The Goessel School District will be formally presented with a Best Communities for Music Education award at their annual Community BBQ and Concert May 2 at Goessel High.
Goessel joins 307 districts across the United States to receive the prestigious distinction this year from the NAMM Foundation.
In its 14th year, Best Communities for Music Education affirms school districts that have demonstrated exceptional efforts toward maintaining music education as part of the schools’ core curriculum.
The BCME survey required districts to answer detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs.
School officials verified responses and The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service of Lawrence, Kansas, an affiliate of the University of Kansas, reviewed the information.
BCME brings attention to the importance of keeping music education part of core education and music’s vital role in student success in school. Numerous studies have demonstrated that learning to play music can boost other academic and social skills such as math and learning to cooperate in a group.
The formal presentation of Goessel’s award will take place after the annual meal, which begins at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. The BBQ menu includes pork burgers, baked beans, carrots, chips, and cookies.
A band and choir concert will follow the meal at 6:45 p.m. in the auditorium.
There is no charge for the meal and concerts, but donations will be collected for the school music trip fund that sends the band and choir to out-of-state music festivals.
The 5th-grade band, junior high band, high school band, junior high choir, high school men’s chorus, high school women’s chorus, high school choir, Elbiata Singers, and joint junior high and high school choirs will perform. The concert will include selections that students performed at music festivals this spring.
Robert Tierney directs the band and Renae Schmidt Peters directs all choirs. Marcia Brubaker is the accompianist.