Charles “Chip” Staley is used to ending on a high note, and this month is no exception.
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The Neuqua Valley High School Fine Arts Department chairman and leader of the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Musical Theater Orchestra is retiring after a celebrated career that spans three decades.
“When I came to District 204, teachers and administrators worked together to provide what’s best for kids,” Staley, 56, said. “I am so happy to have been a part of the team that was able to accomplish so many remarkable things with that singular goal.”
Staley earned degrees from University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Illinois before starting his career as band director at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island.
He said English teacher Tom Flanders was a mentor and friend to him and gave him great advice that he still uses today.
“Things weren’t going perfectly (in a theater production) and I was too young to understand that I needed to keep perspective,” Staley said. “He told me that when you are teaching students in high school, you create moments — and you live for those moments. I added an addendum to that, and it’s that our goal is to string the most moments together.”
He began stringing moments together in Indian Prairie School District 204 in 1985 when he was hired to teach at Waubonsie Valley High School. Emily Binder, a 1990 Waubonsie graduate, said Staley’s influence has been an “extraordinary gift.”
“He opened up the world of music to me,” said Binder, who is now a teacher and Staley’s colleague at Neuqua Valley. “Through his tutelage, experiences we had at Waubonsie, and his passion for music, I fell in love with music as well.
He helped me find my life’s passion.”
In 1997, Staley moved to Neuqua Valley when it opened. Under his leadership, the south Naperville school has been awarded the Grammy Gold status seven times and was named the Grammy Signature School in recognition of “the best high school music program in the country” in 2005 and 2013.
Corina Coulter, 17, plays trumpet in Neuqua’s Wind Ensemble, an elite group of the school’s top musicians.
“Mr. Staley is the type of teacher that is incredibly passionate about what he teaches,” the junior said. “He loves his music and his job; his enthusiasm and passion for what he does are the main things that make me and many others love coming to band class.”
And former students — from around the country — wanted to come back to be part of Staley’s “band” during a special performance. On May 19, more than 45 former students joined in the Wind Ensemble’s final concert, playing “Auld Lang Syne” with their former teacher.
Chris Olen, a 2009 grad who now lives in Washington D.C., shared these comments about three years under Staley’s direction.
“I learned how to perform under pressure, how to move forward from my mistakes without internalizing them and how to reach for excellence time after time without looking for constant validation from my superiors,” Olen said. “Thank you for challenging us more than anyone else did, enriching our lives all the more.”
Three other special guests slipped in to be part of the performance: Staley’s wife, Lynne, and sons Chase and Evan, who graduated from Neuqua Valley in 2005 and 2008 respectively.
For the maestro, it was a performance he’ll never forget.
“It was my honor and privilege to conduct former students of mine from Eisenhower, Waubonsie and Neuqua in a final performance,” Staley said. “The music performed expressed what words could not. It was the perfect ending to a highly satisfying and rewarding career. I am truly blessed to have been a teacher.”
Many — at Neuqua and in the community — would argue they are the ones blessed to have had Staley as a teacher.
“His legacy is immeasurable; his influence has been felt in every building of the school district since 1985 through the music class offerings during the day to the co-curricular opportunities when the school day ends,” said Jonathan Lauff, who will take over the reins as chairman of Neuqua’s fine arts department next year. “In working with him since 1997, I have never seen him approach even one day with anything other than the attitude that today’s classes are critical, and we must accomplish something great right now.”
A special website farewell
A website, http://www.thankyoumrstaley.weebly.com
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was created by Lauff and Binder for former students to share their best wishes with Staley.Charles Staley shares a bit of advice for new teachers: “To be a successful teacher, you need to be curious and aware. Curiosity is the lifeblood of all learning. Awareness is what connects the teacher to his or her students. Know your content. Love your content. Share your love.”