PMEA D12 Update Aug 8, 2022
Hello PMEA D12 Members!
Dare I say it out loud, it is now AUGUST and I’m sure we are all doing our best to squeeze in as much summer as we can in the next few weeks! I hope you all have had a restful and rejuvenating summer so far.
Please take a few minutes to review our updates below, and stay up-to-date at our website: https://www.pmea12.org/
Also, if you are on Facebook, please consider joining our private Facebook group “PMEA D12 Educator Community” for updates and members-only sharing and discussion – https://www.facebook.com/groups/pmea12/
Updates are listed below! Thank you and please reach out if you have any questions, updates, or announcements to share in our next communication.
Steve Selfridge
D12 PMEA President
Garnet Valley High School
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URGENT – Host for Region VI Chorus needed!
We are URGENTLY seeking a host for Region VI Chorus this year. The date for the festival is Feb 23-25. These wonderful events can only happen for our students if PMEA members are willing to host! If your venue cannot accommodate a festival, but you are willing to serve as coordinator, consider volunteering to co-host with another director. Contact our Festival Coordinator Jeff Hart jhart@haverfordsd.net and D12 President Steve Selfridge president@pmea12.org if you can help!
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
We are appreciative to have such a vibrant and dedicated group of music educators as members of PMEA here in District 12. If you haven’t done so already, remember to renew your PMEA membership. The official membership year for 2022-23 began on July 1. See details at the PMEA website here: https://www.pmea.net/membership-information/.
One of our continuing goals is to encourage all music teachers in our area to join as PMEA members. We invite our current members to reach out to colleagues and encourage them to become active members.
Membership in PMEA also includes membership in NAfME: The National Association for Music Education. Approximately 1/3 of your PMEA/NAfME dues is allocated to support the many PMEA programs that are offered. The remaining 2/3 portion of the dues goes to NAfME to support publications, activities and programs. Check out the links below to make sure you’re making the most of your PMEA/NAfME membership!
PMEA BAND, ORCHESTRA, & CHORUS FESTIVAL AUDITIONS
All audition information is posted on our website here. Auditions will be held via Submittable video. Please review the audition excerpts and share with your private teachers. The deadline to report any misprints or corrections is Aug 15, 2022. After that date, all excerpts will be judged as posted.
Special note regarding Contra Clarinet: The SPEC Council has decided to remove the Contra-Bass/Contra-Alto Clarinet from Region and All-State Festivals. District 12 students on these instruments will still be able to audition on these instruments for the District Festivals for the 2022-2023 season, but will be unable to advance to Region and All-State Festivals due to the SPEC Council’s decision. In the event that All-State Band or Wind Ensemble instrumentation requires contra clarinet, at-large auditions will be held.
ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL FESTS
We are hoping to have fests this upcoming school year. The six fests in D12 are: 5th/6th Chesco Band, 5th/6th Delco Band, 5th/6th String, Elementary Chorus, 7th/8th Chorus, 7th/8th String. Some of the fests have hosts and they are starting their preliminary planning – more information will be sent out as it becomes available. We still need hosts for 5th/6th String and 5th/6th Delco Band. If interested in hosting or participating please contact Kathleen Boyer, Fest Coordinator at fests@pmea12.org.
OPEN POSITIONS
Do you have an interest in becoming more active in PMEA D12? Our PMEA activities and initiatives are only made possible by enthusiastic and dedicated teachers like you! We currently have two open committee chair positions – Music Performance Assessment (MPA) Events Chair, and Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) Chair. Descriptions of the duties are included below. Contact Steve Selfridge president@pmea12.org if you have any interest or questions!
Music Performance Assessment Chair: Coordinates hosts for Music Performance Assessment Events in PMEA D12. Communicates with MPA Event hosts regarding procedures and guidelines set forth by PMEA. Keeps the PMEA D12 Board informed on matters involving MPA events. Attends two to three board meetings a year.
Curriculum & Instruction Chair: Develops and coordinates resources and initiatives that support music curriculum and instruction in PMEA D12. Coordinates with the Professional Development committee, and keeps the PMEA D12 Board updated on C&I initiatives. Attends two to three board meetings a year.
TEACHER GRANTS
D12 annually awards grants to teachers to fund classroom initiatives and projects. We have typically done this at the end of a school year, but moved it to the beginning of the school year. The deadline for submissions is September 15th, with recipients being announced by October 1st.
IN-SERVICE
Save-the-Date: The PD Committee is working on a tentative in-service day for Tuesday, Nov 8. More information to follow.
ADVOCACY
Meet your Advocacy Representative for District 12 – George Weaver!
According to a recent PMEA survey, half of you didn’t know who our advocacy rep is. My bad! My name is George Weaver and I teach K-4 general/vocal music for Chichester SD at Hilltop Elementary School. I did my undergrad at IUP and my masters at WCU. I taught HS bands for 12 years before teaching general/vocal music for now more than twice as long. More importantly, I am here to represent YOU in advocating for music education in YOUR SCHOOL, in District 12, as well as Pennsylvania and beyond. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas at advocacy@pmea12.org.
NAfME needs US to be a voice for OUR STUDENTS in the Virtual Hill Week for Music Education event the week of September 19! This is a great opportunity for us to share the importance of music education with our members of Congress. The registration form is easy and short. The link is below. Register now! This is a virtual event, so you don’t need to bother with sub plans! The registration deadline is September 9th, but register now while you are thinking of it. More information will be forwarded to you closer to the event. If you have any questions, please contact advocacy@nafme.org.
NAfME Virtual Hill Week: Link to Registration
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM PMEA D12 MEMBERS:
The Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus is announcing their upcoming dates and auditions. See flyers below, and for more information visit https://www.ksccmusic.org/
DATES
All PMEA Events can be found on our Google Calendar here: https://www.pmea12.org/calendar
Nov 14-19 – PMEA AUDITION WINDOW on Submittable
Jan 12-14 – District 12 Chorus at Octorara High School (Doreen Steinmacher)
Jan 26-28 – District 12 Orchestra at Conestoga High School (Chris Nation)
Feb 9-11 – District 12 Band at Coatesville High School (Gabriel Hughes)
Feb 23-25 – Region VI Chorus (HOST NEEDED)
Mar 9-11 – Region VI Orchestra at Rustin High School (hosted by Katrina Kelly)
Mar 23-25 – Region VI Band
April 19-23, 2023 – PMEA All-State Conference at Kalahari