Livingston Among ‘Best Music Education’ School Districts: NAMM

LIVINGSTON, NJ — If you’re a music lover with a child in the Livingston Public School system, your young artist has a leg up on their peers, according to school officials. The district was recently named among the “best communities for music education” by the NAMM Foundation.

Livingston was among just 4 percent of districts across the nation to earn the award in 2017, school administrators said.

According to administrators, the NAMM’s “Best Communities Music Education” designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

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To qualify, Livingston answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas, Livingston administrators stated.

"We are very proud to receive this award, as it reaffirms our convictions that a strong music program goes hand in hand with a strong school district," said Mara Rubin, LPS supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts. "Receiving the NAMM Award validates our music teachers’ talents and passion, as well as the hard work of our students and the commitment of our community for music in our schools."

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Photo: Livingston Public Schools

Caption: Students performing with the All-Township Elementary School Band rehearse backstage of the township’s music festival