Tuckahoe Middle School band director dies
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Tuckahoe Middle School music teacher and band director Kirkland Jackson died July 1, following a battle with cancer. Jackson is survived by his wife, Maureen, and their two-year-old and three-month-old daughters.
Jackson earned praise during his time at Tuckahoe from students and parents alike, who noted his devotion to his students and to music. He was one of 20 Henrico teachers profiled in the Citizen’s “Henrico’s Top Teachers” section in 2021.
“[T]eaching is a profession that is so rewarding and fulfilling,” he said at the time. “I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.”
He described his favorite moments as an educator as those when he had the chance to see his students “bond as a community” at performances, field trips and competitions. It was also rewarding, he said, to watch his students develop over the middle school years — from sixth-graders who had never played an instrument to eighth-graders who were ready to contribute to high school music programs.
“I enjoy getting to shape, influence, observe, and document their musical growth,” he said.
Friends and family members have created a fundraiser to support Jackson’s wife and daughters.
