National Recognition for Music Education Program

Best Communities for Music Education
Posted on 05/05/2024
East Moriches School District Receives National Recognition for Music Education Program

East Moriches School District is one of 26 Suffolk County school districts to be honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation. Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the district 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.

"As Superintendent of Schools, I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact of music education on the students of East Moriches. It cultivates creativity, discipline, and teamwork, shaping well-rounded individuals ready to excel in any endeavor they pursue,” said Dean Mittleman, Superintendent of Schools. Receiving national recognition for Best Communities for Music Education is a testament to the dedication of our educators and the talent of our students. This designation not only validates our commitment to music education but also inspires us to further enhance our program, ensuring every student continues to benefit from the transformative power of music."

“Being able to provide an outlet for music exploration to our students is one of my greatest joys! Seeing the smiles on our students faces during class each day is so rewarding! Creating, performing, and listening to music during activities allows our students to expand their music skills and create a deep appreciation for and connection to the arts. Here at East Moriches we offer both music courses and clubs. The students and I are always so proud and excited to share what we have worked on in rehearsals with the community. Thank you to our community members for always supporting our music program, it means so much to the students, music faculty, and district!” Christa Ghosio, Choral Director and General Music Teacher K-8

“Music education is important because it makes me and other students happy. Being in chorus has helped me gain confidence and has helped me to make new friends. Without music I would be very sad! I really enjoy singing in our concerts and in other music events such as SCMEA and HMEA. Without music classes at school I would not be able to have those opportunities!” Natalee Gettling, 6th Grade music student and SCMEA music scholarship recipient.


Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: 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. In addition, everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than 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. East Moriches School District offers the following courses and clubs for elementary students: Chorus, General Music, Ukulele Club, and Percussion Club. The district also offers the following courses to middle school students: General Music, Chorus, Band, Jazz Band, Ukulele Club, and Select-Choir. Congratulations to all of our music students and music staff for their dedication and passion to music and the arts! A giant thank you to all community members who continue to support our music and arts program so we can provide many musical experiences for our students!