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Do you love music?  Do you want to help all Oregon students access quality music education at their school, no matter where they live?  Then you've come to the right place!

This page is all about helping parents, music teachers, school administrators, and other community members who want to improve student access to serious, sustained, sequential, music education in Oregon Schools.

The resources you're find here are compiled, created, and maintained by the Oregon Music Education Association, a nonprofit educational association whose purpose is to provide professional development for music educators and opportunities for music students in Oregon. The curation of this site is under the supervision of the OMEA Advocacy Committee, convened in 2012. The Advocacy Committee invites you to keep in touch by writing to oregonmusicadvocacy@gmail.com, and by visiting the OMEA home page: https://www.oregonmusic.org/.  Please consider becoming a member of OMEA — it's not just for music teachers.  Anyone can join!

Please bookmark this music advocacy page today, and share with a friend who thinks it's awesome when Oregon students learn music!

OMEA Advocacy Home Page (this page)
https://padlet.com/oregonmusicadvocacy/k89hv2dy9syu

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Oregon Music Educators Association is a non-profit 501c3 organization comprised of approximately 900 members who are dedicated to the music education of Oregonians of all ages. The majority of our members teach in K-12 school, colleges, and universities.

OMEA is a state chapter of the National Association for Music Education, which is one of the world’s largest arts education organizations, and the only association that addresses all aspects of music education.

Individuals will become OMEA members automatically when they join NAfME as an individual, collegiate student of music education, or retired member.

Businesses, educational institutions, and friends of music education may also become members of OMEA in the Sustaining Member category.

The benefits of OMEA/NAfME Individual Membership are many:

• Receive professional Journals from NAfME and OMEA
• Enjoy discounted annual OMEA State Conference registration
• May enroll students in All-State and All-NW honor group auditions
• May enroll school performing groups in local OMEA-sponsored festivals
• Are invited to submit proposals for OMEA State Conference sessions or performances
• May join OMEA elementary/general music mentoring program (contact mari_schay@ddsd40.org to join)
• May join the OMEA Advocacy Committee to participate in projects that influence state education funding and policy as well as support local efforts to protect and grow quality music education in Oregon schools
• May participate in annual OMEA award nominations

Read more about individual and collegiate student membership here.
Register here. (Requires creating a free username with NAfME first.)

Read more about becoming a Sustaining Member here.

Questions about membership? Contact OMEA Membership Chair, Stephen Fulks: stephen.fulks@nsantiam.k12.or.us

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OMEA Elementary General Music Mentoring Program

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OMEA Elementary General Music Mentoring Program

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Are you a music educator looking to improve your work with elementary/general music students?  Are you a music teacher with a desire to support other educators in their pursuit of excellence?  Then look no further than the OMEA Elementary/General Music Mentoring Program.

Please contact OMEA General Music Chair, Mari Schay, at mari_schay@ddsd40.org to let her know of your interest and she'll pair you with a mentor/mentee according to your request. (Must be an OMEA member to apply.)

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Content Standards for Music in Oregon Schools

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Content Standards for Music in Oregon Schools

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What should music students be expected to know and be able to do as they progress from one grade level to the next in music class?  You're about to find out!

In September 2015, Oregon adopted new Arts standards based on the National Core Arts Standards, and music now has discipline-specific standards identified. Here's a link to the Oregon Department of Education Arts standards page where you can learn more:

http://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/standards/arts/Pages/default.aspx

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Oregon Department of Education : The Arts : The Arts : State of Oregon

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Check out all that the Oregon Music Education Association has to offer music students and teachers in our state!

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Music Educators in Oregon, music events, musical educational events, OMEA conference, musical solo contests, Oregon music auditions, MENC, Oregon Music Education Association, NAfME, National Association of Music Educators

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National Association for Music Education (NAfME)

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National Association for Music Education (NAfME)

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https://nafme.org/

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Music is specifically enumerated in the Every Student Succeeds Act as an essential part of a well-rounded education.  Here is a website with ESSA links and resources:
https://padlet.com/oregonmusicadvocacy/rwhonjeebziz

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The Oregon Student Music Access Project (OSMAP) is a new study on the accessibility of quality music instruction to Oregon students. Initiated by the Oregon Music Education Association (OMEA), the project involves analysis of student enrollment compared with certified music instructor staffing for general music, band, choir, and orchestra/strings at Oregon schools. Data collection began in 2014 and will conclude in November, 2015, with the final report expected in January, 2016. The results of the report will celebrate areas of strength in Oregon’s school music programs and offer actionable guidance to stakeholders for remedying inequities where they exist. The OMEA is actively recruiting volunteers to assist with data collection. For more information please visit the OSMAP website:
https://padlet.com/oregonmusicadvocacy/g7qnbfdzinfm

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https://padlet.com/oregonmusicadvocacy/qg1mlh0qc8ha
This link is for OMEA members only. Please contact oregonmusicadvocacy@gmail.com to gain access.

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Please "Like our public Facebook page and follow along with events and announcements from the Oregon music advocacy community!
https://www.facebook.com/Oregon-Music-Advocacy-272568572778463/

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Program Standards for Music in Oregon Schools

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Program Standards for Music in Oregon Schools

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This document serves as a partner to the Oregon Content Standards for Music. Developed by the Oregon Music Education Associaton in 2010 and updated in 2016, the Program Standards offer guidelines for music educators, administrators, and other stakeholders working to build successful programs — everything from recommended course offerings, staffing & scheduling, materials/facilities/ equipment, to concerts & educational travel.  Includes references to relevant state and national laws as well as supporting materials from the National Association for Music Education.

https://www.oregonmusic.org/files/files/Program%20Standards%20for%20Music%20in%20Oregon%20Schools%20%5Bworking%20final%5D%20-%20Google%20Docs3.pdf

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Are you looking for advice on where to start building or protecting the music program in your school or district?  Oregon Music Education Association offers free coaching from experienced advocates to anyone willing to reach out and take a stand.  Write to one or all of us and we'll get back to you within 24-hours.

Carolyn Talarr, Advocacy Coach
owlsgarden@frontier.com

DeLee Brown, Advocacy Coach
brown_delee@salkeiz.k12.or.us

Dijana Ihas, Advocacy Coach
dihas@pacificu.edu

Tracy Ross, Advocacy Coach
ross@4j.lane.edu

Andie Andeen, Advocacy Committee Co-Chair

andeen_andie@salkeiz.k12.or.us

Jennifer Mohr Colett, Advocacy Committee Co-Chair
oregonmusicadvocacy@gmail.com

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OMEA Advocacy Coaches: An Introduction

Oregon Music Education Association offers free advocacy consultation & support for teachers, parents, and community members working to save their school music programs or proactively build their local music coalition.  Consultation is provided by a team of experienced Advocacy Coaches.  One does not need to be a member of OMEA to access our services.  No question is too big or small—please call on us for friendly advice on topics from A to Z: developing and promoting your program, scheduling, staffing, grassroots outreach, coalition-building and consensus-building, media relations, administrative strategies, and policy-development.

Our team stands ready to listen closely to your needs and help you make your efforts as effective as possible. Please don't hesitate to reach out to individual coaches or to the group as a whole.  There is no time like the present to begin!  Let’s advocate for what we know all our students deserve and have a great time doing it together.

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Tracy Ross is the Assistant Principal at Sheldon High School in the Eugene 4J School District.  She has been teaching music in Oregon for 18 years with past positions as Music Coordinator for Eugene School District, Band Director for Sheldon High School (6A) and Meadowview School (5th-8th Band), as well as K-5 Music and 6-12 Band for Harrisburg School District.  Tracy served on the OMEA Board for 15 years as District 12 Chair, then OMEA Treasurer.

"As a career music educator in Oregon public schools and a former OMEA Executive Board member, I have extensive background with the music education landscape in this region and look forward to supporting you in achieving your advocacy goals.  My background in advocacy has developed over time in Eugene.  Years ago, Eugene was a leader in Oregon for the quality of their music programs but, due to accumulating cuts (including a major cut in 2010), general music, strings, and choir programs became patchy across the district and some schools ended up with no music at all.  I have made it my mission to rebuild the music program in Eugene.  When I became Music Coordinator in 2012, I documented a 5-year vision as requested by the secondary director and superintendent.  I then spent two years developing grassroots support with the music teachers, community, and parents in Eugene.  Last June, we presented to the school board and secured their support to move forward with our vision as funding becomes available.  Together, we have initiated the structure for music to re-invent itself in Eugene.  Some of the strategies we’ve been working with can be used in other districts, and I’d love to show you how!”

ross@4j.lane.edu

Dijana Ihas is Associate Professor of Music Education at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.  Prior to her position at Pacific, she taught general music, strings, and choir in elementary, middle and high schools in California, Arizona, and Oregon (including Salem-Keizer School District) for seven years. Hundreds of students of all ages (and their parents) have entrusted Dijana with their music education, and she applies the same great care and dedication to her work with future music teachers at the university.

"My approach to advocacy for music education in schools is based on providing audiences with insights in the “whole-child” educational theory of Johan Pestalozzi and the Humanistic Theory of Abraham Maslow.  Both of these theories hold rich and powerful justifications for why music is good for people.  I also talk about the music education philosophies of Bennett Reimer and David Elliott because they provide a grounding in why arts and music are not only good for people, but are necessary if people are to experience life as more than just existing for basic biological needs.  My advocacy sessions are infused with narrative and video clips of performances of the Sarajevo String Quartet during the Bosnian War (1992-1995) as a vivid and emotionally powerful example of what the aforementioned theories are advocating for.  Recent educational policies such as Goals 2000: Educate America Act and Obama’s Race to the Top are affecting music and arts programs in American schools, but I believe we can use them to our advantage.  I am passionate about the motto Music for Every Child, Every Child for Music, and would like to do my part to make this motto a reality."

dihas@pacificu.edu

DeLee Brown holds a degree in Vocal Music Education from the University of Arizona and a graduate degree in Educational Administration from Concordia University.  DeLee has been a music educator for over 23 years, beginning in Georgia and Arizona.  She currently teaches general music and choir at Kalapuya Elementary School where she also serves as the instructional coach for the school.  DeLee organizes the curriculum and professional development for Elementary General Music teachers in the Salem-Keizer School District.  She is the Co-Artistic Director of the Willamette Girlchoir located in Salem, OR, and is actively involved in the OMEA, currently serving as the Elementary co-chair of District IV.
DeLee joined the OMEA Advocacy Committee in 2015.  In 2017, DeLee co-presented a session at the OMEA State Conference entitled Practical Tools for Music Advocacy, which included an update on the Every Student Succeeds Act, information about the NAfME Opportunity to Learn Standards, and tips for how to talk with administrators about making improvements to school music programs.  Fellow advocates will find great value in her understanding of policy and school leadership / administration, as well as her perspective from teaching and successfully advocating in a variety of situations.

brown_delee@salkeiz.k12.or.us

Carolyn Talarr co-founded Beaverton Friends of Music (BFoM) with a group of parents, students, teachers, and community members in 2012 as her daughter was then attending Southridge High School.  Carolyn studied piano seriously through her teens, and music has remained a big part of her life.  She has multiple graduate degrees, professional experience and publications in dramaturgy, community organizing, and education research.  Her strategic thinking, writing prowess, negotiating skills, and sheer passion and energy for the work of music education advocacy have been essential to BFoM's landmark successes since its inception. In recent years, she has extended advocacy coaching to parents in other districts in the Portland Metro area. She became an Honorary Sustaining Member of OMEA by appointment in 2015 and is now an active member.  Carolyn currently works as the Community Programs Coordinator for Portland Youth Philharmonic; in this capacity she has built relationships with band and orchestra directors in the region, and PYP’s advocacy objectives have developed significantly because of her work. Taking her experience on the road at a national level last year, Carolyn co-presented a session called "Partnering for Successful Advocacy" at NAfME National Conference in November, 2017.

owlsgarden@frontier.com

Andie Andeen works for the Salem-Keizer school district, where she has worked with students across the K-12 spectrum. This year she is serving as Program Assistant for the music program.

"During my first year with Salem-Keizer (2002-2003) I became involved in a successful campaign to protect our elementary instrumental program from proposed budgets cuts. This included notes to community members, participation in rallies, and taking an active part in school board meetings. More recently I advocated on behalf of our K-12 music program during a looming district-wide Reduction in Force. Having chosen Salem-Keizer twice – once after college and again following graduate school in Ohio – I am proud to be part of a district that values music education and to work with colleagues who understand grassroots support requires consistent performance quality and community education. It is not enough to simply assert that every child deserves access to a strong and rigorous music education; each community member (parent, administrator, pre-service teacher, etc.) deserves to understand why such access is a human right."

andeen_andie@salkeiz.k12.or.edu

Jennifer Mohr Colett has taught music in Oregon for 18 years, including nine years in the Beaverton School District, where she currently teaches general music at Fir Grove Elementary.  A co-founder of the Beaverton Friends of Music advocacy coalition, Jennifer also serves as Advocacy Chair for the OMEA and Oregon’s delegate to the NAfME Advocacy Leadership Force.

"As a native Oregonian and a graduate of Oregon public schools, my passion for music advocacy is grounded in a sense of solidarity with our local communities.  A complete education that includes music as a core subject in our schools is key to our quality of life, both now and in the future.  To that end, I am focused on actively developing projects that foster equitable access to high quality music education for all students in Oregon.  My recent experiences advocating for music in Beaverton have introduced me to many concepts and techniques, particularly in the areas of public engagement and policy development, that can lead to better advocacy outcomes.  When you call on the OMEA Advocacy Coaches for consultation, I promise that you will find a responsive team of good listeners who truly care and who are committed to your long-term success.”

oregonmusicadvocacy@gmail.com