NEWS BRIEFS FROM YOUR STATE MUSIC ASSOCIATIONS 

"Weekly Updates" is a coordinated effort by Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) and Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) to share a collection of timely news items that are relevant to both memberships while at the same time helping to limit the number of individual emails sent from each organization during Summer of 2020.


Wisconsin Music Educators Association


WMEA Joins Other State MEAs in NAfME Advocacy Webinar
NAfME has developed a series of Professional Learning Community webinars to deliver timely and targeted topics presented by experts during COVID-19. This format offers educators the opportunity to engage with webinar presenters live, as well as reference recordings at a later time. All webinars are free and open to the public.    

 

Wednesday, June 17 at 3 p.m. (CST)
State Advocacy: Success Stories and Best Practices from the States
NAfME's affiliated state associations have been successful in advocating for music education in their states. For this webinar, NAfME has invited some of those state associations, including WMEA, to share strategies, process of action and what's been learned. Sign up for the webinar and learn advocacy best practices from colleagues! Register here.
COVID-19 - Talking Points for Speaking With School Administrators
Given the upheaval caused by COVID-19, along with the uncertainty of what teaching and learning will look like for the 2020-21 school year, it is critically important to connect with school administrators regarding the importance of music education. On its web pages for advocacy resources, WMEA shares talking points to consider when discussing options for this fall. S chool administrators, like music teachers, are experiencing considerable stress as they work through this challenging situation. Being strategic in terms of timing and approach, and always keeping students at the center of these important discussions is key. Learn more here.


Wisconsin School Music Association


WSMA High School State Honors Virtual Camp
The first ever WSMA High School State Honors Virtual Camp begins this Saturday,  June 20. The Honors ensembles  will meet three times daily over Zoom and Google Meet with their conductors and section coaches to:
  • Engage in holistic lessons that incorporate several musical aspects of the programmed repertoire, such as history, theory, style, composition, text and culture.
  • Interact with composers and arrangers. 
  • Work with coaches and peers in daily sectionals that focus on technique and skill in a personalized setting. 
  • Respond and connect to concepts and other musicians (75%) + playing or singing (25%) = making lifelong memories at 100% of camp. 
Learn more about the WSMA State Honors Music Project here.


Professional Learning Workshops
WSMA is proud to present professional learning workshops in collaboration with WMEA.
Due to COVID-19, workshops will be hosted virtually for summer 2020.  Based on educator feedback, there are multiple workshops planned that address needs like technology, hip-hop curriculum, standards, advocacy, and there are a few more in the works. Check in each week at this link to view all the summer opportunities for Wisconsin music educators.

Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) is a non-profit service organization with member public and private schools. Students from member schools are eligible to participate in WSMA programs, such as District and State Music Festivals, Concert Festivals, State Honors Music Project, State Marching Band Championships and Student Composition Project. WSMA also owns and operates the Wisconsin Center for Music Education.

Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) is a membership association of music educators committed to providing quality music experiences for their students. Each year WMEA presents the Wisconsin State Music Conference (in collaboration with WSMA), leads advocacy for music education in Wisconsin, and offers professional development opportunities to support members. WMEA is the state affiliate of National Association for Music Education (NAfME) .