Dr. Laird departs: IHS says goodbye to a true trailblazer
By EMMA SHEERAN Dr. Julianne Laird, the orchestra and choir director at IHS, has spent decades in the Indiana Area School District. She has taught at almost every building, led generations of students to success, and cared for every student that passed through her classrooms. Now, she prepares to retire on January 27. It is an understatement to say that she has enormously impacted the community at IHS, and she will most certainly leave a great legacy behind. For some students, Dr. Laird was the kickoff of their music career. “She has been influencing my music-making since I was very young, starting me on violin,” says junior Joey Baunoch. Dr. Laird sees the potential in everyone, somehow always knowing when a student has some secret potential that even they may not be aware of. It’s a sixth sense exclusive to her. She continued to support and educate Baunoch through high