MUSD reintroduces music program to curriculum
On last Friday’s Up-Close Show, host Gary Daigneault spoke to the Morongo Unified School District’s (MUSD) Assistant Superintendents of Secondary and Elementary Education Amy Woods and Dr. Gracie Gutierrez about music programs returning to both elementary and secondary school curriculums.
Amy Woods says MUSD’s human resources division has allowed the district to hire one full-time music teacher at all four secondary schools to teach both vocal and instrumental, including the return of Bill Barrett at Yucca Valley High School. Dr. Gutierrez added that most MUSD elementary schools will also be gaining back their music programs. Host Gary Daigneault reflected on MUSD twenty-years ago, prompting further details from Woods.
Daigneault: “Say 20 years ago, very pre-COVID, the kids started in elementary school where they maybe they pick an instrument, learn the basics of it, then get into junior high school where they continue with that and get pretty proficient at the instrument and then go into high school they’re performing their getting very proficient with the music.”
Woods: “And with the return of four credential music teachers at the secondary schools—it’s going to take a while to rebuild the program—but the what will end up happening is a full select choir and jazz bands and marching bands, those types of things that the teachers had their specificity in and the students will have a full range of music options.”
In addition to music, Woods says visual and theatrical arts will continue to be supported as well as dual enrollment theater, where students can receive college credits while pursuing the course in high school.
You can listen to the full conversation here:
