Please click here to read the November Update from President, Hannah Knauss.
November 2024 – President’s Update
September 2024 – President’s Update
Please click here to read the September Update from President, Hannah Knauss.
Local Band Directors to March in 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
News release
Contact: Sanford Meisel, Director of Marketing
Saluting America’s Band Directors
614-329-4792
BandDirectorSalute.org
Local Band Directors Donna Cooper, Kevin Cooper and Allyson Patterson to march in 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® with the Band Directors Marching Band
Following its amazing inaugural appearance in the 2022 Rose Parade,® Saluting America’s Band Directors project is bringing together band directors from across the country to New York City on November 23, 2023 under the theme, “America’s band directors: We teach music. We teach life.”
Donna Cooper a band director in the West Chester Area School District, her husband, Kevin Cooper, a retired band director, and Allyson Patterson a band director in Downingtown Area School District, have been selected to join a marching band of 400 band directors from across the country in the historic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® on November 23, 2023.
The Saluting America’s Band Directors parade entry will again convey its theme, “America’s band directors: We teach music. We teach life.” to recognize the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors and music educators everywhere. Throughout their careers, the music educators in this band have collectively mentored and taught hundreds of thousands of students. These professionals not only teach and direct music, but they also teach about life itself
The band will be directed by nationally known music educator and innovative band director Jon Waters.
The sponsoring organization behind the Saluting America’s Band Directors project is the Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation, based in Pickerington, Ohio. The foundation was created to recognize and carry on the work of the late Mike Sewell, who dedicated his life to the school and community music programs in Pickerington and the Central Ohio area for almost 40 years.
How to see Saluting America’s Band Directors Marching Band: The Parade starts at 8:30 but the group may not reach the TV coverage portion of the parade until 9:00. The TV cameras are at the very end of the parade. The Band Director’s Marching Band is second in the parade lineup!
Here is the link to the home page of the Band Director’s Marching Band https://banddirectorsalute.org/– it provides information about the group and the parade.
Congratulations, Donna, Kevin, and Allyson!
Time to Register for PMEA D-12 In-Service!
Don’t forget to Register for the D-12 Fall In-Service which is being held at Phoenixville Middle School on Tuesday, November 7th. Registration can be accessed on the PMEA D-12 website and will remain open through Friday ,October 27th.
District 12 Fall Inservice
October President’s Update
President’s Update – Hannah Knauss, Downingtown Middle School
Welcome back to another year of music making and education in D12. I am excited to begin my two year role as the President of D12. For those whom I haven’t met, my name is Hannah Knauss, and I am the choral director at Downingtown Middle School. I have been involved in both the local and state levels of PMEA for my entire music education career. If you are new to PMEA D12 – welcome! Make sure to join our facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/pmea12/
I shared with the board at our September meeting that my three goals for this year are:
- Examine our roles and responsibilities of the board to ensure we are meeting the needs of our members.
- Support the music educators of D12 through professional development and engagement.
- Showcase the talents of our students through the student performance opportunities
such as our festivals, fests, and MPAs.
September 2023 – D12 Board Meeting Minutes
New Members/Teachers:
- Please fill out this google form with any names of new teachers in your district (first year teachers, or teachers who have moved to your district.) They don’t have to be PMEA members. We are looking to have a new music teacher happy hour and we need some names, so that we can reach out.
Please click here to find out who is serving us in PMEA D12.
Fall In-service
- Please click here to see all of the latest and register today!
- This year we are adding a credit card payment option. This is the preferred method moving forward. https://pmead12.ludus.com/index.php?sections=payments
Festival Updates: Auditions
- Auditions- Click here for the most up to date information and to register your students.
- Deadline to register is November 11, 2023.
- Registration is working so that only the director can register and pay for the auditions. Students are not able to register on their own. Use a school district credit card, a parent booster credit card, or your own and submit for reimbursement.
Festival Updates:
- Festival Date and Locations – Check the calendar for information
- All-State Auditions & Timelines – PMEA 2023-2024 SUBMITTABLE Calendar
- **All-State Vocal Jazz has been rebranded as All State Contemporary A Cappella Ensemble. Please click here to read the most up to date information.
Fests:
MPAs:
Curriculum & Instruction:
- We would like to showcase the greatness that is happening in our schools. Take a moment to fill this out!
Advocacy – George Weaver UPDATE
- Perform at the Capitol – String or Choral Ensembles. Click here to apply.
- The first thing that people notice about music teachers is your talent and passion. However, the characteristic that impresses me the most is your ability to organize, plan, and execute! You can take ideas, people, random materials, sound, and put it together to make some amazing performances and life experiences. But what most people don’t see is the PLANNING and the TIME it takes. So how about a couple of tools to help! Here is the link to the PMEA Marketing Toolkit. It has already prepared materials and ideas that you can grab, use, customize to your situation. This resource has been developed by music teachers just like you and the work is waiting for you to use. And while you are online, go to the link for the PMEA Calendar for Local Advocacy. It gives you a plain, month-by-month plan for things you can easily incorporate into your schedule to advocate for your music program in your local community. Have a great start to your school year!
PMEA Membership Renewal:
Please remember to renew your PMEA membership! By joining our community of professional music educators, you have a chance to connect with other teachers, gain insight and ideas from NAfME and PMEA publications, and provide more performance opportunities for your students. Our community needs your voice, your expertise, and your input! Visit https://www.pmea.net/membership-information/
Save-the-Date: D-12 In-Service November 7, 2023
Once again, PMEA D-12 will be hosting a day of In-Service for Music Educators and Music Education Majors on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
The In-Service will be held at Phoenixville High School. Registration will begin at 8:00am and the final session will end at 2:30pm with ample time for Lunch on your own in beautiful downtown Phoenixville!
Stay tuned as Registration Information will be available shortly…please plan to attend!
D12 June Update 2023
Greetings PMEA D12 Members!
June is finally here! Whether you have already crossed the finish line or are approaching it with anticipation, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the tremendous effort and dedication you have poured into your classrooms. Speaking for myself, this past year has been a bit exhausting as we transitioned back to a fully “normal” schedule. Were we really this busy before 2020? 😂
As we approach the summer break, I’d like to share some important PMEA updates:
PMEA D12 AUDITIONS 2023
For the upcoming year, PMEA D12 will be returning to in-person auditions for our Band/Orchestra/Choral festivals. Auditions will be held Sat, Nov 18, 2023 at Bayard Rustin High School. Audition information and material is posted on our website: https://www.pmea12.org/district-12-auditions
PMEA D12 BOARD OPENINGS – interest/nominations due by 6/13
We are always seeking interested members to help with various volunteer positions in PMEA District 12. In particular, we are currently seeking interest/nominations for the following:
D12 Vice President: Elected by nomination and membership vote. The member in this role serves a 2-year term as VP, followed by a 2-year term as president. If you are interested in running for this position, or more information, please email d12pmea@gmail.com by Tues, June 13
D12 Treasurer: we are seeking detail-oriented members to help with this important job! This position will be broken into two people so it is more manageable
Curriculum & Instruction: If you are passionate about enhancing educational experiences, promoting innovative teaching methods, and inspiring fellow educators, we invite you to consider taking on this important position.
Please submit your interest or nomination to d12pmea@gmail.com by Tuesday, June 13
SUMMER CONFERENCE
We hope to see you at the PMEA Summer Conference – July 17-19 at the Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey. Registration is $75 for Active Members ($35 for Collegiate & Retired Members) and includes all meals and sessions during the event.
Among the highlights of the Summer Conference are:
- The return of the popular Sharing Sessions
- Keynote Speaker – Maria A. Ellis
- Yankee Brass Band Concert
- Professional Development Sessions
- Networking and Fun with Colleagues
- Option to participate in the PMEA Day of Service
Find the whole Summer Conference schedule on the PMEA website.
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
Applications are now being accepted for the Tenth Annual PMEA Leadership Academy. The program will begin with the 2023 PMEA Summer Conference (July 18 & 19 at the Red Lion Harrisburg Hershey Hotel), requires four written assignments with conference calls through the year and will conclude with graduation during the 2024 PMEA Annual Conference, April 18-20 at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie.
Visit the PMEA Leadership Academy section of the PMEA website for more details. Registration is $75, however the fee will be returned upon the successful completion of the program. Deadline to apply: Wednesday, June 14.
Wishing you all a restful and wonderful summer!
Steve Selfridge
President, PMEA District 12
Class of 2023 Scholarships
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION is Friday, May 19, 2023
PMEA District 12 annually awards up to (3) scholarships to high school seniors who will be majoring in music education at an accredited college or university. There is more information below, but first here is the link to share with your students who would like to apply: https://pmeadistrict12.submittable.com/submit
There will be one scholarship for choral, one for band, and one for orchestra that will be awarded to a string player. These scholarships will be named in honor of Carmen Culp, Richard Merrell, and Richard Miller in appreciation for their service to the membership of District 12 and the music education profession.
The amount of each scholarship for the class of 2023 will be $1000.00.
The money will be sent directly to the student in the form of a check. Verification of acceptance to a music education program will be required. District 12 reserves the right to withhold any of the scholarships if none of the candidates meet established criteria.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Candidates must have participated in a PMEA District 12 High School Band, Orchestra, or Choral Festival.
The candidate’s director must be a current member of PMEA.
Must be enrolled as a music education major at an accredited college or university.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Fill out the application below before May 19th, 2023.
https://pmeadistrict12.submittable.com/submit
SELECTION PROCESS:
The District 12 Scholarship Committee will meet to review all applications.
The Scholarship Committee will present to the Executive Board their recommendations at the spring meeting. Any members of the Executive Committee whose own students are applicants will be excused from the selection process.
Winners will be announced no later than June 1, 2023. The award will be presented to the winners at his/her own school during an appropriate ceremony, if possible.
MARCH 1st PMEA ADVOCACY DAY
PMEA MUSIC EDUCATION
ADVOCACY DAY
Wednesday, March 1st
MAKE IT EASY FOR ME TO BE INVOLVED
Mark off 5 minutes of your time ON YOUR CALENDAR RIGHT NOW for Wednesday, March 1st to send a message to your state representatives advocating for your passion, music education. PMEA will do all the work ahead of time and have an online form ready for you to use. Get your parent groups, family members and friends to join you! You don’t have to be a music teacher to support music education. It takes just minutes and creates a big advocacy impact.
I CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE
Plan to call or schedule a virtual meeting with your representative and/or senator on Wednesday, March 1st. PMEA has done all the work and has documents with information and directions ready for you to use on their Advocacy Day webpage.
Looking forward to joining our voices together on March 1st in support of music education!
D12 In-Service Register NOW!
PMEA District 12 will once again be offering an in-person, fall in-service Day for all music teachers. (PMEA Members, Non-Members, Collegiate Members)
Please click here for the information packet about the inservice.
Date: Tuesday, November 8th
Location: Phoenixville Area School District at Phoenixville Area Middle School
Time: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Act 48 Credit will be available.
Payment: Payment methods include credit card or check.
**Click here for an invoice to submit to your schools**
Pre-Registration on Submittable is strongly encouraged. Deadline is Monday October 24th, 2022.
REGISTER HERE: https://pmeadistrict12.submittable.com/submit/239110/d12-fall-inservice-registration
We look forward to seeing our music colleagues once again, so please try to join us!
If you have any questions regarding scheduling, email Shawn Lee at lees@pasd.com.
Other questions can be directed to Maryellen Byrne at mbyrne@gvsd.org.
*Questions about payment can be directed to d12pmea@gmail.com.
Retired PMEA Member $5
Non-PMEA Member $35
PCMEA Member FREE
College Non-PCMEA Member $10
Download and Browse the In-Service packet below-