February 2018 Issue # 6 The Note The Phoenix Elementary District newsletter for all things Music! Welcome to our Phoenix Elementary School District Music newsletter! We are very excited to have the opportunity to share with you all of the success, events, opportunities and experiences that our students have in our district. From chorus and piano, to guitar ensembles and general music classes, your children have the chance to learn from experts in the field of music. Many of the teachers are not only teachers, but practitioners of their art as well. Through performance, reading, writing and listening, Phoenix Elementary music students are flourishing into wonderful young musicians. We thank you for your continuing support and cannot wait to see you at one of our next performances! If music be the food of love, play on. - William Shakespeare Page 1
Our Amazing Music Team! Richard (Rick) Hernandez Bethune general music Karen Merkley Capitol general music/choral April Pettit Dunbar general/choral/instrumental music Malgorzata Ceglinski Edison general music/choral Dianne Anderson-Nickel Emerson general music/choral Tina Clark Garfield general music/choral Jacob (Jake) Nurse Heard general music/choral Chris Granger Herrera general music/choral Debra Brandsma Kenilworth general music/choral Colleen Hickey Lowell general music/choral Ricardo la Paz Magnet Traditional general music/guitar Katherine (Katie) Merrill Shaw Montessori general/choral/instrumental music Abdiel Bernal Whittier general music/choral Thank you for all of your support of the music programs here at Phoenix Elementary District No. 1. Our commitment to a diverse, well-rounded education for each and every child can be seen daily on each and every campus. Thank you for being all in! Page 2
School Updates In this section, you will find the updates from each of our Signature Schools in the Phoenix Elementary School District. Emerson School Dr. Dianne Anderson-Nickel Dr. Anderson-Nickel (aka "Dr. Music") is the general music/choral/world drumming teacher at Emerson. Dr. Music grew up in Alabama--"Roll Tide"-- and taught in the South until enrolling in ASU to pursue her doctoral degree. She has lived and taught in AZ for 25 years with her husband Ed. Their son and granddaughter live in the Atlanta area. In addition to teaching, Dianne enjoys serving on the Board of Directors for the Cultural Arts Coalition and engages in beading as well as time spent with friends. Emerson Eagles are flying high in music learning and experiences. The World Drummers and Eagle choir finished a busy season of performance for the Governing Board, Arizona Capitol, Emerson school and the AZ State Fair. This trimester, the drummers hope to create music compositions and continue developing their understanding of African and Latin American percussion music and culture. Kinder through 2 nd are enjoying learning about music fundamentals through movement, instruments and iconic notation. Currently, they are learning a Chinese ribbon dance and songs of friendship and caring. Third graders are learning recorders while a few are also expanding their choreography skills in preparation for an upcoming performance. Fifth and sixth graders have been busy with composing projects based on several different themes. Currently they are learning two choreographed selections to perform with other PESD students at an ASU women basketball game February 23rd. Two 4th graders, Hailey Pimber and Anahi Gomez will sing the National Anthem at the basketball game. Page 3
Kenilworth School Ms. Debra Brandsma My name is Debra Brandsma and I have been teaching music at Super Cool Kenilworth School now for 8 ½ years. I have been teaching music in the district for 41 years. Kenilworth is a Thinking Maps school and will be celebrating 97 years of thinking and learning this year. Kenilworth s alumni include Barry Goldwater, Paul Fannin and Margaret T. Hance. Music at Kenilworth school involves singing, playing percussion and orff instruments, keyboards for 4 th 8 th graders and recorders for 3 rd graders. In addition, students study the instrument families and famous composers. Many of our classroom teachers participate in the Musicfest Listening Program with their classes in which classroom teachers play a classical piece of music and read a short script about the composer and/or music. The Musicfest Listening Program includes a performance by Tetra String Quartet for our 3 rd graders and a Brass and Woodwind Quartet for our 4 th graders. Later in the school year, our 5 th graders will engage in a Mariachi Band performance and our 6 th graders The 52 nd Street Jazz Band. A day in which our students always look forward to is when we visit Symphony Hall for a Symphonic Performance. Kenilworth s Holiday Music Program was fantastic with singing from our 2 nd -6 th graders, which included piano solos from 4 th -8 th graders and 3 rd graders playing their recorders. Kenilworth is the only school in our district that has a historical auditorium. This makes for a perfect setting for programs and performances. Kenilworth students always love to perform for their family and friends! Music is an integral part of learning at Kenilworth School! Heard School Mr. Jacob Nurse Jacob Nurse is an active musician as well as composer and educator throughout the valley. He is currently being published by leadingtonesmusic.com for a piece he wrote for the Phoenix Harmony Project. Apart from teaching, he performs with the Arizona Wind Symphony and has been receiving 4-6 music composition commissions per year. At Heard, we have many performing ensembles. Our guitar ensemble is working hard on our upcoming performances, clinics and festivals. We had a school musical and upper grade instrumental/choir program in December. Our Musical STEAM ensembles have been writing their own compositions as well as creating and performing on their own music instruments. We have started a cover band this year called, The Shields with their first performance on March 9 th, at Heard s Sci-tech Festival. Our choir program is performing regularly with approximately 50 members. DJ and Sound mixing have been incorporated into many of the courses as we are working with technology to further our musical understandings/performance opportunities. Beginning Band is working hard also. Page 4
Shaw Montessori Ms. Katie Merril GET TO KNOW THE MUSIC PLANET AT SHAW Ms. Merrill is the music teacher at Shaw where she has been for three years. She grew up in New Mexico and received her Music Education degree from Eastern New Mexico University. Ms. Merrill s primary instruments are saxophone and voice. She spends her free time ballroom dancing or spending time with friends and family. Shaw Montessori Music is a classroom for fun and learning. All students have the opportunity to experience music. Kinder through second have general music, third grade learns the recorder, and fourth through eighth grade take part in one of our strings, band, or choir programs. All music courses are structured to help the student learn about music and learn through music. Through creating, instrumental practice, music theory, music history, and performances, all students receive a well-rounded music education. Students also learn about commitment, patience, taking risks and how to work in groups. Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow as young musicians and individuals. Some highlights from this year include our beautiful holiday concerts, a performance at the state fair with our choir, and a beautiful 1 st -3 rd grade performance at the state capitol where students sang during the Christmas tree lighting and even ended up singing at a police event happening outside and were on the news. Along with our performances, students have been making beautiful strides in the classroom. We have a busy spring ahead of us with multiple district festivals, our 4-8 th grade lunch concert, and a few music field trips around the corner. There is always something happening on the music planet among our Shaw stars. Dunbar School Ms. April Pettit My name is April Pettit. I have been a teacher in the Phoenix Elementary School District for 16 years. I have a Masters of Music with a General Music emphasis from ASU. I am certified in both Orff and Kodaly methodology. This is my tenth year at Dunbar Elementary and I love it here. We came back from break and hit the ground running. Every class Kinder through 8 th worked on a Martin Luther King Project. For the next few months, we are working on composing in the classroom culminating with improvisation on the Orff instruments. The 7 th and 8 th graders are working monthly with a partnership through the ASU Creative Writing department. They are working on different kinds of poetry and how the spoken word can be translated into music. Page 5
Garfield School Ms. Tina Clark I received my B.A. in Choral Music Education from the University of Arizona in Tucson and my Master s in Music Education from Kent State University. I have taught in the public schools for almost 29 years. This is my first year at Phoenix Elementary School District at Garfield School. My main instrument is voice. I also play piano, guitar and have taught beginning band in the past. My main emphasis is working with choirs. I have taught 4/5 grade choirs and also junior high and high school. I presently have an adult choir that I teach at Estrella Mountain Community College on Tuesday evenings. I also direct my church choir and have done church music for 23 years. I teach beginning voice classes at the college as well. I belong to a city show choir that meets in Phoenix called Voices of the Desert. I have three daughters. My oldest is married and has a two-year old son. They live in California and my middle daughter lives there as well. My youngest is attending college in Texas. Edison School Ms. Malgorzata Ceglinski Ms. Malgorzata Ceglinska is the general music teacher at Edison School. She also teaches piano and choir classes as well as co-teaches guitar with "Lead Guitar", a University of Arizona program. Ms. Ceglinska graduated the University in Kielce in Poland with Master Degree in Music Education. She taught in Poland for 5 years before immigrating to the United States where she lived in New Jersey and taught private piano lessons and general music in Paterson Schools district. This is her 15 th year in PESD #1. In her free time she likes traveling, camping, hiking, yoga and reading books. Edison students have had opportunities to learn and experience music in different ways during the school and after school programs. The Winter Concert was a great success and grades K-8 presented a vast repertoire of songs and instrumental music. Recently, the 6th grade choir touched our hearts with "We Shall Overcome" and "Martin Luther King Chant" at the Leader of the Month assembly. Besides the school performances, Edison students played piano and guitar at the Governing Board Meeting and the top choir members performed at the Greater Phoenix Choir Festival. We are looking forward to other opportunities to share the talents and hard work as dedicated musicians during the district events: ASU Basketball at Sun Devils Arena, Salon Des Enfant at Alwun House, Lead Guitar at Camelback High School and District Choir Festival at Herrera School. We hope to see you there. Page 6
Herrera School Mr. Chris Granger Whittier School Mr. Abdiel Bernal Chris Granger is the director of choral activities and general music teacher at Herrera. He obtained his Bachelor s degree in Music Education from Westminster College and his Master s in Choral Music Education from Kent State University. He has been teaching music for the past eight years, seven of those in PESD #1. He is also the AMEA Elementary/Junior High Mixed Choir All-State Co- Chair. There are three choirs at Herrera-Panther Cubs, Panther Choir, and Concert Choir, comprised of students in grades 3 rd -8 th grades. The choirs perform multiple times a year at Herrera and at other venues throughout the Valley. Their next concert is on Wednesday, February 21 st at the First United Congregational Church of Christ in downtown Phoenix. The Panther Choir and Concert Choir will be performing at the Arizona Choral Educators (ACE) choral adjudication festival on Saturday, April 7 th at Boulder Creek High School. In the past, the choirs have received superior ratings and high marks. Six students in the Herrera Choral Program have also been selected to participate at the AMEA All-State Choir Festival in April. The goal of the Herrera Choral program is to provide students with as many opportunities as possible and to foster a love and lifelong appreciation of music. For more information, feel free to check out their website at herrerachoralprogram.com and their Facebook page, Herrera Choral Program. At Whittier School we re going BLUE! We are proud of the accomplishments and our students are achieving in all areas, including in the music and choral program. Every grade level will have the opportunity to perform in at least one event throughout the school year to showcase the musicianship skills they will be acquiring in their classes. Kindergarten through 3 rd grade will focus on basic concepts of music literacy and vocal performance following a Kodaly-based curriculum. Fourth grade will work primarily on two units throughout the school yearrecorder and choral. This helps them be prepared for when they enter 5 th grade music since students will have the option of being in Band, Strings or Choir. Our 5 th -8 th grade program is as strong as ever! The students are proud to belong the choir, which offers them many performance opportunities in ensembles, small groups, and/or solos. Choir students, along with 5 th - 8 th instrumental students, have the opportunity to be a part of the Music Club which provides multiple fundraiser opportunities to attend field trips in and outside the state! For more information on all our programs, including after-school piano and guitar, visit us at: www.whittierschoolmusic.weebly.com. Page 7
Bethune School Mr. Rick Hernandez Bethune students are privileged to have Mr. Hernandez as the general music teacher. They will be learning about music through activities and instruction with instruments, singing, and fun activities. From the little cubs to the older bears, the growth mindset and teaching of Mr. Hernandez helps to make new connections to music and the world around them. Magnet Traditional Dr. Ricardo Paz Dr. Ricardo Paz will be teaching general music and choir, along with guitar at Herrera this year. MTS students will be learning and loving music classes as they have in the past. Magnet Traditional has a rotation system so all students receive music instruction during the year. Whether singing, playing instruments or dancing, the Bulldogs will become stronger and they learn the academics and performance of music learning experiences. Capitol School Ms. Karen Merkley At Capitol School, students in 1 st grade through 6 th grade are learning to read standard rhythmic notation using various instruments. Students in 2 nd grade through 6 th grade are also learning to read pitch in Treble Clef with accurate rhythmic duration on their assigned instruments. In 4 th grade, students begin to read Bass Clef as well as Treble Clef on the piano lab. Students in 5 th and 6 th grade are working to put on a play of The Wizard of Oz with musical selections added to enhance their performance. Middle school students are working hard to prepare to perform as a choir at an adjudication festival in California this May and are raising funds to make the trip possible. Page 8
Lowell School Ms. Colleen Hickey Colleen Hickey is so excited to be spending her first year teaching at Lowell. She has loved getting to know all of the amazing students and making music with them each day. 5 th grade students have been exploring the music of Japan. They recently performed a Japanese Taiko drumming piece using bucket drums. The students enjoyed learning about the history of this art form and practicing some of the unique drumming techniques. 4 th grade students have been working hard to earn their Recorder Karate Belts. They performed with their recorders in Lowell's concert in December and are continuing to challenge themselves to learn new, more advanced music. Coming up on March 3 rd, the Lowell Drummers will be performing at the City of Phoenix Housing Department s Community Connection Fair at Matthew Henson Park. Come out and hear some fun music performed by these talented junior high students! Page 9
Worth a Thousand Words Photos of what is happening in music at PESD1 Kenilworth School Page 10
Garfield School Capitol Capitol School Page 11
Lowell School Page 12
Emerson School Page 13
Heard School Page 14