Southampton School District Earns Recognition For Its Music Program

The Southampton School District has been recognized as one of the best communities for music education by the National Association of Music Merchants, or NAMM, an organization that promotes music programs for people of all ages.Out of nearly 14,000 school districts across the United States, only 436 received the honor, and this was Southampton’s first time.“It was just a validation of what I already know,” said Nancy Caine, the arts program coordinator for the Southampton School District. “I know that sounds vain, but it’s really true. There’s some really amazing things happening.”When choosing which schools to recognize, NAMM looks at factors such as the district’s budgetary commitment to music, how much time is devoted to music instruction and whether students are given opportunities to attend live performances, just to name a few.Ms. Caine, who was hired almost 20 years ago and is in her first year as coordinator, said she is proud of the program. One component is a Suzuki-based violin program, in which parents come into the classroom to learn with their children.Another program that was recently launched by the music department is world drumming, which allows all students, regardless of musical experience, to learn how to drum using the palm of their hands.Throughout the year, students are given opportunities to attend live performances, which include going to the Stony Brook Staller Center to see the graduate orchestra perform and going to a Broadway play in the city.And according to Ms. Caine, the Board of Education fully supports musical education in the district.“We have board members whose kids are heavily involved in the programs here,” said Ms. Caine. “Never do we turn away a child because they don’t have an instrument. We will find a way to provide one.”Ms. Caine said 100 percent of the elementary school students participate in the music program in some fashion. Preschool children start singing right away; once they reach kindergarten, they can play stringed instruments, and they can take a band class when they reach fourth grade.At the intermediate school, where seventh- and eighth-graders are allowed to opt out of music to take art classes, almost 70 percent of the students continue to participate in the music program. In high school, 20 to 39 percent of the students stay in the music program, which can fulfill a state graduation requirement for credits in music or fine arts.Corrina Bollermann, who teaches strings to kids in grades kindergarten through six, said it is really nice to be recognized and that the department has been fortunate to have funding for its programs even though the School Board is faced with tight budgets year after year.Ms. Caine said that over the years, many students have received awards and principal chairs at All-County music festivals. The students are also given opportunities to participate in outside organizations like the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and the Juilliard Pre-College program. Along with that, she said, many students continue to pursue majors in music, and some have even been accepted to schools like Ms. Caine’s alma mater, the Eastman School of Music, as well as Northwestern and Juilliard.