Keith Valley Middle School Receives National Recognition

Horsham, PA---Horsham’s Keith Valley Middle School has been honored with the SupportMusic Merit Award from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.

The SupportMusic Merit Award recognizes individual schools that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the SupportMusic Merit Award, Keith Valley Middle School’s music educators Mindy Rubinlicht, Meghan May, Jim Verdeur and Erin Antioquia participated in a detailed survey of questions about funding, graduation requirements, as well as observation of music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music-making programs, Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“We are so proud of our performing arts groups at Keith Valley. The Hatboro-Horsham School District has a rich history in supporting music education and we are proud to share this award with our district and with the communities of Hatboro and Horsham,” said Jonathan Kircher, KVMS Principal. “The music programs at KV provide great opportunities for all students at KV today and will continue in the future.”

This award recognizes that Keith Valley Middle School is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation guides policy implementation in the states and replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which was often criticized for an overemphasis on testing-while leaving behind subjects such as music. ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of a well-rounded education for all children.

“Music programming has afforded the children in our school an opportunity to explore their interests and develop strong social emotional relationships with one another. The connections students have to the staff and one another is a testament to the nurturing and collaborative environment of the music program.”- Mindy Rubinlicht, General Music and Vocal Music

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. After two years of music education, research found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores that 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 that in those without music training. 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, individuals 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. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

A 2015 study supported by The NAMM Foundation, “Striking A Chord,” also outlines the overwhelming desire by teachers and parents for music education opportunities for all children as part of the school curriculum.

About Keith Valley Middle School

Keith Valley Middle School serves students in grades 6 – 8 in the communities of Hatboro and Horsham. Students participate in a comprehensive course of studies in all subject areas, as well as exploratory areas in the fine arts, technology and physical education. The school motto is KV Sets the PACE! PACE is an acronym for Personal, Academic and Civic Excellence.

About The NAMM Foundation

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,400 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.

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