The Christmas and Holiday season is upon us! It is the season for celebrations of faith and spirit as well as the love and joy for our fellow humans. We will spend time with family and friends thinking of the past and contemplating the future! The Season where you will hear Christmas and Holiday music in stores, elevators, churches, schools, street corners and television, radio and streaming have entire stations dedicated to this music! BUT…We, as musicians know the Christmas and Holiday season has another moniker…“The Busy Season!” The season where we may perform nightly or weekly concerts for school, civic and religious events; the season of honor ensembles; the season where we are expected to lighten the party through the awesome musical talents of our students! SO…I ask, “How could there possibly be any need for Music Advocacy?”
Well…From time to time, and season to season, when budgets are tight, music does get chopped. As curricula in our schools are driven to a score or rating, music can become an “extra;” a luxury to which a school district feels it cannot afford to keep. And students can’t afford to keep in their already overloaded college-prep based schedule. So…Yes! We are here to help…We are the Kansas Music Educators Association Advocacy Team!
KMEA membership can find great information and links to many advocacy articles at the KMEA Advocacy webpage. There KMEA membership can access the Advo-Angle Videos on the Webpage, use the Advo-Angle slides on the webpage at your concerts and get their Community involved in their music programs.
Make sure to read the Advo-Angle article in the KMR about how music students are great hires for employers as they already have learned many of the skills needed to be successful in their careers! It is called “Hire Music Students…They Have Training!” Through music they’ve already (to name a few) learned how to:
- Possess a Growth Mind Set
- Effectively Communicate
- Expand Soft Skills
- Intentionally Listen
- Interpret Nuances in Speech & Body Language
- Critically Think
- Commit to Projects
- Be Prepared for Tasks
- See the BIG Picture
- Develop & Execute Plans
Kansas Music Teachers can meet the Music Advocacy Chairs at this year’s KMEA In-Service Workshop. The Advo Chairs will be hosting a session on Friday, February 22, 2019 in Room 206 “Oak.” This session will be a question answer session, which will help music teachers answer the question… “What Can I Do To Promote Music Education in Kansas?” The answer: Become a Music Advocate!” And, KMEA President Gretchen Bixler and KMEA Advo Chair Kelly Knedler will be hosting a session at the KMEA ISW called “Implementing Grassroots Advocacy: A Partnership for Effective Advocacy” on Friday, February 22, 2019 in Room 207 “Osage.” This session will cover topics on building Music Advocacy from the ground up. It will help attendees begin to build step-by-step strong advocacy in their home district.
We are also proud to say that we are bringing KMEA Government Relations into the Advocacy realm too. Southwest NAfME President Mike Quilling has stepped down from the Government Relations position with KMEA. We are so thankful for all of the incredible things he has done to promote Music Education with our local, state and Federal officials. He has paved so many direct paths that this transition will be seamless. So, along this path, we hope you voted in the November election and if you did…Thank you for doing your civic duty! By taking time to vote you help our government officials understand your voice and it shows that you care about the future. Although KMEA and NAfME follow the government and encourage their members to do so, please note that NAfME and KMEA do not endorse any Candidates!
We hope you take a moment to look at a great new tool available through NAfME (National Association for Music Education) called the Civic Field Guide. This Field Guide is a great “refresher” for Music Educators on the inner workings of our Government at the State and Local levels. It will help you understand how public education is governed and funded, identify key elected officials in public education and their election cycles, identify candidates and their stances on education issues, and understand the well-rounded education programs found in Title I, Title II, and Title IV, and learn how to advocate for the availability of these funding streams to your music program under ESSA (the Every Student Succeeds Act). It is also a great resource for you to study and shows how to contact your elected officials and advocate for music education and get them involved by inviting them to:
- Any school performance or concert
- An informal meeting with your music boosters that includes parents, businesses, and local advocates
- A school board meeting where music may be the focus
- A sporting event or other local events where music education is being showcased
Kansas Music Teachers are encouraged to contact their district KMEA Advocacy chairperson to discuss any situation where music in our schools may be at risk or for which they need clarity. KMEA District Advocacy Chairpersons are veteran teachers who support Music Education in Kansas schools. They understand the benefits of music education in the development of Kansas students’ lives and they are a great resource for Advocacy ideas for school districts in need of music education support. Following is the link to your KMEA District Chairperson:
Northeast – AIMEE – DESOTEL – Kansas City – advocacy@nekmea.org
North Central – GAYLE MCMILLEN – Salina – advocacy@nckmea.org
Northwest – BILL SCHICK – Phillipsburg – advocacy@nwkmea.org
East Central – SHEREE STOPPEL – Olathe – advocacy@eckmea.org
Southwest – ERIKA CLAUSING – Southwestern Heights – advocacy@swkmea.org
South Central – JORDAN NORTHERNS – Halstead – advocacy@sckmea.org
South East – CHRISTA WEBER – Pittsburg – advocacy@sekmea.org
Remember! “The best Advocacy for Music Education is Music Education itself!” Please have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
