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Local News

Holley Wins National Award & is Named Among the
‘Best Communities for Music Education’ in the Country


The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) recently named the Holley Central School District to its list of Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) for 2014. To be named to this prestigious annual listing, schools must demonstrate an exemplary and high standard for comprehensive music education in their schools. In all, only 376 school districts and 96 individual schools across the entire country earned this honorable distinction.

“We are thrilled to earn this honor because our music students and teachers are devoted to excellence,” said Holley’s Fine Arts Department Chairperson Sally Martin.“This is a wonderful honor that we are very proud of along with the recognition we received recently participating in All-County and the honors our high school students earned at the Heritage Music Festival in Myrtle Beach in April.”

Now in its 15th year, the BCME program evaluates schools and districts based on funding, staffing of highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards, and access to music instruction. The NAMM Foundation with the assistance of researchers at The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service of Lawrence, Kansas (an affiliate of the University of Kansas) evaluate participants on these factors. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and greater access to music education.

“These schools and districts make a strong commitment to music education in the core curriculum supporting its essential value to a well-rounded education for every child,” said Mary Luehrsen, NAMM Foundation executive director. “Strong, engaging programs that offer students access to music cannot thrive in a vacuum. The Best Communities designation and the SupportMusic Merit Award bring hard-won visibility to music classes, programs and departments that are keeping music education alive in our schools.”

The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit organization supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants. It has 9,000 members around the world and its mission is to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.

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