Jason Finnels is currently in his 13th year of teaching and his fifth year as the Director of Bands at Ronald Thornton Middle School.  Prior to opening Thornton Middle School in 2018, Mr. Finnels was the Director of Bands at Watauga Middle School in Birdville ISD from 2014-2018.  Mr. Finnels has also taught in Mesquite ISD and Crosby ISD. 

While under his direction, bands have received consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards, including the Thornton Middle School Band in its inaugural year.  The Watauga Middle School Honors Band was a two-time finalist at the annual North Texas Festival of Distinction in addition to being recognized as a two-time Commended Winner in the National Wind Band Mark of Excellence Competition. In 2022 and just four years after its inception, the Thornton Middle School Band was named a finalist in the North Texas Festival of Distinction and was also selected as an Invited Band to perform in the 2023 Music for All National Concert Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mr. Finnels is a 2009 Cum Laude Graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University and a 2018 Summa Cum Laude Graduate of Southern Methodist University. 

Mr. Finnels is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. He is an active adjudicator, clinician/consultant and has presented clinics on teaching band at the Texas Music Educators Association in San Antonio, Texas and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Convention in Chicago, Illinois.