Music Monday is a national initiative that sees thousands of elementary school-aged students singing common songs in unison across the country.
On the West Shore, however, the event is largely associated with Maureen Garry, music teacher at David Cameron elementary in Colwood. Well known in the Sooke School District for her passion for music and seemingly never-ending flow of ideas, sheB次元官网网址檚 one of those people who inspires others to reach beyond themselves, from young first-time musicians to her fellow educators.
This weekend in Richmond, Garry will receive the B.C. Music Educators Association award for Outstanding Professional Educator (elementary).
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 got a phenomenal amount of energy. Every time I talk to her thereB次元官网网址檚 a constant smile on her face, and you know itB次元官网网址檚 very genuine,B次元官网网址� says Mandart Chan, Belmont secondary music director and the BCMEAB次元官网网址檚 first vice-president. He nominated Garry for the award, which recognizes those who make an impact in their district.
The inspiration to do so, he says, came following an a-ha moment when he realized how much work she had put in, not only to expand Music Monday, but to promote elementary music education within the district.
B次元官网网址淢aureen essentially singlehandedly brought together all of the schools and said, B次元官网网址榣etB次元官网网址檚 do it as a district,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he says of the massive singalong, during which 2,300 local students from nine schools gathered in The Q Centre this past May.
B次元官网网址淚t was a huge gathering of musical elementary students, a lot of whom had never met each other before that B次元官网网址� It was all because Maureen said B次元官网网址楬ey, why donB次元官网网址檛 we all get together?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Garry admits to being B次元官网网址渟hockedB次元官网网址� when she read the email congratulating her as winner of the award, adding it feels good to be nominated by her peers.
One of only a couple of elementary music teachers in the district when she began more than eight years ago, she is now part of a network of specialists at more than a dozen SD62 schools who keep music in the picture for every student.
As such, she gives much of the credit for Music MondayB次元官网网址檚 success, and the current upswing of momentum for music in the schools, to the combined work of educators around the district B次元官网网址� and the unwavering support of SD62 superintendent Jim Cambridge.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice to be recognized for some of the things that I do, but on the other hand, I donB次元官网网址檛 do these things on my own,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚 look at this as sort of a group award, but IB次元官网网址檓 sort of a figurehead.B次元官网网址�
Music Monday was a project Garry got on board with six years ago, when she organized a singalong in the school gym at David Cameron. Later, her school Skyped during the event with another in Sooke, and another year Colwood elementary students walked over to join in.
B次元官网网址淭hree years ago we were talking about how could we do something that was bigger than that,B次元官网网址� she recalls. B次元官网网址淚 had this idea, and we worked with Sandra Webster-Worthy at the district level, and we talked about busing students in B次元官网网址次元官网网址�
The combined effort led to the first mass arena event in 2014, which Garry calls B次元官网网址渁 bit of an experiment.B次元官网网址� It was broadened to include students playing instruments this year, and the hope is to expand it to middle and high school musicians next year, she says.
B次元官网网址淔or me, itB次元官网网址檚 kind of magical. Logistically itB次元官网网址檚 complicated, but once you get the busing and where kids are sitting figured out, itB次元官网网址檚 really fun.B次元官网网址�
Garry, a founding member of SD62B次元官网网址檚 Music Specialist Association, says sheB次元官网网址檚 been around teaching long enough to see ebbs and flows of funding for music in schools.
SheB次元官网网址檚 thrilled to be in the middle of an upswing of support, one that has the Sooke School District being recognized as leaders in the field of music education.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got nice solid programs in our high schools, weB次元官网网址檝e got solid programs in all levels now,B次元官网网址� she says, noting that for many people a love of music starts in early grade school. B次元官网网址淚 want kids to grow up with music being a piece of their life, whether they do it for fun, or play in a band or sing in a choir.B次元官网网址�
Chan, who has worked alongside Garry on several initiatives over the years, characterizes her as a mentor to her elementary counterparts and a person who thinks outside the box.
B次元官网网址淭he amount of material she comes in with to share is phenomenal,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 truly inspiring to watch.B次元官网网址�
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
