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Dear JJ,


Happy Summer from the Oregon Music Education Association!
The following email includes OMEA's July News.

OMEA Leadership Changes

Please welcome Erika Lockwood as she enters her two-year term as OMEA's 45th President.


She has been teaching singers from preschool through 12th grade

since 2002, becoming the Director of Choirs at Rex Putnam High School in 2011.


Under her direction, the choirs have been awarded numerous Gold Awards by the Oregon ACDA in addition to top placings in league and state festivals. Mrs. Lockwood is a state certified choral adjudicator and serves on the board of the Oregon chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.


Mrs. Lockwood holds a Master of Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Portland State University. She serves as a mentor to teacher candidates as well as new music teachers, and is passionate about equity and inclusion in the music classroom.

Cole Haole-Valenzuela is the Director of Choirs at West Salem High School. Cole begins his six-year commitment as OMEA's next President-Elect and First Vice President.

Ben Lawson is the Director of Bands at Redmond High School and completes his two-year term as OMEA's 44th President. He now moves on to two years of Past Presidency work with OMEA.

OMEA would also like to thank Krista Debolt, Orchestra Director at Grants Pass High School and Steve Phillips, Music Specialist at Auburn Elementary School in Salem.


Krista completes her term as OMEA's 30th Orchestra Chair and Steve completes his term as OMEA's 23rd General Music Chair. Best wishes and many thanks to both of them!

Kelsie Demianew is the Music Specialist at Cummings Elementary School in the Salem-Keizer School District. She begins her two-year commitment as OMEA's next General Music Chair!

Brigid Mayer was recently appointed Orchestra Director at West Salem High School. This summer is also the start of her two-year term as OMEA's next Orchestra Chair!

Jen Bell is the Director of Bands at Whiteaker Middle School in Salem. As the President of the Oregon Band Directors Association, she now enters her role as OMEA's 40th Band Chair!

Finally, please send thanks to Jeremy Zander, Director of Bands at Mountainside High School and OMEA's 43rd President. Jeremy completes his six-year presidential commitment that began July 1, 2018. Please wish him well as moves on to new adventures!

OMEA and NAfME Membership!

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 and Conference News

There is still time to submit a session proposal or performance application for the 2025 conference in Eugene. Please click here for more information on the conference.


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


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

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.

OMEA Initiatives

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.


 Thank you!!


Erika Lockwood, OMEA President

Laura Arthur, OMEA Advocacy 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 Choir News

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

Oregon Orchestra News

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


Ashland Chamber Music Workshop in Southern Oregon. July 14-19. At this workshop, Oregon teachers can earn CEUs through Southern Oregon University while spending a week playing their instrument! The workshop cost is $550. The CEUs are free. The ACMW Director, Jenifer Carstensen, is also the leader of bands at Ashland Middle School. They are looking for violinists in particular but all are welcome to apply by clicking here


Email Jen if interested:

Jenifer Carstensen

 

2025 OMEA All-State audition packets.


2025 All-Northwest audition packets.


OMEA Conference Performance and Session Application.


Brigid Mayer

OMEA Orchestra Chair

mayer_brigid@salkeiz.k12.or.us

www.orasta.org

Oregon Band News

OREGON BAND DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

BAND AND ORCHESTRA ADJUDICATION WORKSHOP AND ADJUDICATION TRAINING

Date: Friday, August 2nd, 2024

Time: 9:00 am* - 4:00 pm

Location: Mt. Hood Community College (Band Room)

Address: 26000 SE Start St. Gresham, OR 97030


While invited to attend the entire workshop, candidates for recertification may choose to forego that content that is specific to forms and process and check in at 10:30 am.


OBDA ADJUDICATION COMMITTEE CHAIRS: 

Mary Lou Boderman

Jennifer Bell


WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:

This workshop offers training in the use of the OBDA/OSAA Band and Orchestra Evaluation System. Participation is open to any interested band/orchestra teacher or director wishing to improve their understanding of the Evaluation System regardless of their interest in becoming a certified adjudicator. Following the presentation there will be an opportunity for those wishing to complete an assessment to obtain certification to do so. This workshop is a mandatory requirement for OBDA Adjudicator Certification.


WORKSHOP FEE:

Free to current OBDA members

$25 registration (includes a 2-year OBDA membership)


Adjudicators must continue to hold OBDA membership to maintain certification.


REQUIREMENTS FOR OBDA CERTIFICATION

-Must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience teaching band or orchestra with demonstrated success at the secondary or university level.

-Submit the certificate indicating completion of the NFHS Adjudicator Certification Course.

-Must complete approved OBDA workshop training and successfully complete the adjudication assessment.

-Adjudicators must recertify every 5 years​.

Jen Bell

OMEA Band Chair

BELL_JENNIFER@salkeiz.k12.or.us

https://www.oregonbda.org/

OMEA Spring Journal Released

The spring edition of the Oregon Music Educator, was released at the end of April. 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.

NAfME News

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.

Tri-M News

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!

NFHS News

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

Follow OMEA Socials!

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!

Oregon Music Education Association
560 NE F ST STE A PMB 732
Grants Pass, OR 97526
541-291-1149
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