Bernards Township School District Nationally Recognized As Top For Music Education

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Bernards Township School District has been recognized by The NAMM Foundation with a 2026 Best Communities for Music Education Award.

The honor recognizes school districts and schools across the United States for support of music education and efforts to provide access to music learning as part of a well-rounded education.

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"We are incredibly honored to be recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education," said Michael Fackelman, District Performing Arts Administrator. "This achievement reflects the unwavering commitment of our music teachers, whose passion, talent, and dedication inspire students every day. It also speaks to the tremendous support of our families, Board of Education, and community members who understand the important role music plays in a child’s education. Together, we are creating opportunities for students to grow not only as musicians, but as confident, creative, and collaborative individuals."

In 2026, more than 1,000 school districts and schools, including public, private, charter and parochial institutions, were recognized for providing access to high-quality music education, according to the announcement.

Superintendent Nick Markarian added, "The students, staff, and families of our district who combine their passion for music to achieve nothing short of astounding results could not be more deserving of this recognition, and we thank the NAMM Foundation for it."

Recipients of the 2026 award were chosen through an application and review process that examined funding, instructional time, participation rates, facilities and community support, according to the announcement.

The applications were independently reviewed and verified by WolfBrown, a research and evaluation firm specializing in education and the arts.

The NAMM Foundation is the charitable arm of the National Association of Music Merchants and works to remove systemic barriers that limit access to music-making and career pathways in the music industry.

For more information about The NAMM Foundation, visit
nammfoundation.org.

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