School of Rock Rockwall

Main Number

(469) 314-1300(469) 314-1300

Staff View AllView Less

• • 

    Ray Kidd

    Music Director +

    Ray grew up in a highly musical atmosphere, living under the same roof as a Music Minister, Band Instructor and singer for the Vocal Majority. From a young age, he gravitated towards Elvis & The Ra...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Ray grew up in a highly musical atmosphere, living under the same roof as a Music Minister, Band Instructor and singer for the Vocal Majority. From a young age, he gravitated towards Elvis & The Ramones instead of the 80’s new wave of the day. A cancerous tumor left him deaf in one ear, but that didn’t sway his love for music. Living in Grand Junction Colorado, young Ray decided he wanted to learn guitar. His parents took him to a member of their church, the guitar-tech-turned-guitar-player of the 80’s Hair-Metal band, Quiet Riot. (“Come on feel the noise” and “Bang your Head/Metal Health”) . Ray picked up guitar with ease, as he seems to do with any instrument (except vocals!)
    
    Moving back to Texas his Senior year of high school, Ray immediately joined a band looking for a bass player. After graduating he became a Private School Kindergarten teacher by day / Rockstar by night. His band Atention Deficit won the Dallas Observer Award for best punk band in DFW, playing with such bands as: Bowling for Soup, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday and more.
    
    Eventually some severe health problems resulted in Ray becoming completely deaf for a few months, putting his life & band on hold. When he regained hearing in his good ear, he moved back to Dallas, and joined back up with his band-mates. They re-formed as a new band named Peacemaker, and worked with still unknown producer Geoff Rockwell (Forever The Sickest Kids, Artist vs Poet, Memphis Mayfire) to record their first full-length as this band. Peacemaker quickly garnered a large following playing with bands such as: Bad Religion, Hot Water Music, Less Than Jake and more.
    
    When the Frisco School of Rock opened in north Dallas, Ray was a perfect fit as an instructor. Working under Marty Morris, Ray quickly learned that his passion could become a reality and a career. Ray worked his way up to becoming the Music Director of what became the second largest School of Rock in the nation, leading him to later train and work in multiple locations in the Dallas, TX area.
    
    After 6 years, Ray and his wife were offered the amazing opportunity by their school’s franchise owners to move out to Southern California and lead a cultural revolution by opening up multiple brand new schools from scratch! About a year and a half later, the Kidds were moved back to Dallas, TX to work with 27 locations across the US in a leadership role. Ray still actively teaches in the Dallas & Rockwall School of Rocks, using them s as a training ground for new staff!
    
    Ray loves teaching, song writing, and working with local musicians all day, every day. If you want to reach out to him, you can drop in, call the school or email: RKidd(at)SchoolofRock(dot)com
    Read LessClick to collapse this description

    • Early Education
• • 

    Donna Turner

    General Manager

    (469) 314 1300

    Donna, a medical professional of fourteen years in the Dallas area and Dancer from the age of nine is a mother of three, bringing her positive energy along with friendly demeanor to the School of R...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Donna, a medical professional of fourteen years in the Dallas area and Dancer from the age of nine is a mother of three, bringing her positive energy along with friendly demeanor to the School of Rock, Rockwall family. You will find Donna greeting you with a friendly welcome at the door, giving parents tours of the school and assisting parent/students in any way possible. Donna makes it her personal mission to build a personal relationship with each child individually, helping them develop their personality and really come out of their comfort zone. Donna welcome you to send her an email with any inquiries for School of Rock, Rockwall.
    Read LessClick to collapse this description

    • Dallas Lindy Hop Dance Association

    dturner@schoolofrock.com
  • 

    Andrew Whiting

    Instructor: Guitar, Bass, Little Wing, Rookies

    Andrew Whiting is a multi-instrumentalist and Songwriter/Producer. Having a father who played guitar in a band in the 80s, Andrew grew up loving music and entertainment and was inspired to start pl...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Andrew Whiting is a multi-instrumentalist and Songwriter/Producer. Having a father who played guitar in a band in the 80s, Andrew grew up loving music and entertainment and was inspired to start playing music himself. Starting guitar at the age of 13, he played in many bands into his late teens. Whiting's band Attack Attack! was signed to Rise Records, an independent record label, in the summer of 2008. After five years, three studio albums with sales in excess of 450,000, and a rigorous world touring schedule, headlining American, European and Australian festivals, the band dissolved in 2013. Now 27, Andrew has moved to Texas and has quietly continued his music career and enjoys teaching the youth of the world about the power of music!
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    Glenn Austin

    Instructor: Drums

    I started playing drums when I was 9 years old after seeing a performance at my elementary school talent show. A student played a blue drum set along to a KISS song and I was hooked! I played on ...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    I started playing drums when I was 9 years old after seeing a performance at my elementary school talent show. A student played a blue drum set along to a KISS song and I was hooked!
    I played on everything that I could get tone out of with a pair of sticks my Dad made for me out of wooden dowels. After a few years of books, pots and pans, I got my first real drums at the age of 14. I started playing along to every song I heard on the radio, learning all I could about every style of music I listened to. After playing house parties with different garage bands my friends and I put together, I got a call from a real working band in the club scene. I spent the next couple of years playing every club and venue in the north Texas, southern Oklahoma area that would let us play. Eventually that led to my first tour with a “road” band. After touring the mid-west for a while I got an audition with Vince Vance and the Valiants. We toured most of the south-eastern U.S. After leaving the Valiants I freelanced with many artists including 2 time Grammy nominee, CMA female vocalist of the year Janie Fricke, finally getting a gig with former Head East lead guitarist and solo recording artist Ricky Lynn Gregg. I am currently the touring drummer for Texas recPesosording artist Tom McKelvain and the Dirty
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    John Paul Thomas

    Instructor: Drums

    John Paul Thomas became enamored with the live music scene when he was ten years old. Being in the quaint area of deep east Texas, the only opportunities to see live music were at Rodeo's, where he...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    John Paul Thomas became enamored with the live music scene when he was ten years old. Being in the quaint area of deep east Texas, the only opportunities to see live music were at Rodeo's, where he befriended an artist by the name of Neal McCoy. After a year of friendship Neal showed up to John Paul's 11th birthday party, and gifted him his first guitar. Grateful, and eager, John Paul threw himself into classical guitar lessons for three years. At 14 years old, his parents relocated the family to Rockwall, Texas. John Paul put down the guitar, for a year to readjust, and adapt to his new surroundings. During that time he discovered the music scene in Deep Ellum, and would go to shows every single weekend. On drives, while listening to his favorite records he would catch himself drumming on whatever he could. The floor was the kick, the side panel of the car was the hi-hat/snare, and the dashboard served as his two toms. His parents noticed his passion and natural rhythm and made a deal with him. If he kept his grades up, they would look into getting him his first kit. He obliged and did everything he could to expedite that process. Too young to have a job, he would constantly find things to do around the house, or at neighbors’ homes to earn extra money for his first set. On Christmas Eve in 2005 he opened a box that had two pair of drum sticks inside of it. His heart nearly burst out of his chest, because he knew that he finally would be able to play on an actual set. After some time practicing he began sending videos to local bands much older than him that were touring. He also started multiple bands of his own throughout high school. He lived for the weekend, to either go to a show, or play a show. In 2010, right after high school he found the band that he knew was the one for him. They began touring relentlessly. The first was a Texas run, the next was the West Coast, after that the East Coast, and then the Midwest. His band, Dead Words, would leave for three weeks, be home for one, and then head right back out on tour. In 2012 the band embarked on their longest journey yet. A full U.S. and Canada tour. There was little pay and hard times, but nevertheless he was the happiest he'd ever been. He was living the dream he'd been obsessing over since he was 10 years old. He continues to tour today, and loves coming home and sharing his passion for drums with the students of School of Rock.
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    Brook Peoples

    Instructor: Vocals

    Educator, artist, guitarist, and performer are some of what I do. My name is Brooks Peoples. As a musical artist, I exercise my craft as an artist performing skills in teaching guitar and educating...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Educator, artist, guitarist, and performer are some of what I do. My name is Brooks Peoples. As a musical artist, I exercise my craft as an artist performing skills in teaching guitar and educating awareness in the arts of music and vocal training. My education is a mix of both the formal training of a university setting and the invaluable knowledge gained through extensive performance experience. My musical talent and education enabled me to develop the gift to create, perform, and educate. My experience allows me to effectively share this gift with others. It is my goal to use my talents, training, experience, and versatility to touch as many people as possible. The creation of my music comes from the observations and experiences of life. From an early age, I began playing the piano, guitar and later song in many concert choirs from grade school to college. I learned the methods to effectively vocally sing, articulate and arranging music, soulfully singing and play music that conveys deep emotions, beauty, and energy. My experience:  Vocalist and performer in Soul Korea and Bird land Social Club, San Francisco Calif.  Vocalist and performer during the month of February for “Black History Month” GISD - Yearly  Presented with “Teacher of the Year 2017 Award”  Lead vocalist for stage band performance at the House of Blues, Dallas  Local lead gospel vocalist and director for Cedar Grove Christian Church, Rockwall/Rowlett, Texas  Vocal trainer in Garland, Texas at BP Academy and Arts, non-profit organization  Background vocalist, studio performance album: “Love Story of the 80’s”  Opera training at Texas Woman’s University and concert choir participan
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    Eddie Betancourt

    Instructor: Keyboard

    Eddie Betancourt is a Piano/Keyboard instructor originally from Los Angeles California. Formerly a professional boxer and boxing coach, Eddie has always incorporated music in all his trainings. Sta...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Eddie Betancourt is a Piano/Keyboard instructor originally from Los Angeles California. Formerly a professional boxer and boxing coach, Eddie has always incorporated music in all his trainings. Started with a small keyboard at the age of 8 and later became obsessed with the piano and movie music. At age 12 he joined his middle school orchestra playing the violin. Learning to be part of an orchestra helped him with his beginnings in his pursuit of Film Scoring. Later Graduating from UCLA with a Film Scoring Degree. Recently an SOR instructor, Eddie has found a new love in teaching music.
    
    "I love everything that School of Rock stands for, I feel lucky to be a part of such an amazing team here at the Flower Mound School". Eddie continues to pursue his Film Scoring career while experiencing the Texas culture.
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    John Curtis

    Instructor: Vocals, Rookies, Drums

    John Curtis has loved to sing ever since he was a child. Seeing Luciano Pavarotti one night on television as a child filled him with electricity, and although he gravitated towards rock music rathe...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    John Curtis has loved to sing ever since he was a child. Seeing Luciano Pavarotti one night on television as a child filled him with electricity, and although he gravitated towards rock music rather than classical, he’s been eager to share that feeling with others ever since. Taking professional vocal lessons for one and a half years at Jan Smith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, whose students include the likes of Rob Thomas, Usher, Collective Soul, and Mastodon, as well as at Oglethorpe University, John learned to harness his vocal capabilities through a dedicated, foundational approach to singing, which has served him well in gigs with his band Spaced Age, as well as in solo concerts. John can find something to love in nearly every style of music, and whatever kind of music his students want to focus on, getting people to feel the same passion for it that he does – and have fun performing it – are his primary goals.
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    Mason Steeger

    Instructor: Guitar, bass, drums

    Mason began his musical journey with rock music by picking up his Dad’s old guitar in middle school and teaching himself how to play different riffs and chords. Once in high school, Mason began ...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Mason began his musical journey with rock music by picking up his Dad’s old guitar in middle school and teaching himself how to play different riffs and chords. Once in high school, Mason began playing percussion in the concert band program and fell in love with the drums. This led him to apply for SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts in order to pursue a degree in Music Education. While at college he met up with Sterling Gavinski, a singer/songwriter who played in the band The Happy Alright. Sterling asked Mason to join his band as a bassist and the rest is history! With several tours and studio experience behind him, Mason continues to play, write, and tour with The Happy Alright while teaching at School of Rock in hopes that he can inspire kids and teens to start a band and make music of their own!
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    Brandon Leavell

    Instructor: Guitar

    Being heavily inspired by “Green Day”, Brandon started playing guitar in 2007 when he began taking guitar lessons for a little over a year. After he stopped taking guitar lessons, he began lear...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Being heavily inspired by “Green Day”, Brandon started playing guitar in 2007 when he began taking guitar lessons for a little over a year. After he stopped taking guitar lessons, he began learning more on his own and eventually formed a pop punk / rock band in high school called “Lasting Effect”. In his band, Brandon was the lead singer, lead guitarist, and songwriter. Lasting Effect started out playing cover songs by popular bands such as Green Day and Blink 182 and soon began writing their own original material. Shortly after forming, his band began playing at high school talent shows and battle of the bands competitions in many local cities, in which they ranked first place multiple times. His band also progressed into the DFW scene where they played shows at well-known venues such as Poor David’s Pub, The Curtain Club, The Door, and the Prophet Bar. In addition, his band has also performed at significant events and festivals such as: Real Texas Festival, Wildflower Festival, Irving Texas Marathon, Neiman Marcus Christmas Event, and many more. Brandon also temporarily filled in on bass guitar for a popular local band called “Jagged Row”. While filling in on bass, Brandon headlined at the State Fair of Texas on the Chevy Main Stage with Jagged Row. While he is not in a band anymore, Brandon continues to write his own original music and performs at venues. Aside from Green Day and Blink 182, some of Brandon’s favorite bands are Atomic Tom, Yellowcard, Sum 41, and Men Without Hats.
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    Dalton Rapattoni

    Instructor: Vocals

    Hold on to your britches everyone, because Dalton Rapattoni is one beast of a guy. Dalton discovered his love for rock and roll when he joined the School of Rock Dallas at the age of twelve as on...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Hold on to your britches everyone, because Dalton Rapattoni is one beast of a guy.
    Dalton discovered his love for rock and roll when he joined the School of Rock Dallas at the age of twelve as one of the original 13 students that the school enrolled. Quickly moving his way up in the ranks, Dalton soon found himself fronting School of Rock Dallas' House Band, and even joining the School of Rock All-Stars for their annual winter tour.
    
    One day, while watering his artificial plant garden, Dalton got a call from a producer in Los Angeles to pack his bags and head out to Hollywood for a huge opportunity. That day, Dalton packed up all of his Barry Gibb CDs and roller bladed his way to the west coast.
    Dalton then joined the Boy Band IM5 and for three years he popped, locked, and dropped it all over the USA, gaining some popularity along the way.
    One day, while Dalton was flying his Harrier II GR9 fighter jet, he looked down upon LA's sprawling cityscape and decided this lifestyle just didn't suit him anymore.
    He then hit the Harrier II GR9's emergency eject button and parachuted 1500 miles back to his hometown of Sunnyvale Texas.
    
    Dalton blew into the Horn of Infinity and assembled his childhood band Fly Away Hero to make one funky fresh EP (buy Lost and Found on iTunes).
    
    And as Dalton sat, weary at the ripe old age of 20, he knew that he needed to pass on his knowledge to a new generation of rock stars, and what better place to do that than the School of Rock?
    
    Now that you know all that you need to know, why are you still reading this? Cease your dillying, and surely discontinue your dallying!
    There is Rocking to be done!!
    Read LessClick to collapse this description
  • 

    Jaci Butler

    Instructor: Vocals, Key's, Rookies

    Born & raised in Dallas, Texas, Jaci Butler has been singing and performing since she could talk. From an early age, she took vocal and piano lessons from professionals in Los Angeles, Nashville, a...
    Read MoreClick to expand this description and continue reading

    Born & raised in Dallas, Texas, Jaci Butler has been singing and performing since she could talk. From an early age, she took vocal and piano lessons from professionals in Los Angeles, Nashville, and Dallas (including being a student at School of Rock). In 2009, she formed the band, Jagged Row. In the past seven years as the lead singer and writer for the band, she has toured all over the nation and Canada and played famous venues small and large including Whisky A Go Go, Berklee College of Music, The State Fair of Texas, House of Blues, Texas Motor Speedway, Hard Rock Café, and Toshi’s on Broadway. With over 400 shows under her belt, she has shared the stage with the likes of Hanson, Da MAC, Bowling For Soup, The Catching, Finger Eleven, and BlameShift to name a few.
    She has self-produced four studio releases with her band, Jagged Row and is now currently working on a solo project with a Grammy-winning producer and writer in Nashville, TN. She is an active voting member of the Recording Academy and just this past year attended the 57th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
    You can find videos of Jaci Butler performing with her band Jagged Row, as a contestant on the final season of American Idol or along side fellow SOR alumni, Dalton Rapattoni on YouTube. She is ecstatic to be a part of the Rockwall SOR family.
    Read LessClick to collapse this description