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Shawn Bell began his role as Director of Fine Arts for the Eagle Mountain-º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Independent School District in July of 2012. Previously, Shawn served as Executive Director of Instructional Support Services from 2009-2012 for the Ector County Independent School District in Odessa, Texas, with Fine Arts oversight being the central component of his responsibilities. With seventeen years of teaching experience, Shawn served as Assistant Choir Director at Permian High School from 1992-1994, Director of Choirs at Judson High School in Converse, Texas, from 1994-1996, and Director of Choirs at Permian High School from 1996-2010.

Shawn’s choirs earned consistent first divisions, UIL Sweepstakes Awards and “Best in Festival” honors throughout the country.  Shawn directed the Permian choirs at the 2000 and 2005 TMEA conventions as well as the 2003 national American Choral Directors Association convention in New York City.  Shawn served on the TMEA Executive Board from 2005-2010 as Vocal Vice President and President of TMEA.  He has served on the UIL State Sight Reading Committee and continues to adjudicate, clinic, and conduct choirs while advocating for Fine Arts education.  Shawn is also the UIL Region 30 Music Executive Secretary.

Shawn holds degrees from Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri, Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He has studied with Richard Bell, Seth McCoy, Donald Neuen, Karl Dent, and Dr. Kenneth Davis. Shawn is a member of TMEA, TCDA, and ACDA.  Shawn and his wife, Donna, have three beautiful children:  Landon, Ashlyn, and Mason.

Carla Hardy has been active in public education for 20 years as an assistant principal, high school and middle school choir director, accompanist, and vocal coach. In August of 2012, the Hardy family moved from Lubbock to Fort Worth to open the doors of Chisholm Trail High School, where she and her husband, Jared, served as choir directors. In addition to building the tradition of excellence in Chisholm Trail Chorale, the Hardys started the Ranch Hands and Ranger Renaissance programs, partnering with students to help build the identity of Ranger Nation. After leaving the classroom, Mrs. Hardy served Chisholm Trail as an assistant principal before joining the Fine Arts team in EMSISD. 

Mrs. Hardy graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance in 2002 and Masters in Education in 2013, both from Wayland Baptist University. Carla and Jared were named the 2018 Distinguished Alumni of Wayland Baptist University. Mrs. Hardy was proud to be named as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction in 2016, Teacher of the Year for Chisholm Trail High School in 2018 and 2020, Eagle Mountain º£½ÇÖ±²¥ ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2018 and the Jostens Renaissance National Educator of the Year in 2018. Mrs. Hardy's choirs were consistent recipients of UIL Sweepstakes awards, and her students were repeatedly selected as TMEA All-State Choir members, TCDA Honor Choir members, and TSSEC Outstanding Soloists. Carla serves as clinician and judge for regions and choirs all over the state while speaking on social and emotional learning, student leadership, and educational climate and culture at state and national conventions. 

The Hardys have two awesome kids, Jakob, a music education major at Texas Tech University, and Lily, who is extremely active in Fine Arts in EMSISD. Carla is an avid reader and fan of Texas Rangers Baseball, and Texas Tech Athletics.