President's Message - Patrick O'Keefe

As we reach the one year mark since the pandemic first started impacting our school routine last March, it is remarkable to reflect on all that has changed with regards to our profession and function. As music educators, we may have been impacted most of all, as our classrooms hinge on working together, ensemble mentality and a culture of togetherness - all things that were stripped away with remote learning. However, while so many aspects of our “normal” can not be replicated in a virtual or hybrid setting, it has been inspiring to witness the reimagination of what our classrooms can be as educators throughout the state strive to continue fostering the relationships with their students in ever-changing circumstances. In one short year we have been forced to become fluent in a language of technology, programs we never would have anticipated relying on a year ago. On behalf of the organization, I commend and thank you all for continuing to share ideas and collaborate. In some ways our network of teachers has never been so strong, despite being a partial product of survival, by constantly offering ideas, best practices or resources.

Since the start of the 2021 calendar year, we have seen a variety of professional development opportunities come about as NJMEA has also had to adapt to virtual settings. Thank you to Susan Meuse, Diana May, Andrew Lesser, Wayne Mallette, Amy Burns and Hope Knight for hosting and moderating our January Roundtable Series, and additionally to all that attended to take part in the discussions. Hopefully by the time of this Tempo’s receipt you will have taken advantage of our 2021 Virtual Professional Development Conference. While we missed seeing everyone in Atlantic City, we were able to put forward a robust offering of topics that for the first time we can say will be available to view until the end of the school year. Never before has a conference attendee been able to take advantage of this volume of professional development, so thank you to Marie Malara and her team for planning and facilitating, Jim Frankel for so much work and guidance in shifting the conference to a virtual setting, and Debbie Sfraga for her efforts in the area of communication, registration and logistics.

Additionally, I encourage you to utilize some of the lesson ideas included in this issue of Tempo. Thanks also to those that contributed. In looking to plan for the remaining school year, it is of great benefit to see what colleagues throughout the state are doing, and brainstorming ways to adapt those strategies for similar situations. Your creativity and willingness to share is appreciated.

Also included in this issue is information on some upcoming changes that will require a membership vote, which will follow this publication. First, as current president elect Lisa Vartanian prepares to assume her role as president in June, we must look to who will next fill that role. To this end, information on candidate for President -Elect, Mr. Wayne Mallette, is included. We will also be faced with the transition to a new Executive Director. While the role remains the same in many ways, the change in title from executive secretary treasurer also requires membership approval. We look forward to highlighting the decades of work

of outgoing executive, Debbie Sfraga, in our next issue, and thank her for her decades of service and leadership as a part of NJMEA.

As I mentioned in the last Tempo, the collaboration with our Eastern Division has continued virtually in communications with the NEB and NAfME. A reminder that another virtual professional development opportunity is being hosted by the Eastern Division and will take place on April 22 - 24. Continue to stay tuned to our social media for updates and communications regarding this conference.

On behalf of NJMEA, thank you again for all you are doing for your students and communities. Though there may be more of a light at the end of the tunnel, new challenges continue to face us every day. Please reach out to any board member, or myself (patrickaokeefe@gmail.com), if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions.

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