Mr. Tyler Harr
KJHS Band Director

Mr. Harr teaches 5th-8th-grade band at Kingsley Jr. High School and is beginning his fifth year as part of the Unit 5 Music Program. At KJHS, Mr. Harr also directs extracurricular groups in jazz and chamber music programs. Throughout his teaching career, Mr. Harr has taught K-12 band, choir, and general music- but Jr. High band is the best!

Mr. Harr grew up in the Bloomington-Normal Area and went through Unit 5 Schools. He has a bachelor's in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University and a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University.  He hopes to bring a fast-paced, fun environment perfect for learning and growing- we will all make mistakes, but that is the best way to learn new things. 

In his free time, Mr. Harr is also actively involved in community theatre as an actor/singer, pianist, and music director. He also loves to play trombone and bassoon throughout the community. 

Contact Mr. Harr at
​[email protected]

Ms. Katie Winchester 
5th Grade Band and KJHS Chorus Director

Katie Winchester is the 6th-8th-grade chorus teacher at Kingsley and is thrilled to be joining the 5th-grade band team again for the 2025-2027 school year. Ms. Winchester has been teaching in Unit 5 for 11 years, and in that time has taught K-12, a cappella, honor choirs, and more. 
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Ms. Winchester grew up in Orlando, Florida, and Orland Park, Illinois. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, and she is excited to begin her master's studies this fall at Illinois State University.
In her free time, Ms. Winchester enjoys hiking, gardening, reading, cooking, and sharing delicious meals with close friends. She currently resides in Bloomington with her husband and their Yorkie, Luna.

Contact Ms. Winchester at winchek@unit5.org