Story provided by Stillwater Public Schools
Stillwater Public Schools 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 22nd year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, SPSanswered 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 with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
“I am again incredibly honored and humbled to be part of a district that has such strong support for music education,” said Director of Bands Kevin Zamborsky. “Many thanks to our administration and School Board for the roles they play in this, and colossal thanks to the music educators in our district, who all do such an incredible job cultivating support for music in our students, parents, and community through all grade levels. Thanks also to the students, parents, and community members who promote such robust support for our music programs.”
Since the passage by Congress in 2015 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs and found that in this time of a national pandemic, provides a valuable way to keep students engaged in school. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research has revealed that these grants are being widely used by school districts to address instructional gaps in access to music and arts education.
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. 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.
About Stillwater Public Schools
As one of the top performing districts in Oklahoma, Stillwater Public Schools champions the academic and personal growth of every student. Through a deep commitment to quality instruction, numerous student activities and organizations, and an embrace of the arts and technology, Stillwater Public Schools serves a diverse enrollment of more than 5,600 students attending 10 individual campuses. Dr. Marc Moore serves as the district’s superintendent alongside a board of five individuals representing various community wards. For additional district information, please visit StillwaterSchools.com.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,400 members around the world. 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.
