Port Washington Schools Music Program Earns National Recognition

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — The Port Washington School District earned a Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education for the ninth straight year, the school district announced.

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, Port Washington 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 by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

"Music education is an integral part of our district's commitment to providing a well-rounded education for our students," Dr. Michael Hynes, superintendent, said in a news release. "We believe that music not only enriches their lives but also enhances their cognitive, emotional, and social development. Receiving this designation demonstrates our dedication to providing high-quality instruction and opportunities for our students to explore their musical interests and talents. We are excited about the potential this has to further elevate our program and inspire even more students to pursue their passion for music."

Since the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) passed in 2015 and emphasized a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs.

During the coronavirus pandemic, music and arts programs were a vital component to keeping students engaged in school, the school district stated. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research shows the grants are being widely used by school districts to address instructional gaps in access to music and arts education.

"Receiving this award for the ninth consecutive year is an incredible honor and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and community," said Kevin Scully, director of Creative Arts. "It is a recognition of the importance of music education and the impact it can have on the lives of our students. We are committed to continuing to provide our students with the highest quality music education possible and to inspire them to pursue their passion for music. This award is a motivation for us to continue to strive for excellence in all that we do."

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music, according to the school district. 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 who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school but also to attend college as well. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training, the district wrote.

Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, people who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound; young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers, the district stated. Social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.