Bay "Best Music Communities in America" - 2013

Bay Village Schools named to Best Music Communities in America list for 2013. In an extremely rigorous and detailed assessments of its exemplary music program, the Bay Village City School District has been named once again to the NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education list. This marks the eleventh consecutive year that the district has been named to this prestigious list.

Each of the schools from across the country receiving the “Best Communities” designation scored in the 80th percentile or higher in the survey's grading process. The districts were measured across curricular and programmatic criteria as well as public support of their music programs.

Participants in the survey answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and other relevant factors in their communities' music education programs. The responses were verified with district officials, and advisory organizations reviewed the data. The survey was developed and administered by The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service, an affiliate of the University of Kansas.

“Music is truly an integral part of our schools and the Bay Village community,” said Clinton Keener, superintendent of the Bay Village City School District. “Our students, parents and music instructors are passionate about music, and our community members of all ages turn out in droves for our student performances.”

Keener noted that Bay Village just wouldn’t be the same without music provided by the schools. “Our student musicians and vocalists contribute to the quality of life here, whether leading the homecoming parade, the Memorial Day parade or the local merchant’s Boo Village Parade at Halloween. Our jazz bands bring senior citizens and their younger counterparts to their feet during our annual Ballroom Blitz. And our holiday concerts have become cherished traditions that leave our audiences with uplifted spirits,” he said. “Our students add a festive, musical note wherever a sense of celebration is required and wherever community members gather.”

Music instructors at the Bay Village City School District are teachers Darren Allen (Bay High instrumental), Mark Awad (Bay Middle instrumental), Nicole Barrick (Normandy music), Elaine Dwyer (Normandy music), Carrie Engelbrecht (Westerly vocal), Devon Gess (Bay High vocal), Heidi Herczeg (Bay Middle vocal), Jeffrey Schimelpfenig (Westerly strings), and Carrie Singler (Bay High and Bay Middle instrumental).

In conducting the annual survey, the NAMM Foundation is joined by advisory organizations in the fields of music and education, including Americans for the Arts, League of American Orchestras, The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, The Metropolitan Opera Guild, Music for All, Music Teachers National Association, National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, National PTA, Yamaha Corporation of America and VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry.