Michelle Lambert, the district supervisor for fine and performing arts, oversaw another stellar year in the Bloomfield School District.
The school district of Bloomfield has been recognized, for the fourth consecutive year, by the NAMM Foundation, which is the charitable arm of the National Association of Music Merchants, the global trade association for the music products industry.
The string of accolades began under the former supervisor of fine and performing arts, Jen Khoury, and has continued under the present supervisor, Michelle Lambert. Khoury is currently the director of systems, communication and IT.
The award is national recognition for excellence in music education, grades K-12. According to Lambert, there is a lot of music education in the Bloomfield school district. Previous to her current position, she was the Bloomfield High School chorus director for 16 years.
Grades K-6 receive general music education once a week. In fifth grade, pupils can begin practice with a band or orchestra instrument or join a chorus.
“For the band, a student can study woodwinds, brass and percussion,” Lambert said. “Students interested in performing in an orchestra study string instruments.”
She said students double-up all the time to learn an instrument and also sing.
“In elementary school, there’s no set time for studying music,” she said. “They can do it during their ‘flex’ time or recess.”
Once the kids get to middle school, horizons broaden. They can continue with the band or orchestra; piano, guitar and music technology is introduced.
In high school, piano and music theory are offered but guitar is not an option, band and orchestra continues and music technology becomes more intensive with music tech students recording and creating music using computers.
Public band and orchestra performances are scheduled for students. In elementary, middle and high schools, there are two annual performances.
In the middle and high schools, an extra-curricular string ensemble is offered. As for the bands, in middle and high schools, there are jazz and marching bands. As for singing in the high school, there is the polished Madrigal choir as well as a pop acapella group.
“At least 51 percent of our middle school students participate in a music program,” Lambert said. “And at least 21 percent, at the high school level, are enrolled in a music class.”
Acknowledging the decreased student participation, from middle to high school, Lambert said in high school, there is more from which to choose.
“There are many more electives in high school,” she said. “With time and schedules, the kids don’t get as many electives as they may want.”
Music does not rest a beat for summer vacation.
The Summer Arts Workshop is open to students in fifth to 12th grades. A fee is charged. Offered are band, orchestra, musical theater, and visual arts.
To be considered for the NAMM award, an application/survey has to be submitted.
The teacher quality is also considered.
The district has 17 full time, certified music teachers. Community support, measured by public attendance at music events, is considered. Also considered is community funding.
Figuring considerably here is the Bloomfield Music Parents Association which raised funds for the middle and high schools.
Public performances outside the district are acknowledged, too. The middle school performs in “Music in the Park,” a competition at Dorney Park, near Philadelphia.
“It’s not really a competition against other schools,” Lambert said, “but the performance is rated and we’re usually rated superior.”
The high school groups are also entered into “adjudications’ or judgements sponsored by the NJ Schools Music Association, Lambert said.
“This year, we went to Disney World and did a workshop,” she said. “They learned new music and the results were put into segments of ‘The Lion King’ and a copy given to the teacher.”
Lambert said the marching band, which performed at football halftimes, this year moved into a higher-rated competition class.
“We moved from class A to the open class,” she said. “If you win for so many years in a row, you get promoted. It’s a musically more comprehensive show. Props are involved. It’s much more competitive. It becomes more of a stage production.”
For all its glory, Lambert credits the dedication of the staff and students. She said the students know they’ll be supported by their teachers, the community and each other. And then remembering something, she added that several individual students were recognized, regionally and statewide, for their music
excellence.
“It’s the culture we’ve created,” she said.
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