President’sColumn

Northwest Convention. Northwest will be held in Bellevue less then a month after our state conference. Our State conference might have an impact, but it doesn’t have to. The in Oregon. Your concerns are valid. My premise is that gathering once or twice a year at our conferences is one solution to the problem. We need to meet with our colleagues from Oregon and other states in the Northwest. Many people are putting in unbelievable hours and expense to provide you with the best professional experiences possible. In addition, and bluntly put, our very existence as an organization depends on your support and attendance. board has discussed this at length and we agree that the positives of a yearly conference are worth the risk. I would hope that, as a professional, you will see the value of attending both events. It is also important to note that if your students are participating, you are expected to attend.

As I re-read this article, I sense that I am lecturing. I am! That’s because I am a listener. I have listened and listened to the concerns you have about the state of music education

Tom Muller is planning the OMEA Conference in January, and it is shaping up to be something very special. I would like to encourage you all to plan ahead and carve out the time and funds necessary to support your professional organization, your students, and your colleagues by attending it as well as the MENC Northwest Convention in Bellevue in February.