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GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE 2022 IN-SERVICE CONFERENCE MUSIC PROGRAM OF THE YEAR AROUND THE STATE DISTRICT 1
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DISTRICT 11
DISTRICT 2
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DISTRICT 12
DISTRICT 3
DISTRICT 7
DISTRICT 13
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MENTORING COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS ADVOCACY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENT MUSIC TECHNOLOGY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT YEAR OF RETIREMENT ALL-STATE HARP AUDITION INFORMATION LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM WHAT YOU CAN DO... MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL
PS FROM THE PRESIDENT UPCOMING DEADLINES 1
NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
FROM THE FINE ARTS TEAM AT THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
JOIN GADOE COMMUNITY TODAY! Looking for a way to connect with Fine Arts teachers and administrators from across the state of Georgia? The Fine Arts Team at GaDOE wanted to offer Fine Arts teachers and administrators across the state of Georgia an opportunity to collaborate and connect on a new, virtual platform. On GaDOE Community, you will be able to join groups of like-minded Fine Arts educators and share valuable thoughts, resources, strategies, and encouragement as a way of professional learning. Join today! Watch this short introductory video and create an account on GaDOE Community. Visit Fine Arts on GaDOE Community! Can’t wait to connect with you in the future!
GADOE FINE ARTS WEBSITE
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NEWSLETTER |SEPTEMBER
UPCOMING FALL 2021 FINE ARTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES The Fine Arts Department is continuing to offer professional development opportunities online for the Fall 2021 semester. Our goal is to provide content-specific staff development for Fine Arts educators across the state of Georgia geared toward a whole-child education for our students. There are several content-specific professional development opportunities that include webinars, self-paced online courses for art and music teachers, and content-specific professional learning communities on GaDOE Community! Be sure to take a look at the GaDOE Fine Arts website for more information!
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FROM THE GADOE FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT Did you know that the Fine Arts Department at the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) offers a wide variety of opportunities for continued professional learning as a Fine Arts educator? Our goal is to provide content-specific professional development for Fine Arts educators across the state of Georgia geared toward a whole-child education for our students. We provide a multitude of FREE, supplemental Fine Arts Instructional Resources (over 3,000+!) for Fine Arts teachers to use as supportive tools in their teaching practice. These resources include curriculum maps, unit plans, lesson plans, lesson materials, presentations, and even some student manipulatives! There are sample resources for remote, blended, and in person teaching and learning! These resources are housed in the Teacher Resource Link (TRL) which can be found in your school district’s Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) platform or directly on our GaDOE Fine Arts Website under Instructional Resources as you scroll down the webpage. We offer FREE, content-specific, statewide professional development opportunities through live and pre-recorded webinars, self-paced online courses for music teachers, and an informative infographic on Digital Teaching and Learning in the Arts. Check out our GaDOE Fine Arts Website to register for these webinars. Some topics discussed in these webinars include: • Bravo Behavior! • SEL and Life Skills in the ES Music Classroom • It’s a Mystery! Making Mystery Music Lessons • Digital Teaching and Learning in Music • The Big Picture: Comparing Cultural Pedagogies • Instructional Planning for the Music Educator • TKES in the Music Classroom • Exceptional Children in the Music Classroom • Assessment in the Music Classroom • Ukulele 101 for the General Music Teacher • Using Social Media for Arts Advocacy • Educating the Whole Child: Utilizing Title I, II, and IVA to Fund Arts Education
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES ON GADOE COMMUNITY Do you oftentimes feel lonely in your school building or district as a Music educator? Do you find it hard to feel supported as a music teacher or have administrators who don’t fully understand our specialized content areas? Do you wish there was a way to seek support, encouragement, and guidance from other music teachers and administrators across the state of Georgia? Do you crave collaboration and connection with other like-minded music teachers? Then we have the perfect place for you! In addition to all of these great opportunities, the Georgia Department of Education has launched a new, innovative platform called GaDOE Community! The goal of this platform is to provide content-specific, virtual professional learning communities (PLCs) for Fine Arts teachers, administrators, and GaDOE staff the opportunity to collaborate, connect, and share thoughts, strategies, resources, and encouragement all on a virtual platform. Georgia Music Teachers can join PLC groups such as Band, Chorus, General Music, Orchestra, and Music Technology. Be sure to check out our introductory video about this new, collaborative platform: GaDOE Community Commercial. Georgia Music teachers can join today for FREE by creating an account using your school district email account. We can’t wait to connect and collaborate with you in the future!
FOLLOW GADOE FINE ARTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Do you follow GaDOE Fine Arts on Social Media? Stay up to date on all things happening with the Fine Arts from all across the state of Georgia by following and using the tag #ArtsEdGa! Be sure to follow GaDOE Fine Arts on all major platforms:
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE Something New
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER || NOVEMBER SEPTEMBER
MUSIC PROGRAM OF THE YEAR DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 1ST
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER|||SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER SEPTEMBER DECEMBER
AROUND THE STATE Events and News from GMEA's 14 Districts 8
NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
DISTRICT ONE
DISTRICT TWO
• The Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music, at Georgia Southern University, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Michael Thomas as Interim Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands.
• Elaine Harlow has been hired by Grady County Schools in Cairo, Ga as the chorus/music teacher at Washington Middle School. Mrs. Harlow was formerly an instructor in Early County. Elaine lives in Bainbridge, with her husband, Matthew.
In that capacity Mr. Thomas will direct the Southern Pride Marching Band, the Hoop Troop Basketball and Net Squad Volleyball Pep Bands, conduct the Georgia Southern University Wind Symphony, and teach Marching Band Techniques.
• Jimmy (Jimbo) L. Jarvis, Jr., the middle school choir director at Willie J. Williams Middle School for 26 years, has taken the job of choir director at Colquitt County High School. He takes the position left by Travis Kern. Mr. Jarvis is an Alumnus of Colquitt County HS, having graduated in 1990, under the direction of Dr. Bill Caldwell.
Mr. Thomas, a “double Eagle” himself, brings to our faculty an impressive record of personal and program success regionally and nationally, as a musician, music educator, and Marching Arts show designer; and comes to Georgia Southern most recently, as Director of Bands at East Paulding High School, in the Atlanta Metro area.
DISTRICT THREE • Bill Fry, formerly of DeKalb County (District 4) and Muscogee County, is a new adjunct woodwind instructor at Point University in West Point, GA. Dr. Fry also conducts the Columbus (GA) Community Orchestra and plays saxophone in the DNR Rock Band.
Please join us in welcoming Mr. Thomas to the faculty of Georgia Southern University!
• Elwood Madeo retired from his position at St. Anne/Pacelli School and is currently working in music ministry at Fort Benning.
• Cynthia Tyson has retired from her role as music/orchestra teacher at Needwood Middle School. Her future plans include traveling and enjoyment of her retirement years.
• Alicia D. Vinson, Choral Music Content Special for Muscogee County retired in May and has been rehired to work as a half-time teacher (.49) in the same system.
• Sydney Williams is the choral director at J.R. Trippe Middle School and Vidalia Comprehensive High School in the Vidalia-City School District. Sydney received her bachelor’s degree from The University of Southern Mississippi in December of 2020 and completed her first semester of teaching this past spring. She is taking courses through USM in the hope of receiving an MME by 2023. We welcome you to the profession, Sydney!
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
AROUND THE STATE DISTRICT FOUR
• Rudy Gilbert is now working as a band director at the Paideia School in Atlanta. Rudy will be directing the jazz band, co-directing the 5th and 6th grade beginning band, the Junior High Band and assisting with the High School Wind Ensemble.
• Caroline Beson, private bassoon instructor and music therapist has moved from Fayetteville to Decatur to start a new business offering birth support for pregnant people in the metro-Atlanta area. Caroline’s new business combines typical doula services like education and physical or emotional support during childbirth and individualized music programs to support clients before, during, and after birth. Caroline previously provided music therapy services at The Joseph Sams School in Fayetteville and also maintains a very small bassoon studio, teaching virtually from her home.
• Mary Hudson moved from Westminster Schools of Augusta (2017-2020) in District 10 to Bear Creek Middle School (2020-present). • Matthew Leo is the new orchestra director at Ridgeview Charter Middle School in Sandy Springs as well as percussion director for Riverwood International Charter School. Joining Mr. Leo at Ridgeview, is Laney Hudson, band director, moving from Centennial High School. Mr. Leo and Ms. Hudson join chorus director, Jesseca Gilbert. Former Ridgeview orchestra director, Jessie (Dixon) Jonas is now teaching orchestra at Centennial High School.
• Mary Frances Early’s autobiography, The Quiet Trailblazer: My Journey to UGA As The First Black Graduate will be released by the UGA Press on September 1, 2021. The book cover is available now on Amazon books but will also be available from the Press or the UGA bookstore. The story is not just about UGA, but describes her teaching career and subsequent involvement in GMEA. Written for historical purposes, any royalties will be assigned to scholarships for students at the MFE College of Education and the Hodgson School of Music (for students studying music education).
• Victoria Shrote has joined Angela Reynolds at Taylor Road Middle School as the Assistant Director of Bands. She grew up in Milton, Ga, and is a recent graduate of Kennesaw State University. At KSU, Ms. Shrote was a member of the marching band, jazz ensemble, wind ensemble and symphony orchestra. Ms. Shrote’s professional affiliations include Tau Beta Sigma and the National Association for Music Educators. She currently resides in Woodstock, GA with her partner and their pet birds.
• Amanda Tozzi is teaching band at Fernbank Elementary, John Lewis Elementary, and Montclair Elementary. Previously, Amanda taught orchestra at Chapel Hill Middle School.
DISTRICT FIVE
• Grace Stubbart is now the Middle School Orchestra director at The Lovett School. Mrs. Stubbart started at Lovett in 2016 as the violin studio teacher.
• The Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta is beginning its first band program since the school’s inception. This fall, Band Director Paula Williams is excited to develop and lead the inaugural RCA Band, with 6th and 7th grade students as the founding members.
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
• Stanton Usher is now the Director of Choral Activities at Roswell High School. Stanton previously taught in Henry County, Atlanta Public Schools, and Cobb County.
DISTRICT SIX • The combined Sandy Creek HS Chamber and Symphonic Orchestras will perform at the Kennesaw State University Orchestra Invitational on Oct 29 at 9:30 am. • Dr Myra Rhoden will present “Creating Self-Sufficient Musicians” at GMEA. Barbara Baker is also slated to present at the GMEA conference.
• Choral teacher Chase Worthey moved back to her hometown of Newnan, GA for a position at Evans Middle School. For the previous two years, Ms. Worthey had been teaching at Villa Rica Middle School in District 7.
• Fayette County High School welcomes Assistant Band Director, Jennifer Theilacker. Ms. Theilacker was formerly employed by NYC Star Harlem Middle School, Harlem School of the Arts, and as co-conductor with the Manhattan Wind Ensemble.
DISTRICT SEVEN • Mr. Robert Abdich is now the Music Technology, Music Theory, and Guitar Teacher at North Paulding High School. • The Adairsville High School Symphonic Band, under the direction of Everett Cannady, will be performing at the Reinhardt University Honor Band Clinic on Thursday, November 11th. Reinhardt Director of Bands, Dr. Kerry Bryant, and veteran Georgia band director, Vince Rosse, will be guest conductors on the program. The Adairsville Symphonic Band has also been asked to play at the Young Harris Honor Band Clinic on Saturday, January 15th at the Clegg Performing Arts Building on the campus of Young Harris.
• The Ola HS Chorus will perform at GMEA in January and has also been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in April. • Michelle (Amosu) Thomas is beginning her second year at Robert J. Burch Elementary School. Before starting her position at Burch Elementary, Michelle was the Assistant Band Director at McIntosh High School. • Dr. Kirk Weller accepted the Director of Bands position at Creekside Christian Academy in Henry County. Dr. Weller has spent forty-two years in public education at the college, high school and middle school levels, with the last five in District 1.
• As of March 2021, Justin Ballew became the K-5th general music instructor at Cherokee Elementary School in Cedartown, GA. Prior to that, from August 2019-March 2021, he taught 6th-12th band and K-8th general music at Excel Christian Academy in Cartersville, GA.
• The Woodland High School Orchestra has been invited to perform at the Kennesaw State University Orchestra Invitational in October. 11
NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
AROUND THE STATE • The Woodland High School Wind Symphony, under the direction of Michael Kobito and Holly Maldonado, has been selected to perform for both Janfest at UGA, and at the GMEA In-Service.
• After four years at Jefferson County High School, Greg Burns accepted the job as band director at Gladden Middle School in Murray County in April, 2020. Along with his responsibilities at Gladden, he also has the responsibility of assistant band director for the Murray County High School Marching Indian Band.
DISTRICT NINE • After two years as assistant band director at Richmond Hill Middle School in District I, Daniel Foster is the new band director at Union County Middle School in District 9. Daniel is a 2018 graduate of Reinhardt University and is thrilled to be back home in the mountains and excited to cultivate a culture of success for the students at UCMS.
• Cass Middle School is proud to announce that their honor band has been selected to perform at the Reinhardt University Middle School Honor Band clinic on October 22nd, 2021 as the guest performing ensemble. The Cass Middle School Honor Band was also selected to perform as the guest performing ensemble at the University of Alabama’s Middle School Honor Band Clinic on December 9, 2021. The selection process for both of these events was done through submission of a recording of their 2021 LGPE performance. The Cass Middle School Administrators and Fine Arts Department Staff would like to wish congratulations to these students as they look forward to your representation of Cass Middle School and the Bartow County School System at these prestigious events.
• Dennis Naughton, who retired from Flowery Branch High School in 2020 after 30 years of teaching high school band, was hired as “Lecturer/Instructor” status in July 2021 at Reinhardt University (RU) in Waleska, GA. Mr. Naughton will also lend his expertise as Assistant Director of Instrumental Activities in the School of Performing Arts at Reinhardt. Dr. Kerry Bryant, Director of Instrumental Activities at RU, reports that his colleague will be teaching courses in Music Education, Applied Percussion and will serve as Director of RU athletic bands.
• The Central Carroll High School Symphonic Band, under the direction of Neil Ruby and Courtney Zhorela, was invited to perform at the GMEA Conference and UGA’s Janfest.
• After serving as an adjunct instructor for several years, Young Harris College welcomes Kerry Rittenhouse to the full-time music faculty as Instructor of Music Education. He has previously held positions as Director of Bands at West Laurens High School, Dublin High School and Union County High School. His duties at YHC will include teaching Music Theory, Marching Band Techniques, Music Technology, along with Woodwind and Brass Method courses for Education majors. In addition to these duties, he will also direct the popular “Purple Reign” Pep Band at Mountain Lion basketball games.
• Kevin Hibbard retired from the University of West Georgia in August 2020, after 41 years of teaching, with 32 years of service at West Georgia. He continues as Music Director of Collegium Vocale community chorus.
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
DISTRICT TWELVE
• Liz Savage resigned from Colquitt County High School (District 2 to open the new East Forsyth High School in Forsyth County in August 2021. East Forsyth relieved some of North Forsyth HS, Central Forsyth HS and some of North Forsyth Middle School. Little Mill Middle School will be its direct feeder.
• Erik Herndon is joining the staff of Marietta High School as their orchestra director. Beginning his 17th year of teaching, Erik has previously taught in the Atlanta Public School System at Jean Childs Young Middle School and Centennial Academy. • After 21 years of service at Taylor Road Middle School in Fulton County, Nicole Thompson is now teaching orchestra at Mabry Middle School in Cobb County. Her Mabry Middle School Fine Arts teammates include Jennifer Stepp, Jill Barnocki, and Stephen Fields. • Laura Estes has been announced as the 2021 winner of the Women Band Directors International (WBDI) Composition Competition with her piece Walking on Air (2). Walking on Air will be premiered on 10/28/21 by the Danielson Middle School Band in Leander, Texas, under the baton of band director Andrea Gonzalez.
DISTRICT TEN • Dr. Gene Hundley, director of Bands at Swainsboro Middle School, has been nominated for the Grammy Music Educator of the Year award. There are 200 semi-finalists and the finalists will be announced next month.
Laura is pleased to announce that four of her pieces were selected for special recognition: Wicklow (3) - 2021 Pepper Editors’ Choice S’vivon! (1.5) - 2021 Pepper Editors’ Choice Cook Strait Crossing (1) - 2021 Stanton’s Music 5-Star Feature Kvetchers (2.5) - 2020 Stanton’s Music 5-Star Feature
DISTRICT ELEVEN • Georgia College is hosting the 3rd Annual Jazz Workshop on September 18th. This event is FREE! Visit https://forms.gle/ SQEntGRsQhj3SvSL6 to register today!
Her music can be found on most streaming services.
• District 11 would like to welcome Cameron Born, Director of Bands for Upson-Lee High School, Katie S. Griffin, Associate Director of Bands, Veterans High School, and Dr. Bryan Emmon Hall, Director of Orchestra Activities, Assistant Professor of Music at Georgia College and State University.
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
AROUND THE STATE DISTRICT THIRTEEN
• In the fall of 2020, Amy LoCurto returned to teaching both the Middle and High School bands at the K-12 Notre Dame Academy in Duluth. Over the summer of 2021, she completed the Diploma Level training of the International Baccalaureate Program.
• Wesley Brooks moved into a new role as Assistant Principal at North Gwinnett Middle School in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Prior to his appointment to this leadership role, Mr. Brooks served as the band director at Crews Middle School in Lawrenceville, Woodland High School in Cartersville (District 7), and South Forsyth High School in Cumming (District 9).
• Dr. Carol Taylor has been named the voice instructor/staff accompanist at the School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett High School (SOTA) in Lawrenceville. SOTA is a unique performing arts school. Conservatory students take their state required classes in person or digitally during the first three hours of the day. The second half of the day is spent in conservatory classes in the students’ chosen majors. SOTA has enrolled freshmen and sophomores for the 2021-2022 school year.
• Nick DiPaola has been hired to teach band at Coleman Middle School, a Gwinnett County STEAM school. Nick graduated from the University of North Georgia in May of 2021 and performed his full time student-teaching under the direction of Jennifer Carwile. • Music Technology Chair, Heath Jones, authored a book Music Technology 101 that was published by Hal Leonard and released in March of this year. The book was written with the music educator in mind and provides practical and easy to understand information and resources for the music educator who is new to teaching this content area.
DISTRICT FOURTEEN • Dr. Emily Williams Burch and Dr. Ashley Conway presented, virtually, at the Voices United conference this summer. Voices United is the combination of the Delaware, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland chapters of ACDA. The presentation was entitled, “Using Technology to Spark Passion in the Classroom Post-Pandemic: Keeping your Technology L.I.T.”. To listen to the presentation on youtube, click the button below:
• Gwinnett County Public Schools and Georgia Tech recently announced a new collaboration to develop a unit of study focused on the music coding platform earsketch.com designed for middle school students enrolled in music technology courses. North Gwinnett Middle School (David Dover), and McConnell Middle School (Heath Jones) will be working with Jason Freeman and the GaTech Center for Music Technology on the project that is being funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation.
WATCH NOW
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
These two educators proudly represented Georgia. They have also been invited to present at the South Carolina ACDA conference in March, 2022 and the North Carolina MEA conference in November, 2021.
• Piedmont College officially became Piedmont University in April, 2021, creating a new vision for the newly formed School of Fine Arts. Dr. C. Wallace Hinson, Director of the Conservatory of Music, is the Associate Dean for the School of Fine Arts. Joining the music faculty in 2020-2021 are Anand Sukumaran, Assistant Professor of Music Education and Bobby Ivey, Fine Arts Facilitator and Associate Director of Choirs. Anand Sukumaran, a PHD Candidate at the University of Michigan, brings a new energy to the instrumental program at the Conservatory of Music. Bobby Ivey comes to Piedmont from Brenau University where he was Assistant Professor of Music Education for ten years. Nathan Luders, voice student of Dr. Andrea Price, won third place in category 8A (1st Year College TBB Voices) of the Southeast Region National Association of Teachers of Singing competition and competed at the national level of NATS this summer.
• The Department of Music at Brenau University is proud to announce that Junior music performance major, Lainie Ewers, has won the Georgia Symphony Virtual to Center Stage competition. She was chosen as the winner after multiple rounds of video uploads and voting. As winner, Lainie earned the opportunity to sing with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra. (date TBA). Congratulations, Lainie, on the start of your budding career! • W. R. Coile Middle School in Athens announced several changes in positions. Former band director, Angela Manous, is now the Academic Support Specialist and MRSS Implementation Specialist. Coile welcomes new directors Lauren Duke, and Ebony Bennett. Lauren will direct the band, while Ebony will instruct the orchestra and teach general music.
• As of the 2021-22 school year, Travis Roye will be a full time band director at Commerce High School. Julie Dixon will take the position of band director at Commerce Middle School. • Cheri Schreibman has moved from Director of Bands at Eagle’s Landing High School in McDonough (District 6) to Director of Bands at Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy in Winder.
• Matt Fuller has been hired as the Director of Bands at Prince Avenue Christian School to replace Miles Adams. Mr. and Mrs. Adams will enjoy their retirement as they build their new lake house in Lincoln County.
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
AROUND THE STATE APPOINTED CHAIRS DR. SARA WOMACK: SARATWOMACK@GMAIL.COM Introducing our Advocacy committee, chaired by Dr. Sara Womack, which will support NAfME's advocacy work with our members of Congress in Washington DC, institute advocacy efforts at the GA state legislature, and develop resources for our members regarding advocacy efforts at the local level.
AMBER WELDON-STEPHENS: STEPHENSA@FULTONSCHOOLS.ORG Our Exceptional Student Success committee is chaired by Amber WeldonStephens, and will develop and promote strategies for students with exceptionalities.
DR. GREGORY DENSON: GREGORY.DENSON@COBBK12.ORG
Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access committee is chaired by Dr. Gregory Denson. Their work includes developing and promoting strategies to welcome underrepresented populations into GMEA and the music teaching profession, in particular students at Historically Black Colleges & Universities Engage, as well as promoting DEIA throughout GMEA at the state, district, and local level.
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ARE YOU NEW?!
MENTORING ASSISTANCE
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Are you a new teacher (or new to GMEA) and have questions best answered by a mentor? Are you fairly new and need help navigating all things GMEA? Or are you a teacher who’s been around and simply needs a little help or advice? Please send your questions to Suzanne Logue (s.logue@comcast.net) or Carl Rieke (gmeapresident@gmail.com) and we will gladly help you find the answer. 16
NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
ADVOCACY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENT GMEA’s Advocacy Committee has been charged by President Matt Koperniak with continuing to support NAfME's advocacy work with our members of Congress in DC, implementing targeted advocacy efforts at the GA state legislature, and developing resources for our members regarding advocacy efforts at the local level. Our plan to create a culture of advocacy across our membership includes instituting a Day at the Dome and Music in Our Schools Month Capital Concert Series, offering advocacy sessions for our general membership, educating our members regarding funding opportunities, and promoting access to the music education profession for those from diverse backgrounds. The Advocacy Committee needs your help! We’re creating the Georgia Music Advocacy Corps, or GMAC. This team of GMEA members representing our 14 geographic districts will be trained at our In-Service Conference as advocacy leaders in the state, our experts and boots on the ground. They will work with our district leadership to stay abreast of advocacy issues and champion for change at the local and state level. If you are interested in lending your time and expertise to make a positive change in music education across the state, complete the Google form below. Contact Advocacy Committee Chair Sara Womack at saratwomack@gmail.com with questions. Thank you in advance for your interest!
GMAC INTEREST FORM
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Music Technology Student Showcase
The application window for submissions to the 3rd Annual GMEA Music Technology Student Showcase is now open! We are very happy to announce our continuing collaboration with Tweed Studios in Athens who will once again host the event at GMEA. Students may submit one work per category for adjudication and consideration for the showcase. The categories are Digital Composition, Derivative Work, and Multi or Mixed-Media. Detailed descriptions of each category and the link for submissions can be found at the link HERE or under the ‘Conference’ tab on the GMEA website. Deadline for submissions is November 5.
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
AROUND THE STATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
finding a bassoon for one of the Newnan students to use. Keren Barr, from North Georgia Band, completed a check-up on the instrument for free when she heard about the Newnan Band situation. When discussing the bassoon loan with Anand, he mentioned the value of the Piedmont instrumentalists graduating from their program with the understanding of what a music education job really entails. During his tenure at Piedmont, he looks forward to offering college students the opportunity to assist in volunteer positions at your LGPEs, competitions, and other activities that are vital to their authentic growth in becoming a teacher. Do you need some assistance with an event or are you looking to help the next generation of teachers properly learn to organize and host events? Then, it's time to open the conversation.
These members and companies are being spotlighted by this GMEA newsletter for their impressive service to their community. Thank you for being outstanding examples of GMEA members! On Thursday, March 25, 2021, a tornado ripped through Newnan, GA. It left a path over a mile wide with destruction so devastating that, several months later, some families are still not back in their homes. The Newnan Fine Arts Building was declared a total loss. Members and supporters of the Newnan Band immediately jumped to action. Rather than focus on what they had lost, the band directors, students, and parents gathered to spend their days assisting with the tornado relief effort. Students delivered food, drinks, and other supplies, while others assisted with the cleanup of badly affected areas. Band directors from across the state of Georgia pitched in to help Newnan’s situation. The band program at East Coweta High School, with directors Robert Owens and Chris Neidhart, started a "gift card" drive with their students and parents to help with immediate needs for the Newnan band families. Alan Armstrong and Chris Sink, the band directors at Northgate High School, led a drive starting with the Northgate community that literally grew to a national effort. Mr. Armstrong’s goal was to provide instruments for the kids and school so that they could play together as a band. Their efforts were successful: Newnan was able to rehearse together in ensembles again before the end of the school year. The band programs at Smokey Road Middle School (Oscar Prado, director), Evans Middle School (Kira Sink, director), and Greater Atlanta Christian Academy (Wally Conrath, director) allowed the band to borrow several bigger instruments long term so that the band could continue to rehearse.
In addition to these particularly wonderful GMEA members, Yamaha went above and beyond to help the Newnan band acquire new instruments for the marching band. Big Note Music did major repair work on the instruments that arrived from all over the country so that they would be in playable condition. Ken Stanton Music helped the band replace several lost items, as well as made sure Newnan band students had other needed supplies such as reeds, mouthpieces, etc. Marchmaster, Band Shoppe, and Directors Showcase International (DSI) supplied the color guard with replacement equipment so that their auditions could continue. The Newnan Rotary Club donated a new band trailer. Bonnell Aluminum replaced over 100 aluminum poles. The band programs at Flowery Branch High School, Northgate High School, and East Coweta High School made certain that the winterguard and indoor percussion units had equipment for their championship performances, both of which were less than 48 hours after the storm. The Southern Association for Performing Arts (SAPA) and the Georgia Indoor Percussion Association (GIPA) also made certain that our winterguard and percussion units were able to compete at local championships. Beyond all this, over 20 other individual groups ranging from middle and high school bands, collegiate fraternal organizations, professional music organizations,
Piedmont College's, Anand Sukumaran, who arrived to Georgia in Fall 2020, demonstrated his willingness to work well with others by
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
the thing that makes me feel beautiful. It is the one thing that can make me feel whole." With great passion, we performed that spring concert, just weeks after the storm, and there was not a dry eye in the room. This moment, that I will remember and cherish forever, was made possible by our GMEA membership as well as the GMEA executives and officers who sounded the call. Newnan High School will never forget what you have done, and we will forevermore express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to each you."
churches, and not for profit institutions from across Georgia and the southeastern United States sent donations to keep the band program operating and serving students. Over 400 handwritten letters from band students were sent to Newnan band members to show support, love, and appreciation. When asked about the tornado situation and its aftermath, Newnan High School Band Director, Dr. Joshua Boyd, said, "I want to thank the entire membership of the Georgia Music Educators Association for going above and beyond to make certain that our students had what they needed to be safe, feel valued, and continue making beautiful music. Within hours after the storm, a student asked me if we would be able to have our spring concert. I told the student that we would worry about this later and their reply was simple, yet profound. They said, "Dr. Boyd, making music is the only thing that can make this right. It is
Update on Newnan High School band directors: Though formerly the assistant band director at Newnan High School, Andrew Lightner is now teaching at South Paulding High School. Laney Bledsoe is now the assistant band director at Newnan High School.
MARCHING
COMPETITIONS AND FESTIVALS get all the details
https://www.gmea.org/marching-band
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
YEAR OF RETIREMENT
DAVID GOODWIN After 37 years at Druid Hills High School, David Goodwin has retired. He taught Orchestra, Guitar and AP Music Theory. Mr. Goodwin began as an itinerant teacher in 1984 with DHHS and four of the feeder elementary schools (Medlock, Briar Vista, Fernbank and Oak Grove). In 1984, Druid Hills housed grades 8-12 and the elementary schools were grades K-7. Later, when Shamrock High School was turned into a middle school, he gave up the elementary schools and taught at Druid Hills High School and Shamrock Middle School. He was chosen “Teacher of the Year'' at Shamrock Middle School in 2002-03 and Druid Hills High School in 2009-10 while teaching part-time at both schools. When the programs got too big, Mr. Goodwin gave up Shamrock Middle School and taught full-time at Druid Hills High School, adding Class Guitar and AP Music Theory. He retired from full-time teaching in 2013, but continued teaching half-time at Druid Hills until June, 2021. His primary instrument is Double-Bass. He has performed at most major venues in the Metro-Atlanta area. He has been principal bass with the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra since 1984 except for a 10 year stretch when his daughters were young.
His private bass studio has sent hundreds of young bassists to Georgia All-State Orchestra and many of the fine regional orchestras in the Metro-Atlanta area. Stuff you never knew: His undergraduate instrument was Trombone/Bass-Trombone. He played trombone and bass guitar with the Strategic Air Command Band (USAF) while enlisted in the early 1970s. His mother (at age 8) played cornet in Madison Square Garden in 1931 with Edwin Franko Goldman and John Phillip Sousa conducting. His grandfather was a professional trumpet player and music educator. He is looking forward to more: • Scuba diving-Next trip is wreck diving in the Florida Keys, October 2021 • White-water kayaking-Nothing planned yet • Badminton tournaments-Next tournament is the National Senior Games in Ft Lauderdale, May 2022
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
YEAR OF RETIREMENT
DR. MICHAEL BELL
Dr. Michael Bell has retired as a public school orchestra teacher. He taught a total of 38 years, teaching orchestra for grades 3 through graduate school. He has been the last 19 years at DeKalb School of the Arts, the arts magnet school for DeKalb County School District. In addition, he spent 7 years as a professor at the collegiate level at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio where he conducted the orchestra, taught string pedagogy classes and supervised student teachers. There he also taught classes in educational psychology, music technology, research methods and statistics. Nine of Dr. Bell’s teaching years were at private institutions, and 29 years were at public schools in South Carolina and Georgia.
YEAR OF RETIREMENT
DONNA FALLIS
Donna Fallis retired in June after 32 years teaching choral music, primarily in Fulton County Schools. After beginning her career at Avondale High School in Dekalb County, she taught at Sandy Springs MS, Paul D. West MS, Ridgeview MS, and Woodland Elementary. The last 17 years she was Choral Director at Hopewell Middle School where she was Hopewell’s Teacher of the Year in 2009 and established a strong program of excellence with groups consistently earning superior ratings at LGPE and other performance evaluations. She directed the annual spring musicals, a beloved tradition, and joined with the HMS Orchestra, directed by Teresa Hoebeke, on annual grade level performance trips to Walt Disney World, Dollywood, and Six Flags. In addition, Donna served as Director of Music Ministries in several churches in the Atlanta area throughout her career. Rather than just retire, she is currently a long-term substitute for a colleague and will continue to substitute until she is ready to completely retire.
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NEWSLETTER |SEPTEMBER
ALL-STATE HARP Did you know that harp students could try out for All-State? Harpists try out through the orchestra division. Students need to register now although they will not audition until the January audition. Harp students will audition on excerpts only and excerpts will be sent to teachers by mid-October to be distributed to students for practice. Questions? Please email bernadettes@gmea.org
QUESTIONS AUDITION INFORMATION
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
A LEADER IS ONE WHO KNOWS THE WAY, GOES THE WAY, AND SHOWS THE WAY.
JOHN C. MAXWELL
LEADERS WANTED
LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM JANUARY 26, 2022
Are you a 3rd year through 7th year teacher? Would you like to be a participant in the GMEA conference rather than an observer? Are you ready to host and organize your District and State GMEA events? Then, you need to attend this year’s GMEA Leadership Symposium, which begins the Wednesday evening before our Thursday morning In-Service. Learn about the various leadership roles available in your district and state so that you can make informed decisions about how to contribute. Talk to your district or division chair about being nominated. 23
NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
A D M I N I S T R AT O R S A N D C O U N S E L O R S
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A QUALITY MUSIC PROGRAM IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL STAFFING • • • • •
Enlist support from music specialists in hiring music teachers. Include music-specific pedagogy questions in the interview process. Ask for video recordings of the applicant leading a rehearsal and/or performance. Ask final candidates to lead a brief rehearsal in front of students. Hire teachers specifically prepared for the area in which they will be teaching.
RECRUITING MECHANICS • • • • • • • •
Plan for your primary music recruiting and scheduling to occur the prior Spring. Allow music teachers to visit feeder middle schools on a regular basis. Allow high school music student leaders to visit feeder middle schools. Support major recruiting events between middle and high school programs. Allow schedule adjustments in the Fall to accommodate new students into programs. Provide needed materials and budget for music faculty and counselors. Keep enrollment door open longer. Work with principals from feeder schools to organize recruiting events.
SCHEDULING • Music classes require active participation between all students in the class. • Instrumentation, voice part, and ability level are important factors that affect student learning. Year-long music courses are essential to build skills and knowledge to prepare for advanced level classes and collegiate music study. • Build master schedule for the school around the most advanced music classes. Avoid scheduling upper-level AP classes and other single offerings at the same time as the advanced music classes. • Ensure that there is a track to make 4 years of high school music possible. • Auto-enroll current students into the following year’s ensembles. • Collaborate with music teachers to schedule students in the appropriate class. • Allow for flexibility in scheduling students at the teacher’s discretion. • Only place students in classes who have a prerequisite or the instructor’s permission. • Schedule students into music classes in a timely manner. • Educate counselors/registrars on the importance of music and ability placed scheduling. • Be flexible with minimum and maximum class size. 24
NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
COMMUNICATION • Provide data to counselors and administrators on the benefits of music education and the benefits for the school and community in having thriving music programs. Include information about Fine Arts Diploma Seals, Fine Arts Pathways, and the impact of music on college admissions. • Host music events for middle schoolers on the high school campus. • Assign an office/ counseling staff member to answer all music related questions. • Share sample schedules with four years of music classes with students and parents. • Make contact lists from middle school programs available to high school teachers. • Make all affected teachers aware of dates and deadlines as early as possible. • Make teachers aware before students are dropped from a music class. • Advertise recruiting on all school social media sites. • Promote the success of music programs throughout the school and community.
SUPPORT • Encourage all students to join a music program - Ask “Which music class do you want to join?” rather than “Do you want to join a music class?” • Work to avoid student drop-outs by scheduling students in the appropriate class and discussing issues with the music teachers before dropping a student. • Make sure all music programs have equal opportunities and resources in recruiting. • Attendance by administrators at recruiting events and concerts • Facilitate collaborations with feeder schools. • Support performance opportunities and field trips outside the school building. For more details and assistance in implementing these best practices, please consult with your school's music teacher, district Fine Arts supervisor, or use this form to contact GMEA: https://www.gmea.org/ contact
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
A D M I N I S T R AT O R S A N D C O U N S E L O R S
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A QUALITY MUSIC PROGRAM IN YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFFING • • • • •
Enlist support from music specialists in hiring music teachers. Include music-specific pedagogy questions in the interview process. Ask for video recordings of the applicant leading a rehearsal and/or performance. Ask final candidates to lead a rehearsal in front of students. Hire teachers specifically prepared for the area in which they will be teaching.
RECRUITING MECHANICS • • • • • • •
Plan for your primary music recruiting to occur in the prior Spring. Allow music teachers to visit elementary school 5th grade classes in the Spring. Consider Fall recruitment events in addition to Spring recruiting. Work with music faculty to insure a well-planned, unified recruiting effort. Provide needed materials and budget for music faculty and counselors. Keep enrollment window open longer. Work with principals from feeder schools to organize recruiting events.
SCHEDULING • Music classes require active participation between all students in the class. • Instrumentation, voice part, and ability level are important factors that affect student learning. Year-long music courses are essential to build skills and knowledge to prepare for high school music classes. • Collaborate with music teachers to schedule students in the appropriate class. • Auto-enroll current students into the same music class each year. • Only place students in classes who have a prerequisite or the instructor’s permission. • Schedule students into music classes in a timely manner. • Educate counselors/registrars on the importance of music and ability placed scheduling.
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
COMMUNICATION • Create a dedicated music website for rising 6th graders or an easy-to-find music page on the school website. • Assign an office/counseling staff member to answer all music related questions. • Make contact lists from elementary schools available to middle school teachers. • Make all affected teachers aware of dates and deadlines as early as possible. • Hold an assembly for rising 6th graders to showcase music programs. • Make teachers aware before students are dropped from a music class. • Advertise recruiting on all school social media sites. • Promote the success of music programs throughout the school and community. • Separate music classes from exploratory classes in describing course offerings.
SUPPORT • Encourage all students to join a music program - Ask “Which music class do you want to join?”, rather than “Do you want to join a music class?” • Work to avoid student drop-outs by scheduling students in the appropriate class and discussing issues with the music teachers before dropping a student. • Make sure all music programs have equal opportunities and resources in recruiting. • Attendance by administrators at recruiting events and concerts • Facilitate collaborations with feeder schools. • Support performance opportunities and field trips outside the school building. For more details and assistance in implementing these best practices, please consult with your school's music teacher, district Fine Arts supervisor, or use this form to contact GMEA: https://www.gmea.org/contact
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
P.S. from I have enjoyed seeing many of you in your District meetings throughout August! In these meetings, I’ve overheard several districts debating whether to return to in-person meetings or continue with Zoom meetings. Those in favor of virtual district meetings make good points about time and convenience. Those in favor of in-person meetings make good points about building relationships and community. I am biased by my personal experiences. I’ve worked in four GMEA districts (13, 9, 1, and 5, in chronological order). I can recall my first meeting in each of those districts. Putting names to faces, learning the lay of the land, and chatting with new colleagues before and after the meeting. When I was a young teacher, the best part of District 13 meetings was eating dinner with several veteran teachers afterwards. As I listened to them talk about their accomplishments and mistakes, I learned valuable lessons and developed lifelong connections. If district meetings had been on Zoom, I’m sure I would have appreciated the time saved from not having to travel. I’m also sure that I would have listened along with my camera off, and then would have collapsed in front of the TV as a tired, young teacher. In his book Bowling Alone, the sociologist Robert Putnam described the rise and fall of civic engagement in America. He warned that our stock of social capital – the very fabric of our connections with each
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
m the President other, has plummeted, impoverishing our lives and communities. “A well-connected individual in a poorly connected society,” he wrote, “is not as productive as a well-connected individual in a well-connected society.”
Music teachers thrive on engagement with other music teachers. After the last year and a half, it is easy to forget what that looks like. We missed out on in-person conferences, events, meetings, adult community ensembles, and more. These activities recharge our batteries at crucial times throughout the year. For many of us, our batteries were barely charged over the last year and a half. If we cut back on our in-person activities to save time, are we cutting back on the very activities that used to recharge our batteries? As music teachers everywhere work to restore and rebuild programs, we also need to restore and rebuild our engagement with our music teacher community. Let’s be intentional about how we spend our time, recognizing that a well-connected group of music educators benefits us all. I am looking forward to reconnecting with our music teacher community this year, including our GMEA In-Service Conference and All-State events. I hope to see you there!
When Putnam wrote Bowling Alone, Zoom did not exist. Neither did social media. We now can connect in so many ways. Throughout the pandemic, music teachers could glance at social media and get a quick snapshot of how other teachers across the world were grappling with the crisis. Although social media and Zoom connects us conveniently, it doesn’t develop and nurture deep connections. As we saw with our students this past year, it is easy for humans to fall through the cracks. Music has played an important role in civic engagement in America throughout our nation’s history. It is up to us if this will continue to be the case. Hopefully, school music programs will continue to devote time to their community, such as parades, business openings, and town celebrations. Hopefully, music programs will continue to foster community among students as well as among parents. How many students join orchestra because of their friends, but eventually grow to love playing their instrument? How many students love eating lunch in the chorus room, just as much as they love singing in the choir? How many parents volunteer for the band boosters because it is an organized group of friends? After all, it does not get easier to make new friends as an adult in your forties!
Matt Koperniak
GMEA PRESIDENT
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
upcoming deadlines 9/14
All-State Jazz Ensemble Registration & Payment Postmark Deadline
All-State Orchestra
Registration & Payment Postmark Deadline
All-State Reading Chorus Registration & Payment Postmark Deadline
Fall
Solo & Ensemble
Registration & Payment Postmark Deadline
9/23
All-State Chorus
10/1
Conference Poster Session
Registration & Payment Postmark Deadline
Application Deadline
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NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
10/5
All-State Band
10/12
High School Experience
Registration & Payment Postmark Deadline
Application Deadline
Conference Lobby Group Application Deadline
View More Important Deadlines
statewide c al e n d a r 31
NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER
Smile , th ough yo ur heart is aching Smile , e ven tho ugh it's breaking W h e n th e re are clo uds in the sky, yo u'll get by
If you smile t hro ugh yo ur fear and so rro ws Smile and maybe to mo rro w You se e th e sun co me shining thro ugh fo r yo u