Buckeye Reporter

Chagrin Falls has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.  Now in its 23rd year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Band Director Casidy Reed answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“One of my goals of my first year at Chagrin was to honor the hard work and dedication of my wonderful colleagues and our students. We have incredible support from our community, especially through our Music Lovers booster organization, and I wanted to highlight that excellence. Our students continue to make our jobs rewarding and fulfilling, and I hope to continue honoring our accomplishments in years to come. We as a music faculty are grateful to be a part of such a wonderful District,” says Reed.

Chagrin Falls is one of 47 schools in Ohio to be recognized this year. In the United States, 738 school districts and 80 schools were recognized for their outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders and their support for music education as part of a well-rounded education for all children.

Since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015 and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs. During the pandemic, music and arts programs were a vital component to keeping students engaged in school. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research has revealed that these grants are being widely used by school districts to address instructional gaps in access to music and arts education.  

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school, but also to attend college as well. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

Chagrin Falls Schools provide each student with opportunities for music education and growth throughout K-12. Students have the opportunity to be a part of general music classes, music theory, songwriting, choir, orchestra, and band. Chagrin Falls students have auditioned and been accepted in the OMEA Northeast Regional Orchestra, OMEA All-State Orchestra, OMEA All-State Bands, and the NAfME All-National High School Orchestra. Chagrin Falls students have also been members of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Chorus, Cleveland Contemporary Youth Orchestra, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Akron Youth Symphony, CIM Preparatory Orchestras, the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, and various OMEA District and State Honors Bands.

Community outreach is an important part of the Chagrin Falls music program, including community events, parades, concerts, and theater performances. The Chagrin Falls Music Department partners with Chagrin Arts and other community organizations to host and perform with world-renowned musicians including, “Project Trio”. All music ensembles have the opportunity to perform for the public, performing multiple concerts a year. In the spring, the Chagrin Falls High School Marching Band, Orchestra, and Concert Choir will be performing at Walt Disney World as a part of their musical showcase.

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.

Original source can be found here.