Music education hits a high note. Brevard County School district recognized as leader
BY MICHELLE SPITZER • FLORIDA TODAY • May 18, 2008
The jazz band, advanced orchestra and chorus are simultaneously at practice.
The sounds at this school, like many in Brevard County, are constant. When one bell rings signaling the end of a period, many students pack away their instruments, only to pull them out again in their next class.
Brevard was recognized last month for being one of the top 110 communities in the country for music education. The list of school districts, put together by the National Association of Music Merchants, includes just two other Florida districts: Polk and Hillsborough.
And despite facing a loss of $38.42 million next school year, Superintendent Richard DiPatri, who does not play any instruments and claims to be tone deaf, said music education will remain an important part of Brevard students' schooling.
"Music and the arts are integral components of a well-rounded curriculum," DiPatri said. "In Brevard, we would never arbitrarily reduce these important programs. Our district is clearly a state and national leader in music and the arts. Our students deserve the best we can give them -- these programs."
Brevard already allows students to take more than one music education class a day. For example, some students take an orchestra class and a chorus class. Others may take jazz band and performance band. Students are able to do this by taking their core academic classes and using the music courses as electives.
"We provide an array of opportunities," said DaLaine Chapman, music resource teacher for Brevard Public Schools. "World drumming classes, steel drum ensembles, guitar ensembles -- you name it, we have it. We're supported in so many ways, from the superintendent to the district offices to the community. It just comes from all around."
Last month, Johnson Middle performed at Walt Disney World. This month, it's time for Kennedy Middle in Rockledge to visit the mouse. Eau Gallie High's concert band is hoping to raise enough money to accept an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall next year.
Almost every school in the district is either preparing for or has recently completed its spring concert. The list of accolades and invitations to perform are more than Chapman can track.
It's part of the reason why she said she was not surprised by the national recognition. The other reason: There are 31 schools in Florida that have passed a rigorous and lengthy application process to be deemed music demonstration schools. Of those 31 schools, 23 are in Brevard.
"It speaks to the quality of the program and certainly of those schools," said James Perry, executive director of Florida Music Educators Association. "Students exposed to high-quality music programs experience success in other areas."
Students say music programs teach them much more than how to sing or play the clarinet.
Some members of these ensembles say they did not know how to read music before taking the class. The chorus at Johnson Middle has learned to sing in at least seven languages.
"It's a great experience," said Sky Landry, an eighth-grader in chorus at Johnson Middle. "You get to learn about music, travel and meet new people."
Studies have shown students who take music classes have higher math, verbal and composite SAT scores than students who do not take music classes. According to a study from the National Education Longitudinal, music participants received more academic honors and awards than nonmusic students, and the percentage of music participants receiving A's, A/B's and B's was higher than the percentage of nonparticipants receiving those grades.
"The music education in Brevard County starts in elementary school and goes all the way up through high school," said Barry Pichard, principal of Sunrise Elementary in Palm Bay, which is waiting to hear if it has earned the music demonstration distinction.
"It's something that you have for a lifetime. You can't take that away. You may be a little rusty, but once you play a violin, if you pick it up again, you know how to do it."
Contact Spitzer at 242-3722 or mspitzer@floridatoday.com
