LAPS Superintendent Jennifer Guy, left, with LAPS music teachers receiving 2024 District of Distinction Award from NMMEA officials earlier this month during the All-State Music Festival. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) has been named the New Mexico Music Educators Association (NMMEA) 2024 District of Distinction. Music teachers representing the district were in attendance to receive the award earlier this month during the All-State Music Festival.
In a message to Los Alamos High School Assistant Principal/Activities Director Ryan Finn, NMMEA Immediate Past President Amy Williams said, “On behalf of the New Mexico Music Educators Association, it is my honor to inform you that Los Alamos Public Schools has been named the 2024 NMMEA District of Distinction. We understand your district’s support for and commitment to high-quality music education is paramount to the success of the music programs throughout the Los Alamos Public School District.”
In a combined statement, the LAPS music educators said, “It is with gratitude that the Los Alamos Public Schools receive the NMMEA District Award of Distinction. Our incredible school district does so much for their students, their teachers, their programs, and their entire community. The ownership and sense of belonging that is ever-present in the school environment is proof enough of the amazing support given to the teachers and their programs by their administrators and the school community.”
The LAPS music program encompasses band, choir and orchestra at the elementary schools, middle and high school. Music teachers in the district are Galina Austin, Jeremy Bleich, Valerie Collins, Steve Iliff, Jacob Lucero, Zane Meek, Nic Montoya-Valdez, Michelle Rosette, Jason Rutledge, Deanna Teague and Megan Tholen.
The music department has fostered collaboration within the district over the past several years, including team-teaching in middle and high school music classes. Other examples of note:
The Music Faculty in LAPS collaborate regularly to bring exciting opportunities to students. LAPS Choirs have hosted two District-wide Choir workshops with over a hundred students in attendance.
The Los Alamos Middle School band and orchestra teachers worked together over the last few years to develop, recruit, and run a one-of-a-kind Jazz Orchestra. The group is open to all orchestra students as well as non-traditional jazz woodwinds (flutes, clarinets, bass clarinets, bassoons, etc).
The high school theater program runs a large-scale musical theater production every year and members from band, orchestra, choir, and jazz are all involved in the cast, crew, and pit orchestra.
The entire music faculty teamed up with the district-wide art faculty to host the first annual Spring Arts Festival this past year. With over 2,000 community members in attendance, the students and programs of Los Alamos Public Schools showed off their incredible musical and artistic talents. There were five different stages around the high school campus and all music faculty was seen helping to make this event a huge success.
Los Alamos High School was well-represented at the Music Festival with several students who qualified for state choir, band, jazz band and orchestra honors.
