Unionville Music Education Program receives national recognition – Daily Local

East Marlborough – Unionville-Chads-Ford School District has been awarded the title of “Best Community for Music Education” by the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now, in its 23rd year, the title of “Best Community for Music Education” is awarded to districts that showcase outstanding achievements in their efforts to provide access to music and education for all students.

To qualify for the title of “Best Community”, Unionville-Chad’s Ford School District answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, participation in music classes, study time, facilities, music program support and public music programs. The responses were checked with school officials and reviewed by the Institute of Music Studies at the University of Kansas.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious appointment from the NAMM Foundation,” said Dr. John Senville, Superintendent. “Our teachers are some of the best and have created programs in each of our schools and at all levels that provide exceptional musical opportunities for learning and performance. Our students have received several music awards for their talents, and student participation in our music programs in general has never been like this! This can only be attributed to our enthusiastic teachers and their work in providing a meaningful and high-quality music program at UCFSD ”.

Since the adoption of the Every Student Success Act (ESSA) in 2015 and the stated emphasis on comprehensive learning, many school districts have once again switched to music and art education programs. During the pandemic, music and art programs were a vital component to sustain students in the school. ESSA provides targeted funding for comprehensive educational opportunities through Section IV Part A grants for student achievement and achievement. A study by the NAMM Foundation found that these grants are widely used by school districts to close gaps in access to music and art education.

Madeleine Day, Jr., who is involved in a music program at Unionville High School, shared: “For me, music education is incredibly important because it opens students up to music in the early stages so they can develop a comprehensive education. Students in our area are given the opportunity to express themselves creatively and increase their self-esteem through what they enjoy. At a young age in elementary school we were introduced to a variety of instruments and singing styles. It helped my gratitude and love for music grow. I am eternally grateful to the district music department, which really changed my life. “

Research in music education continues to demonstrate educational / cognitive and social skills for children involved in music: after two years of music education, researchers found that participants demonstrated more significant improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading outcomes than less. engaged peers. and that music students not only graduate more often from high school but also attend college. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically prepared children than in those who do not have musical training. It is noticeable that listening skills are closely related to the ability to: perceive speech against the background of noise, pay attention and store sounds in memory. Later in life, people who took music lessons as a child show stronger neural sound processing: young adults and even older people who have not played an instrument before the age of 50 show increased neural sound processing compared to their peers. Not to mention that social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

“Students gain countless experiences when they are involved in music,” said Mr. Eddie Otto, director of the Unionville High School Orchestra. “There are studies that show that test scores improve with ensembles, that music is one of the only subjects that involves both sides of the brain at a high level, or that participating in music helps you get into college, but music can be so much more than for man. Students can find passion for life, friendships and memories in the pursuit of music. They develop leadership, mature work ethic, social skills, time management skills, teamwork skills, etc. The list goes on and on. There is no bench in music, and every piece is equally important. Each participant is equally important, and students experience the performance and emotions of the music as well as provide it with an audience. It’s pretty indescribable, and I’m incredibly lucky to be able to be a small part of this experience for our children at Unionville-Chad’s Ford. ”