outstanding influence at Platte County, teaching private voice lessons, volunteering to accompany solos and small ensembles, and substitute teaching. Current PCHS Choral Director, Brian Von Glahn, said, “Joyce has been a vital part of the fabric of the Platte County choir, music department, and the Platte County Community. Through her work with Lynn Sanders, Joyce helped resurrect the choir program and truly made it one that so many across the state of Missouri know as one of the best in the state.”
Dr. Jay Jones: Dr. Jones started his 31-year teaching career in Albany, Mo., then moved to Stewartsville, a small school in northwest Missouri, where he built a program that earned both state and national recognition. He was then hired and became a teacher in the Platte County School District where he taught for 23 years and continued to develop a reputation for building outstanding band programs.
Marching bands under Dr. Jones earned 11 Grand Championships, his concert ensembles have performed for the Missouri Music Educators conference four times, and they earned the William Revelli Award for superior performance. In 2008 and 2014, Dr. Jones received Excellence in Classroom Teaching Awards from the Northland Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Jones has had numerous leadership roles in his profession and in the school district. He has served as president of the North Central Missouri Bandmaster’s Association, member of the Missouri Bandmasters Association Board of Directors, Band President and Vice President of the Northwest District of Missouri Music Educators Association, President of the Platte County chapter of Missouri State Teachers Association, and is a current member of the Platte County Education Foundation Board.
Current Director of Bands, Dr. Matt Bonsignore, had this to say: “I think Dr. Jones is one of the most respected educators in our school and surrounding area. His integrity and professionalism brought class to the PC Band program and helped our students to aspire to be quality students and citizens. Jay strove to instill a work ethic in our students that was second to none. He demanded excellence in the classroom, on the field, and on the stage, not just with his words, but the way he conducted himself on a daily basis. He is the quintessential professional in the way he carries himself in and out of the classroom. His lessons still resonate, and his legacy will continue to live on at Platte County for years to come.”
The Hall of Fame program was started by the PCHS Booster Club in 1999 as a way to recognize special volunteers, former teachers/employees, or anyone who has contributed significantly to the enhancement of the Platte County R-3 School District. Hall of Fame nominations are accepted year round, and the Hall of Fame inducts new members usually in February. Visit www.plattecountyschooldistrict.com/business_community/hall_of_fame for a list of all members, as well as to access nomination forms.