Glenwood City has been recognized for the past 8 years
GCSD receives national recognition for music education support
The School District of Glenwood City has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Glenwood City Schools answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
Music educator Matt Lamb stated, “We are very honored to receive this designation for the 8th straight year. We are very proud of our students and what they can accomplish with music. Additionally, the community has supported the department enormously this year through significant donations and grants. We will pilot some piano instruction opportunities in the elementary. “
Music educator Maddie Williams stated, “We are very fortunate to work in a district that values music education so much. As busy as our students are with all of their sports and clubs, they still find time to dedicate to music, including time outside of school hours. This speaks to the value that these students place on these experiences, where we get to make great music in a large group that otherwise wouldn’t be all together. I am so grateful for the support of parents and the community that allows these students to pursue musical opportunities every day.”
Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school but also to attend college as well. In addition, everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory.
Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.
The Glenwood City Music Department is a fully inclusive program that offers K-5 music instruction, 6-12 vocal music, and 5-12 instrumental music. Additional opportunities are available to students for vocal jazz, marching band, All-school musical, summer lessons, and a variety of field trips. The staff consists of Maddie Williams (K-2 music and choral music), Matt Lamb (3-5 music and band), Connie Root (band lessons), and Nancy Wucherpfennig (band lessons).
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 global member companies and individual professionals worldwide. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.
