Meet the AHS Directors and Staff

Arlington Community Schools has striven to always provide its students with the highest quality education possible and that begins with the people who teach our students.  Below, find information about our various staff members and a link to contact them with any questions or comments.

Mr. Tim Simpson has been teaching for 18 years at Briarcrest Christian, First Assembly Christian School and Arlington High School.  He holds a Bachelors of Music Education from the University of Memphis.  He has been married to his wife, Meredith for 18 years and they have four daughters, Lily, Allie, Hailey, and Molly.  He is very excited to be working with the Arlington Band.  

Mr. Schirmer holds a bachelors degree in music education from the University of Memphis where he played euphonium in the Wind Ensemble and trombone in the Symphony Orchestra and Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra. After graduating he accepted the assistant director job at Horn Lake Middle School and High School where he worked for three years before being hired at Arlington. He is very excited to begin the next chapter of his career as an Arlington Tiger!

Daniel Foster earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Tennessee, where he marched Sousaphone for 4 years with the "Pride of the Southland" Marching Band and played tuba in the Wind Ensemble.  After graduation, he worked as the band director at the Episcopal School of Knoxville and the Knoxville Christian Youth Band.  Mr. Foster is currently the Director of Bands at Arlington Middle School and has worked on the band staff at Arlington High School since 2013.  He lives in Lakeland with his wife, Theresa Foster and their 3 kids Melody Ann, James, and John.

Ms. Rose Loya is a student at the University of Memphis majoring in public relations and minoring in dance.  She has been doing colorguard for a total of five years. She perviously taught at Marion High School.  Ms. Loya is presently on the leadership team at Memphis and is a choreographer for University of Memphis Colorguard.

Missy’s performance career includes The University of Memphis (captain), Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, The Phantom Regiment Drum Corps (4 years, sabre) and the WGI Independent Open Class World Champions, Chimeras as a sabre.

Missy is proud to have taught several local colorguards over her teaching career including: Houston, Munford, Cordova (BOA St Louis Finalist) and Southaven (BOA Lab band, 3 time Mississippi State Marching Band Champions, 3 time Mississippi Indoor Ass. SA Winterguard Champions & WGI Semi-finalist). In Missy cofounded Amalgamation Winterguard (WGI Finalist)

After receiving her Bachelor of Education at the University of Memphis, Missy has taught in Florida, Mississippi & Tennessee schools. As a teacher at Arlington High School, Missy teaches all the Math Intervention classes and an Algebra 1 class. Missy is excited to be starting her 9th year teaching The University of Memphis Colorguard and continuing to work with the Arlington High School Colorguard.

Ms. Kiarra Matthews is a student at the University of Memphis majoring in Teaching All Learners (Elementary Education). She has been spinning for five years with first her alma mater, Brighton High School, and now the Mighty Sound of the South. She is very excited to be working with the AHS Band and would like to say Go tigers!

Christian Smith, a native of Collierville, TN, joined the staff in the Summer of 2015. He has worked at multiple schools throughout the midsouth since graduating from Collierville High School in 2013. He marched bass 3 with Gateway Indoor Percussion in 2015 and has been on the Mighty Sound of the South Drumline for 3 years as the tenor section leader. He is currently a junior at the University of Memphis where he studies recording technologies. As of the Fall of 2015 he is serving the roll of battery coordinator at AHS and also contributes to percussion composition.

Theresa Foster received her Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Memphis.  In 2010, she was hired as the Assistant Band Director at Arlington High School, but resigned in 2015 to be home with her daughter.  She has since worked on the band staff at Arlington Middle School and High School as a woodwind tech and flute specialist and teaches private flute lessons at The Academy of Instrumental Arts in Bartlett, TN.  She lives in Lakeland with her husband, Daniel Foster, one-year-old daughter, Melody Ann, and expecting the newest addition to the family in December 2016.