Category Archives: Schools

Fort Scott, Government, Schools

USD234 Press Release

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NEWS RELEASE

 

Monday, June 14, 2021

 

Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Fort Scott Middle School Commons on Monday, June 14, 2021, for their regular monthly meeting.

President David Stewart opened the meeting.  The board approved the official agenda.  The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:

 

A.    Minutes

B.    Bills and Claims

C.    Payroll – May 20, 2021 – $1,495,472.51

D.    Financial Report

E.    Activity fund accounts

F.     Fundraising Applications

G.    Site Council Reports

H.    2021-22 Site Council Members; dates and times of meetings

I.      2020-21 Gifts

J.      Communities in School Progress Reports

 

Fort Scott High School Swim Teams gave a presentation to the board.  There were no comments in the public forum section.  Board members heard reports from the Director of Academics, Dalaina Smith; Superintendent Ted Hessong; and Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk

Board members approved the following:

 

·       Fort Scott Virtual School

·       1,116 hour calendar for the 2021-22 school year

·       KASB Board Policy updates

·       Handbook changes for the 2021-22 school year

·       NWEA MAP Renewal

·       FastBridge Implementation

·       McGraw Hill final quote

·       Eureka final quote

·       Purchase of science textbooks

·       KERMP Insurance renewal for 2021-22

·       iBoss Renewal

·       Pursuit of a grant application for a second SRO officer

·       Donation of unused Winfield Scott books to Altoona-Midway

Board members reviewed the last day Enrollment Count Report and shared comments.

Board members went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel and returned to open meeting.  The board then went into executive session to discuss an upcoming negotiations meeting and returned to open meeting.

The board approved the following employment matters:

 

A.    Retirement of Clifford Lyman, middle school five-hour custodian, effective May 24, 2021

B.    Resignation of Aaron Shockley, high school/middle school band teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year

C.    Resignation of Angela Mix, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year

D.    Resignation of Mary Cole, high school paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year

E.    Transfer of Moriah Dillow, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, to Winfield Scott Focus room teacher for the 2021-22 school year

F.     Work agreement adjustment for Randi Witt, special education secretary/MIS Clerk, from 12 months to 11 months

G.    Addition of a preschool teaching position for the 2021-22 school year

H.    Employment of Alex Specht as high school assistant principal for the 2021-22 school year

I.      Employment of Amy Keeton as a Eugene Ware paraprofessional for the 2021-22 school year

J.      Employment of Frances Sharp as a high school cook for the 2021-22 school year

K.    Employment of teacher mentors for 2020-21

L.    Employment of Terra Kegler as a high school paraprofessional for the 2021-22 school year

M.   Employment of central office classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

N.    Employment of a technology classified employee for the 2021-22 school year

O.    Employment of food service classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

P.     Employment of transportation classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

Q.    Employment of maintenance classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

R.    Employment of high school classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

S.     Employment of middle school classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

T.    Employment of Eugene Ware classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

U.    Employment of Winfield Scott classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

V.    Employment of Fort Scott Preschool Center classified employees for the 2021-22 school year

W.  Employment of district supplemental employees for the 2021-22 school year

X.    Employment of middle school supplemental employees for the 2021-22 school year

Y.    Employment of Eugene Ware supplemental employees for the 2021-22 school year

Z.    Employment of Winfield Scott supplemental employees for the 2021-22 school year

 

The board approved a modification of Resolution 20-06 Bank Account Signers.  In addition, the board approved a COVID stipend of $500 for each employee.  The board adjourned.

Fort Scott, Schools, Sports

Tiger Track Team Send Off Today at 1 p.m.

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FSHS Tiger Track
Sendoff to State!
Join along the route!
Wave & cheer to the qualifiers!
See information below.
Sendoff Details
TODAY
Thursday, May 27th, 1pm
Celebrate the successful season and wish the
Tiger Track team good luck at the State Meet!
FSPD and the Fire Dept. will lead,
leaving the High School at 1pm.
Line National Ave. from 7th Street
going north to the end of National.
Go Tigers!
Ella Beth in the 800 (middle)
Kenzi Hardesty in the 1600 (left)
Kenzi and Mesa Casper (right) in the 3200.
4×100 Relay team Nate Adams, Donald Harper, Scott Tome, and Jamar Franks
Noah Martin, Disk Thrower
Bobby Kemmerer, High Jump – Missing pic of Chase Hyer, also High Jump
Entertainment, Fort Scott, Schools

First Normal Production For FSHS Drama During Pandemic: “The Legend of Mulan” This Weekend

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“The Legend of Mulan” production will be featured on May 28 and 29 at Fort Scott High School. This is the first “normal” drama production of the school year, according to FSHS Drama Teacher Angie Bin.

The playwright, Kathryn Schultz Miller describes the show as an epic journey over mountains, rivers, through hills and valleys of fear and courage and human emotions of a girl who wants to make her mark and leave the world a better place, according to Bin in a press release.

Angie Bin from her Facebook page.

For two weeks, 40 students, first through ninth grade, have spent preparing for the production.

Performances are at 7 p.m. on May 28 and 2 p.m. on May 29 at the
Fort Scott High School Auditorium.

The character of Mulan is played by 8th grader Ashley Cannon. Other notable characters include Captain Cheng, portrayed by freshman Mykael Lewis; Pika the Rabbit played by 6th grader Abel Chaplin and 7th grader Chrislen Newman; Imoogi the Dragon played by 7th graders Izzy Budd and Ana Rupprecht; and Momo, the Emperor’s Assistant, played by freshman Kaiden Clary, according to the press release.

The camp and show are directed entirely by FSHS Thespians.

FSHS Senior Christina King is the director, assisted by sophomore Regen Wells who also serves as stage manager and choreographer Kinsley Davis, a junior.

Technical staff include sophomore Lexi Hill – lighting designer, senior Khris Patel – sound designer, senior Breena Cox – music
director, sophomore Silvia Moreno – props and set designer, and junior Izzy Carreno – music operator. Many other Thespians serve as acting coaches and leaders.

Tickets for the show should be purchased in advance at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com.

Adults are $8 and children are $6. There may be tickets available for purchase at the door, but seating is limited. Masks and social distancing are required. Doors open 30
minutes prior to showtime.

About Drama Camp

Campers learn all aspects of performing. From Facebook.

Teacher Angie Bin started Tiger Drama Camp in 2014 as a way to teach younger children about the art of theatre both on the stage and behind the scenes.

“Several years ago we decided to expand the camp into a full production,” she said. “The first week is focused on introducing students to ways to use their bodies and voices on stage and how to design the technical elements of the theatre such as lighting, sound, costuming, make-up, and set design. The second week is focused on technical and dress rehearsals to prepare for the public performances.

“The camp is led by high school drama students who also utilize the production as a fundraiser to assist them in traveling to the Kansas State and International Thespian festivals or Broadway Tours in New York City,” Bin said.

“We have found that holding drama camp at the end of May is ideal as it does not interfere with other recreational activities or high school camps,” she said. “It also allows our high school drama students to begin designing the set and costuming before the school year ends. It is a great way for the students to jump-start their summer activities.”

The COVID-19 Pandemic affected how Bin taught drama students.

“We were initially set to produce ‘The Legend of Mulan’ last summer, but were unable to due to the pandemic,” she said.  “Our performances this year have been very different from our normal production year.”

“We decided to shift our musical from the fall to the spring this year and were unable to hold our annual children’s Christmas show,” Bin said. “Our fall production was ‘The Monologue Show (from Hell)’ which allowed our students to rehearse in small numbers and as students were quarantined, they were able to still participate by video or through Zoom.”

“Instead of mounting a full-scale musical in the spring, we opted for a musical revue with individual solos and small group numbers and performed it in conjunction with our annual ‘Royal-Tea Party.’ ‘The Legend of Mulan’ will be our most normal production of the year, although students and audience members will still be masked.”

Upcoming FSHS Drama Events:

FSHS Musical Auditions – Aug. 30 – 31 at 7 p.m.

Ranked the Musical – Nov. 9, 11, 13 at 7 p.m.; Nov. 13 at 2 p.m.

Children’s Christmas show auditions: Nov. 15 – 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Children’s Christmas show performances: Dec. 10- 11 at 7 p.m., Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Schools, Sports

Chamber Coffee hosted by Fort Scott High School Strength & Performance Program

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee hosted by the Fort Scott High School Strength & Performance Program, Thursday, May 27th at 8 a.m. located at the FSHS Gymnasium, 1005 S. Main St. Attendees should enter through the northwest doors of the gym facing 10th Street.

Jared Martin, FSHS Strength & Performance Coach, is excited to showcase the program’s top-notch facility at Fort Scott High School. The USD-234 school board and administrators have made a considerable investment in the development of student’s health and performance.  A summer program will be starting soon and for students ranging from 11-18 years of age. The focus for middle school students is to provide high quality opportunities for them to learn how to train properly in a fun and exciting environment.  The high school age group will focus on performance enhancement as we build team chemistry and comradery through training together.  

Homemade sticky bun-style cinnamon rolls and homemade sausage rolls reminiscent of Johnson’s at the old Daylight Donuts will be served.  Fresh fruit and coffee from Common Ground will be provided as well.  Along with that, there will be a variety of Tiger gear giveaways.

Chamber members and guests are invited to Chamber Coffee events each Thursday at 8 a.m. to network, make announcements, hear about happenings in the community as well as learn about the host business or organization.

***

Entertainment, Fort Scott, Schools

FSHS Tiger Drama Camp Performs The Legend of Mulan on May 28-29

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From Facebook page.

This year’s annual Fort Scott High School Tiger Drama Camp performs The Legend of Mulan on May 28 and 29.

Nearly 40 students in 1st through 9th grade have spent two weeks at camp preparing for the production.

Performances are at 7 p.m. on May 28 and 2 p.m. on May 29 at the
Fort Scott High School Auditorium.

The playwright, Kathryn Schultz Miller, describes the show this way, “Mulan inspires us all with a grand desire to be the best we can be: honest, tenacious and brave. She leads us on an epic journey over mountains and rivers — through the hills and valleys of fear and courage and human emotion. Mulan knows it doesn’t matter if she is a boy or a girl. She just wants to make her mark, prove her mettle, and leave the world a better place.”

The character of Mulan is played by 8th grader Ashley Cannon. Other notable characters include Captain Cheng, portrayed by freshman Mykael Lewis; Pika the Rabbit played by 6th grader Abel Chaplin and 7th grader Chrislen Newman; Imoogi the Dragon played by 7th graders Izzy Budd and Ana Rupprecht; and Momo, the Emperor’s Assistant, played by freshman Kaiden Clary.

The camp and show are directed entirely by FSHS Thespians.

Senior Christina King is the Director, assisted by sophomore Regen Wells who also serves as Stage Manager and Choreographer Kinsley Davis, a junior.

Technical staff include sophomore Lexi Hill – Lighting Designer, senior Khris Patel – Sound Designer, senior Breena Cox – Music
Director, sophomore Silvia Moreno – Props and Set Designer, and junior Izzy Carreno – Music Operator. Many other Thespians serve as acting coaches and leaders.

During the 2-week camp, students learn about most technical theatre areas such as lighting, sound, costuming, stagecraft, and make-up. They also help to create the artistic set decor and learn sabre combat.

Tickets for the show should be purchased in advance at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com.

Adults are $8 and children are $6. There may be tickets available for purchase at the door, but seating is limited. Masks and social distancing are required. Doors open 30
minutes prior to showtime.

COVID-19, Fort Scott, Schools

USD 234 Retirements

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USD 234 Board of Education Building, 424 S. Main
USD 234 has a slate of personnel retirements this school year which ended May 13, an unprecedented year in education because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The following teachers responded to an email request to feature them on fortscott.biz.
Kyle Parks. Submitted photo.

Kyle Parks was the Fort Scott High School Agriculture Instructor
from 1983-2021.

“My entire career was at FSHS,” Parks said. “I truly enjoyed working with youth that had ties or interest in the agriculture field. They are more mature, responsible and just a blast to be with compared to the non-ag students. I also enjoyed the teachers and admins at the high school. They are a great bunch to work with.”

For Parks, the last year with the COVID-19 Pandemic has been a challenge.
“The Covid and Zoom (classes) and other newer technology was a struggle for me,” he said.

RoAnn Eden. Submitted photo.

RoAnn Blake has been a third-grade classroom teacher at both Winfield Scott and Eugene Ware Elementary Schools in Fort Scott from 2008 until 2021.

“The best part of teaching was seeing the students every day and sharing with them in their successes,” she said.
*The most challenging was making sure each student’s needs were met, even with all the bumps in their paths.”
Sondra Ruhl. Submitted photo.

Sondra Ruhl taught Special Education at Eugene Ware Elementary School from 2012-2021.

“In 1987, I worked as a paraeducator at Winfield Scott Elementary School for 12 years,” she said. “Then I moved to the high school where I worked for three years. I then went back to college and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. I was hired in Missouri and taught Special Education for eight years while getting my Masters Degree in Special Education Teaching. In 2012, I was hired to teach Special Education at Eugene Ware where I have been for the last 9 years.”

“The best part of teaching is seeing my students have that ‘Aha’ moment when they were finally able to understand a concept that used to be hard for them,” Ruhl said.

“The most challenging part of teaching is all of the paperwork that goes with teaching special education,” she said. “This year has been the biggest struggle with Zoom meetings and the challenges that came with COVID teaching.”

Donna Davis. Submitted photo.
Donna Davis has been a special educator at Winfield Scott Elementary School from 1995 to 2021.
“I graduated with my bachelor’s degree from Missouri Southern State University in psychology/special education in 1982,” she said. “I began teaching special education grades K-2 in Missouri from 1982 to 1995. I received my master’s degree in early childhood special education from Pittsburg State University in 1994. I came to Fort Scott in 1995 to teach the special education preschool and finished my teaching career as the first-grade special education teacher at the end of this 2020-21 school year.”
For Wilson, the best part of teaching has always been the children. “Watching them learn and grow has given me great joy throughout the years. I have always loved my job and I will truly miss it!”
A challenge has been teaching during the pandemic, she said.
“Missing out on the end of the 2019-20 school year was very difficult for both the students and teachers.”
Martha Clements. Submitted photo.
Martha Clements  was the 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher

from 1989-2021.

“I have taught all 32 years as an FSMS 7th-grade social studies teacher,” she said.
“The best part of teaching for me was being able to share with my students a subject I had been excited about since I was their age,” Clements said.
“Teaching was the challenge I pursued and I have truly enjoyed that challenge.”
Ronda Peterson. Submitted photo.

Ronda Peterson has taught for 36 years.

She taught eighth-grade math for 19 years (2002-2021),
5th grade for three years (1998-2002), and 4th grade for 14 years (1985-1998).
“The best part of teaching was being around kids,” she said. “They are so full of energy! I loved it when I saw student’s eyes light up when they realized they grasped the concept. I also enjoyed watching students helping their friends understand different concepts.”
“Teaching is a profession where students learn but those working with children also learn. I have a greater appreciation for the saying, ‘You learn something new every day.’ I hope I continue to learn something new every day in my retirement. My colleagues also made going to work one of the best parts of teaching!”
This school year has been a challenge for many teachers.
Not only did teachers have to learn to teach distance learners through Zoom meetings and the troubles that go along with loss of internet or connections to students, we were also to continue to have live in-class learning. There was a lot of struggling with this type of learning and we had to adapt sometimes several times a day.”
“There was a lot of new technology we were forced into mastering, whether we wanted to or not. Wearing masks 100% of the time was difficult at best. Many times, we had to remind students to pull their masks up, even though we did not want to wear masks either. Trying to socially distance 14-year-olds is a task many people would find impossible to do.”
“I am sure I will miss teaching….the students, the colleagues, the field trips, the good times. But I am thinking I am going to enjoy retirement….time with family and time to relax.”
Patty Giltner. Submitted photo.

Patty Giltner was the 7th grade English Language Arts teacher 6th-8th grade English as a Second Language teacher at  Fort Scott Middle School from 1995 until 2021.

” I have been teaching in Fort Scott for 26 years,” Giltner said.  “Prior to that, I was employed by Tri-County Special Education and worked as a para-educator in Fredonia schools for 13 years.”
“One of the best things about teaching was having the opportunity to spend my days teaching and building relationships with all of my students over the years,” she said.
“One challenge of teaching was making sure I provided the best possible learning experiences for all of my students while meeting their individual needs.”

Continue reading USD 234 Retirements →

Bourbon County, Business, Schools

UHS Students Begin a Business

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The price list for The U, a student-led business. Submitted graphic.

For the 2020-21 school year Uniontown High School participated in Project-Based Learning.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects, according to www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl

Each UHS participating student chose a project that they presented to a board of teachers. The incentive: students got to opt-out of finals.

Uniontown High School Students Kristy Beene and Mason O’Brien, both juniors, decided to start a vinyl t-shirt business.

“They are custom-made shirts or a design that the customers choose,” Beene said.

“There was a lot of deciding that came with starting this business,” Beene said. “During the first semester of the 2020-21 school year, (we) decided that the best way to start this business was to fundraise the money in order to get the machines and supplies necessary.”

“We started this business in Mr. Feagins room, at UHS,” Beene said. “We chose him to…help us in the money and business itself.”

“One of the first orders of business was a name,” she said. “There were many names we considered but the one we chose was The U.”

“The first semester we raised the money needed through fundraisers and purchased a silhouette cameo and a heat press,”
Beene said. “By the end of the semester, we were starting to get up and going. At the start of the second semester, we added Skyler Coulter to our team as an extra hand for making shirts.”

Coulter is a sophomore.

Mason O’Brien, Skylar Coulter, and Kristy Beene hold a t-shirt with their vinyl imprint on it. Submitted photo.

“We have been staying busy with everyone’s support for our small business,” she said. “We have been so happy that we are able to make products that our customers love!”

 

This student-led business will be set up at Good Ol’Days in Fort Scott making custom shirts and water bottles.

 

“We hope that this will be a good aspect for our business and help us grow, both with customers and knowledge of the business industry itself,” Beene said. “Next year we hope to expand even more and invest in a screen printing machine.”

 

COVID-19, Fort Scott, Schools

USD 234 Extends School Year To Get Jump Start on Next Year

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Ted Hessong. Submitted photo.
Selected Fort Scott students will be offered extra learning opportunities this summer. Transportation will be provided free of charge to students and additionally, food service will be provided free of charge to students, according to USD 234 Superintendent Ted Hessong.
“We will have Extended School Year (ESY) for special education students (Pre-K – 11), Extended Learning Opportunities for general education students (Pre-K-11), and JumpStart for preschool students,” Hessong said.
“ESY is a program we have offered in the summer for several years for special education students,” he said.  “Special education staff work with students based on their individual learning needs.”
“This summer will be the first time in a few years, we have offered extended learning opportunities for general education students,” Hessong said.  “With the use of ESSER II funds provided by the federal government, we will be providing summer learning opportunities to get a jump start to next school year.”

ESSER Funds were established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act,(CARES) the core purpose of the ESSER II Fund is to provide direct money to states and districts to address the areas most impacted by the disruption and closure of schools caused by COVID-19, according to the website https://www.nj.gov/education/ESSER

  Students will focus on academic target areas based on academic data collected during the school year, Hessong said.
“This academic data comes from the MAP assessments our district utilizes as well as state assessment data from this current school year,” he said.  “The ESSER II funds allow us to provide these learning opportunities to address academic gaps identified for individual students to help them be more prepared for promotion to their next grade level.”
” Each building will have general education staff provide the learning opportunities for identified students,” Hessong said.  “This is not mandatory for identified students, but we hope parents and students understand our goal is to strengthen their child’s academic progress going into the next school year.”
“For several years USD 234 has provided a JumpStart summer program for preschool students going into Kindergarten,” he said. “The preschool receives a grant that provides funding for the JumpStart program.  Identified preschool students are provided an opportunity to get a head start going into kindergarten, which will help them to be better prepared to be successful in kindergarten.”
Summer offering schedule:
Dates: July 20 – August 6
Location: Middle School (except for JumpStart)
Days: Monday – Friday
Time: 8 a.m. – noon.
Format:

Preschool – 8 – 11 a.m. at  the preschool.
Jumpstart – at Winfield Scott Elementary  from 8 to 11 a.m.
Primary (K-2) – 8 to 10 a.m.
Intermediate (3-5) – 10 a.m. to noon.
Middle School – 8 a.m. to noon.
High School – 8 a.m. to noon.  (credit recovery)

Fort Scott, Schools

USD234 Board of Education Minutes of May 10

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NEWS RELEASE

 

Monday, May 10, 2021

 

Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Fort Scott Middle School Commons on Monday, May 10, 2021, for their regular monthly meeting.

President David Stewart opened the meeting.  The board approved the official agenda.  The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:

 

A.    Minutes

B.    Bills and Claims

C.    Payroll – April 20, 2021 – $1,424,631.30

D.    Financial Report

E.     Activity fund accounts

F.     LCP Assurances

G.    May 15 – Baccalaureate – 4:00 pm; Graduation – 8:00 pm

 

Gifted teachers, Angie Kemmerer and Paulette Howard, presented a program on

the gifted education program.

There were no comments in the public forum section.

Reports were given by the following:

 

·       Brenda Hill, KNEA President

·       Administrators’ written reports

·       Dalaina Smith, Academic Director

·       Ted Hessong, Superintendent

·       Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk

 

Board members approved the following:

 

·       Adjustment in adult meal fees for 2021-22

·       2021-22 Fees

·       Masonry bid

·       Summer Camps

·       2021 Summer pay, pending negotiations

 

Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel and to discuss upcoming negotiations sessions and returned to open meeting.

The board approved the following employment matters:

 

A.    Resignation of Baylee Newman, Eugene Ware paraprofessional, effective May 13, 2021

B.    Resignation of Kristin Bishop, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year

C.    Resignation of Vernon Hill, Winfield Scott cook, effective June 3, 2021

D.    Transfer of Jennifer Tourtillott, Winfield Scott kindergarten teacher, to Winfield Scott counselor for the 2021-22 school year

E.     Contract extension request from Angella Curran, high school debate and forensics teacher

F.     Leave of absence request from Natalie Kitsmiller, Winfield Scott paraprofessional

G.    Additional duties for Krista Gorman, high school/middle school instructional coach, as high school lead administrator for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year

H.    Employment of Madeline Martin as a gifted teacher for the 2021-22 school year

I.      Employment of Todd Magee as a Eugene Ware third grade teacher for the 2021-22 school year

J.      Employment of Trent Johnson as a high school agriculture education teacher for the 2021-22 school year

K.    Employment of Carol Glover as a Winfield Scott cook for the 2021-22 school year

L.     Employment of Eileen Strakal as a Eugene Ware cook for the 2021-22 school year

M.   Employment of Millicient Willard as a Winfield Scott cook for the 2021-22 school year

N.    Employment of Lynn Barr as high school head girls’ tennis coach for the 2021-22 school

O.    Termination of Joie Moore, high school cook, effective April 1, 2021

 

The board adjourned.

 

Bourbon County, Schools

West Bourbon Elementary: A Music Program Following COVID-19 Protocols

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West Bourbon Elementary School Principal Vance Eden worked the soundboard, while WBE Music Teacher Rhonda Allen welcomes the audience to the spring program of kindergarten through third-grade students on May 3.

The music program for the performances.
Rhonda Allen has taught music for 39 years, with 30 of those at West Bourbon Elementary School in Uniontown.
“I teach pre-k through 6th-grade general music and junior high choir,” she said. “I also accompany the high school choir.”
Second-grade students enjoy their teachers Sheryl Fry and Brenda Gleason hamming it up during a performance.
But Monday’s kindergarten through third-grade spring music concert was not the normal spring concert at WBE.
It was held outside on the front porch of the school, with parents and the community invited to bring blankets or lawn chairs to enjoy the performances, because of the COVID 19 pandemic restrictions.
The audience brought lawn chairs and blankets to watch the performances.
The idea was born out of some recommendations and some experiences, Allen said.

“There were recommendations by the National Association of Music Education, that outside is a safer place to make music,” she said.

 

 

First-grade students perform.

 

 

Last fall the district had outside performances in the local park.

 

 

“We had an event held last fall in Uniontown City Park by the 4th and 5th grades, and the junior high and high school music and art students called Art in the Park,” Allen said.  “It was very successful.”

 

 

“And we knew, an outdoor venue would not require us to limit the audience for these young performers,” she said.  “An indoor program would be limited to four audience members per participant.”

 

 

At the end of each class performance, parents came to retrieve their students. They could then leave or stay for the entire concert.

 

So plans were made for the annual spring concert with fingers crossed and prayers to God for good weather.
“It was a delight to be able to have a spring program this year,” Allen said. ” At the beginning of the school year, performances seemed unlikely. We were very thankful that the rain held off!”
Third-grade students performed on the kazoo.

 

“I feel the outdoor venue was a success,” she said.  “Many seemed to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere as they watched the kids perform.”
Allen feels performing music is important.
“Performance skills are an important part of the elementary music curriculum,” she said.  “I was grateful to be able to teach those skills in this unprecedented year.”
Kindergarten students perform
Covid impact on Music Education
“A study done in the summer of 2020 revealed the amount of aerosol, how Covid is spread, created while singing or playing an instrument was significantly higher,” Allen said.  “Music education was deeply impacted by this discovery.  Social distancing, masks, and bell covers on the ends of instruments were some of the protocols followed.”
“Until late February, I traveled to each classroom, teaching from a cart,” she said.  “This changed my curriculum and the activities I normally used to teach music concepts.  It was different, but it was doable. Though it was challenging, I learned new skills and had the opportunity to discover new, and sometimes better, ways to teach music skills.”