Dear JJ,

Happy Summer from the Oregon Music Education Association!

The following email includes OMEA's August News.

Make sure to Click View entire Message at the bottom to see all of the content.

The Executive Board welcomes Laura Arthur as OMEA's inaugural Public Policy Chair.

Laura was appointed by Erika Lockwood and was approved by the voting members of the Executive Board. Laura's responsibilities will include coordinating and leading advocacy actions with local, state, and federal stakeholders on behalf of OMEA, and will work with OMEA members to empower them to take proactive advocacy actions in their own schools and communities. Laura is looking forward to working together with OMEA members, the Board, and music education advocates alike toward a lofty goal: to ensure every student in Oregon has access to a high-quality and comprehensive music education.

You can reach Laura via email at publicpolicy@oregonmea.org.

Please enjoy your time of these next few months. If you need to renew your OMEA/NAfME membership, please do that sooner than later. Your membership must be current to submit All-State and All-Northwest auditions this fall. Please click here to renew! Happy summer!

All-State information including audition material and 2025 conductor bios can be found by clicking here.

The 2025 OMEA All-State information and audition materials are available at oregonmea.org/all-state/  

Ensembles:

• Elementary School Choir (5th grade)
• Middle School Band, Treble Choir, Tenor/Bass Choir, and Orchestra
• High School Treble Choir, Tenor/Bass Choir, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Orchestra

***High School Choir: Students that participated in the 2024 9th/10th grade All-State Choir will be automatically admitted into a 2025 All-State Choir this year as long as their audition is complete. The teacher will indicate this in Opus. Fees apply as usual.

OMEA/All-NW: The OMEA High School audition materials overlap the All-Northwest audition materials, but are not the complete All-NW Audition. Go to the All-NW website for more info.

2025 OMEA All-State Timeline

• September 1: Audition and application window opens on OpusEvent.com
• October 5: Audition and application window closes at 11:59:59pm on OpusEvent.com

Direct All-State questions to Kristi Stingle at allstatechair@gmail.com.

Mark your calendars for the annual music education conference, happening January 17-19, 2025, at the Graduate Hotel in Eugene!

Share registration information with your administrators now; many districts can use professional development funds to cover registration and hotel expenses.

Stay tuned for Session & Concert Hour results—if you submitted a proposal, expect an email update on your application by August 15th. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with fellow music educators.

Direct questions regarding the conference to Elizabeth Soper at omeaconferencechair@gmail.com.

Please remember that this upcoming February All-Northwest will be held in Spokane from the 13th - 16th. All-State and All-Northwest auditions require separate submissions.

Please click here for session presentation or a performance application for All-Northwest.

All-Northwest audition material can be found by clicking here.

Direct any All-Northwest questions to Scott.Ketron@wmea.org.

Check out this first draft of the OMEA Mission and Vision statements: what is missing? Does this reflect what you believe our goals and purpose should be? Please send any feedback to Erika Lockwood at lockwoode@nclack.k12.or.us 

We will be refining these statements to begin implementation in the fall. 

Mission: OMEA supports music educators and advocates for equitable access to a high-quality and comprehensive music education for all students in Oregon. 

Examples of what we do to serve this mission: 

• Supports Music Educators: conference, connection, communication, mentorship, recognizing excellence
• Equitable Access: Educating stakeholders around allocating resources and removing barriers 
• High Quality: Professional development, collaborating with state-level policy makers
• Comprehensive: Student events, variety of offerings/disciplines, evolving, connection to higher ed 
• All Students: Across Oregon, across all disciplines 

VISION: v. 6/25 The Oregon Music Education Association will create pathways for all students and educators across Oregon to experience and promote the transformative power of life-long music learning.

Erika Lockwood, OMEA President

Laura Arthur, OMEA Public Policy Chair

What can you do, RIGHT NOW? Advocacy steps to take action today!

Advocacy Tip #1: As budgetary decisions are being made at the school, district, and state level, familiarize yourself with the OMEA Program Standards. While access to music education from a certified educator is a first step, it doesn't capture the distinct needs of music programs as a measure of quality!

Advocacy Tip #2: We all know that music is an essential part of our students’ academic and social-emotional learning. As the music education expert in your building and district, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your building and district leadership, be involved, and advocate for your students, your music colleagues, and yourself. Remind your administrators that music is part of a well-rounded education, as defined at the federal level by the Every Student Succeeds Act. 

Advocacy Tip #3: Check out ArtsScan, a side-by-side comparison of all states and their arts education policies.  

Advocacy Tip #4: Did you know the Oregon Department of Education sends out a monthly Arts Education newsletter? Read the June edition, or sign up to be on their email list!

Advocacy Action: Education in Oregon is facing a significant funding crisis.  Contact your Oregon Legislators, or find your legislators based on your address HERE, and encourage them to fund the Quality Education Model.  

Advocacy Links: Find more resources at NAfME and the NAfME Advocacy Resource Center, or visit oregonmea.org/advocacy.

Laura Arthur

OMEA Advocacy Chair

advocacy@oregonmea.org



OMEA Advocacy Website

We are the Oregon Music Educators Equity professional learning community! If you have a brilliant resource, song, approach, or idea that you want to share with other music educators, please share it here.

Thank you so much for those who participated in our affinity spaces at the conference! We would lover to hear your feedback and ideas for what to improve for next year!

Cynthia Navarro

DEI Co-Chair

navarro16@gresham.k12.or.us

Amanda Sarles

DEI Co-Chair

asarles@siuslaw.k12.or.us

Oregon's ACDA Summer Workshop with be August 13th this year and will be hosted at Portland Community College's Sylvania campus. This will be a one-day event focused on reading sessions and pedagogical best-practices to prepare directors for the new school year.

Kathy Briggs

OMEA Choir Chair

kathy.briggs@smapdx.org

www.oracda.net

Please click here for information on an August professional development gathering featuring a bass clinic, a reading session, and plenty of social time!

Brigid Mayer

OMEA Orchestra Chair

mayer_brigid@salkeiz.k12.or.us

www.orasta.org

Jen Bell

OMEA Band Chair

BELL_JENNIFER@salkeiz.k12.or.us

https://www.oregonbda.org/

Please click here to access OMEA publications. Issuu will now archive all OMEA publications dating back to 1948. These older editions will be posted as access becomes available for scanning.

Please contact JJ Sutton if you are interested in submitting an article for future publications.

On June 4, 2024, Deborah A. Confredo began her term as the 2024–2026 NAfME National President. She is a 44-year veteran music educator and currently Professor of Music Education and Director of Online Graduate Studies in Music Education at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Additionally, Confredo is a Past Chair of the NAfME Society for Research in Music Education and Chair of the NAfME Music Teacher Profession Initiative. Please click here to read more about Deb Confredo.

A Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter opens up a world of opportunities for students who have already shown themselves to be academically capable and musically gifted. Through performance and community service, they’ll develop confidence, creativity, critical thinking, compassion, and a host of other leadership skills sure to serve them well in school and beyond.

Click here to join or renew your Tri-M membership!

Click here to access NFHS publications and e-newsletter subscriptions.

Follow OMEA on Instragram at "oregonmusiceducation."

You can also follow OMEA on Facebook by liking "Oregon Music Education Association."

OMEA social media is a great way to receive news and updates in real time!