 April 29, 2006
•MENC Advocates for Increased Arts and Education Funding
MENC is again contacting Congress in response to proposed drastic cuts in federal education and arts funding. Current scenarios
would slash $4.2 billion from the 2006 Fiscal Year (FY06) Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill and is $7 billion
below FY05 levels. In concert with our education allies, MENC urged state affiliates to contact their Senators in support
of the Specter-Harkin amendment to the Budget Resolution, which restores those cuts by providing an additional $7 billion
over the current budget request. This action at both the national and state level resulted in overwhelming Senate passage,
with a final tally of 73-27 votes.
Despite grassroots efforts of MENC members around the country, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected an identical amendment
submitted by Rep. DeLauro (D-CT). As the budget resolution continues to move forward, MENC members will be asked to contact
members of Congress to elicit their support and reinforce MENC’s efforts for increased arts and education funding from
Capitol Hill.
April 27, 2006
•Photos from Salt Lake National Conference. - mainemmea.org/saltlake/
April 24, 2006
•District 3 Elementary Honors Chat - Meeting in the Virtual Board Room from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Click on the Executive
Board link and then click Live Chat on the right hand side.
April 20 - 23, 2006
•2006 National Conference - has provided attendees with incredible hospitality, musical groups and workshops/sessions.
The highlight was the concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Oak Ridge Boys and 2 representatives from each state
participating onstage in the final two numbers. Ed Judd and Barbara Packales were those lucky two who sang in front of 21,000
people.
April 19, 2006
•Salt Lake City National Leadership Assembly - Ed Judd, Barbara Packales and Faith Varney are attending the 2006
National Leadership Assembly and spending time representing Maine at Eastern Division meetings. Current discussion is surrounding
the budget for the Eastern Division Conference in 2007.
April 11, 2006
•Summer Camps and Opportunities - New link available from the MEMBERS SERVICES page.
May 19, 2006
•M.L.R. proposed revision for Visual and Performing Arts has been posted online for the public to see - at:
http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/review/vpa.html
1) PLEASE take the time to read the 6 items listed on the page before getting to item #7, the "Proposed Revised Standards".
2) Once you have done all this and thoroughly gone over it, it is very important to reserve some time to fill out the online
survey (item #8).
This will be a bit of a time consuming process, but it is VERY thorough and your information will be brought back to the committee
directly. There is room here for general feedback, specific line-by-line feedback and even a chance for you to offer a narrative
if you wish on every single item.
The deadline for viewing the site and completing the survey is May 31st... so time IS an issue here.
March 27, 2006
•New District V Website! - Look at the District Link to the left. Many thanks to Arnie Poland, Webmaster for his
work on this site.
March 23, 2006
•M.M.E.A. State Large Group Music Festival - Friday May 5th and Saturday May 6th,
Winslow High School,
20 Danielson Street,
Winslow, Maine 04901
Dear Music Educators,
It doesn’t seem possible but we are approaching the “coda” of this year and the “finale”
is in sight. I hope you have had a very successful and fulfilling year, and your students are at their peak as we move into
your showcase concerts for the end of the year.
With that in mind, it is a pleasure for me to host the State Large Group Music Festival again this year and provide an opportunity
for your groups to perform and to be evaluated. The festival will be on Friday, May 5th and Saturday, May 6th at Winslow
High School.
It has been exciting to see the success of this festival grow from year to year. In addition to the standard evaluation
form, we have been including a “rubric” for evaluating your group by the National Standards for Arts Education.
Each group will be allotted forty minutes with the judges, which includes your performance, sight-reading, and a clinic.
All groups will remain in the same room for the performance, sight-reading and clinic. (If you run long on your performance,
we will make it up from your clinic time to keep on schedule.) Sight-reading will be one level lower than the music level
you performed. (The Sight-reading for choirs is very basic and should not be a threat to any of your groups! Don’t
let it scare you away!)
The general rules are in the handbook, and my philosophy for this festival is that is should be student friendly educational
experience.
The application can be found on the left under Forms and Contracts. Please include the entrance fee or PO with the application
by Friday, April 7th. There are only so many slots available and the earlier I receive your application the better your chances
of receiving your preferred time slot.
If you have any questions, give me a call at 872-1990 or email me.
Brian Hutchinson
March 22, 2006
• Recognize your MMEA Members that are Retiring! - Please download and complete the Retired Recognition form from
the FORMS link at the left. Honor those that have given so much to our profession. Deadline is April 1.
• DEADLINE for BULLETIN is APRIL 1 - Articles and ads must be emailed on or before April 1 for the last issue of
the school year. Conference information will be in this issue as well as several intriguing articles. Don't be left out!
March 18, 2006
• Promote MENC's "Feed The Children" project http://www.menc.org/guides/wlc/tg06/learn.html in your area. Ask your Tri-M chapters to organize a fundraiser and make a contribution by the April 10, 2006 deadline. MENC
is really looking forward to presenting a check of over $1,000,000 to this worthy organization during the 2006 MENC National
Conference, and with your help, we are sure to meet that goal.
• MENC has been recruiting collegiate members to help staff The National Anthem Project Roadshow http://www.tnap.org/roadshow.html at tour stops near their school. Encourage chapters near future roadshow stops to call MENC and volunteer, and thank those
that have participated. This event is proving to be very productive in advocating music education and your MENC association.
• MENC salutes those student composers selected as state finalists in the 2006 BMI John Lennon Scholarship Program
- BMI will announce winners by mid-June. For more information about this scholarship, or to view the state finalists, see
the MENC web site, http://www.menc.org/networks/collegiate/bmi_finalists06.html.
March 18, 2006
• Summer Guitar Workshops for Music Teachers -
This summer a series of “Teaching Guitar in the Classroom” workshops will be offered at nine locations across
the country. Sponsored by MENC, NAMM, and GAMA, the week-long workshops are open to MENC in-service music teachers grades
4-12 who would like to begin a guitar class or expand an existing guitar program in their schools. Admission includes a FREE
guitar, 3 graduate credits, tuition and fees from Duquesne University, an assortment of guitar accessories, and guitar methods
books and music – a total estimated value of $1800 - all for just $100 plus lodging and travel costs. Visit http://www.guitaredunet.org/home.html for more information!
• 2006 NSBA Student Electronic Music Composition Talent search - Sponsored by MENC and the National School
Boards Association (NSBA), the Electronic Music Composition Talent Search recognizes outstanding compositions and is held
to help influence school administrators to include or improve music technology in their schools’ curriculum. Entries
are judged based on their aesthetic quality, effective use of electronic media, and the power of the composition and its presentation
in communicating to school board members, administrators, and others, the excitement and effectiveness of electronic music
composition in the school curriculum. Deadline: April 14, 2006. More details at: http://www.menc.org/contest/nsba/nsbamain.html
• March 17, 2006 MENC Member Update: News and Opportunities for Music Educators
March is Music In Our Schools Month - Visit http://www.menc.org/miosm ! Coming Up: April is Jazz Appreciation Month - Visit
http://www.menc.org/guides/jazz/jazzappreciation.html !
NATIONAL ANTHEM PROJECT - Watch NBC Nightly News Tonight (March 17)!
MORE NATIONAL ANTHEM PROJECT - Campaign Featured in the New York Times and on Weekend America
MENC MEMBER RESOURCE: GENERAL MUSIC TODAY
WORLD’S LARGEST CONCERT FOR FEED THE CHILDREN - Did Your School Participate?
INTERACT: March Question of the Month
2006 NATIONAL CONFERENCE: Research Poster Sessions
MEMBER OFFER: Special Values on Disney World® Summer Vacations
INTERACT: MENC’s March Mentors
ADVOCACY: March MusicFriends Newsletter
NEWS: “MENC Announces the 2005 Lowell Mason Fellows”
ADVOCACY TOOL: Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement
CLASSROOM RESOURCE: Cable in the Classroom Featuring Bruce Springsteen
ADVOCACY: Help Get “Why Music?” PSAs Played on Your Local Radio
MEMBER OFFER: March Specials
To view entire text go to: http://www.menc.org/memberupdate
March 17, 2006
• University of Maine at Farmington Workshop Offers
Anti-Discrimination Resources for Maine Educators - The University of Maine at Farmington Department of Psychology and
the UMF student group, the Alliance, is offering a Training of Teachers Workshop specifically designed for teachers, school
administrators, community leaders, and guidance counselors with the goal of raising sensitivity and decreasing hatred and
bias in all schools.
To register, download the registration form from the GLSEN website at
www.glsensouthernmaine.org/pages/calendar.htm or contact Kate Cutko at 207-666-3162, or cutko@gwi.net. The deadline for registration and payment is Monday, March 20.
• Music Education Champions Honored by MENC: The National Association for Music Education at 10th Annual FAME Dinner
- View online at http://www.menc.org/publication/press/releases/10thFAMEdinner.html
• MENC: The National Association for Music Education
Announces the 2005 Lowell Mason Fellows - Distinguished Individuals are Recipients of Prestigious Honor Named for Founder
of American Music Education. View online at www.menc.org/publication/press/releases/05LowellMasonPR.html
March 16, 2006
• GRADUATION STANDARDS FOR FINE ARTS - Recent reports that the Maine Legislature's Education Committee and Maine
Department of Education decided last Friday to eliminate graduation standards for science, social studies and visual and performing
arts are inaccurate. No such decision was discussed or made. A correction of the original article will be printed in the
Portland Press Herald on Thursday, March 16. (Statement prepared by Carol Trimble, Executive Director of the Maine Alliance
for Arts Education)
March 15, 2006
• VPA LEARNING RESULTS REVIEW IN FINAL STAGES - Today marked the final revision of the **NEW** (revised) state
standards in the Visual and Performing Arts. The National Consultant will make her final review over the next several days
and the draft may be available as early as next week for you to look at and respond to in a survey online. When the draft
document is posted, the link will be posted here for you to access it.
• The annual roster of summer training opportunities for educators in folk arts, folklore, and oral history has been
posted on CARTS.ORG. Link from the home page or go directly to carts.org/res_training.html.
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