BPS101's Music Education Program Receives National Recognition for the NINTH Time
Batavia Public School District’s Music Education Program Receives National Recognition for the NINTH Time
Batavia, IL – May 1, 2023 – The Batavia Public School District (BPS101) has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. BPS101 received this award in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. BPS101 is one of only 25 districts in Illinois to receive the designation this year.
Now in its 24th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, BPS101 answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and support for the music programs. Responses were then verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
“This remarkable achievement is a continued reminder of how BPS101 values music and its impact on our students and our community, says Dr. Lisa Hichens, Superintendent at BPS101. “We have the perfect combination of students who love music, amazing instructors, and a community that values well-rounded students.”
This award recognizes that BPS101 is leading the way with learning opportunities outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of a well-rounded education for all children.
“During my time in Batavia as a music teacher, I have witnessed students discover the joy of music and watched it bloom into a vital part of their being. We have music in Batavia because, for some of us, our connection to creating or consuming music defines our existence,” says Walt Zimmer, elementary music teacher at Louise White Elementary School. “This purpose and passion from staff, students, and community have made the Batavia Public Schools music program a nine-year consecutive recipient of the NAMM Foundation Best Communities In Music Education Award.”
Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students involved in music are more likely to graduate high school and also attend college. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically-trained children than those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to perceiving speech in a noisy background, paying attention, and keeping sounds in memory. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported partly by the National Association of Music Merchants, its 15,000 member companies, and individual professionals. The foundation advances active participation in music-making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.
