SAN GABRIEL, CA – Roosevelt Elementary School joins 1 percent of schools across the United States to earn a 2017 SupportMusic Merit Award for bolstering young learners’ education with comprehensive music instruction that complements core curriculum.

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation recognized Roosevelt’s Music Immersion Experience (MIE) program, which ensures access to music instruction to all of its students for free.

“Over the course of the year, we’ve watched our students become more confident in their abilities and engaged in the classroom because of their involvement in MIE,” MIE Coordinator Samantha Theisen said. “We’re forever thankful to the District for its support of MIE and honored to be recognized for our music education efforts.”

San Gabriel Unified School District piloted the MIE program in 2015-16 among transitional kindergarten through third-grade students after bring inspired by Northwestern University research that discovered a positive link between music education and lifelong academic success. The program extended classes to include all Roosevelt students at the start of the 2016-17 school year.

“We believe music is a vital component of a well-rounded education and are thrilled to offer our students a comprehensive music immersion program aligned with core national education standards,” SGUSD Superintendent Dr. John Pappalardo said. “Congratulations to the teachers and staff who contributed to our award-winning music curriculum.”

The MIE program includes weekly classroom sessions that engage students in musical projects related to their studies in addition to after-school fundamental and elective music classes taught by trained music educators. Roosevelt fourth-graders recently performed a musical about the California Gold Rush as a complement to the California history curriculum.

“Congratulations to our students for demonstrating the benefits of music education every day and the impressive staff and faculty at Roosevelt who brought the vision for this comprehensive program to life,” SGUSD Board President Andrew Ammon said. “This award is well deserved and we hope it be the first of many for the Music Immersion Experience program.”

PHOTO CAPTION:

041217_SANGAB_MUSIC:= Roosevelt Elementary School’s Music Immersion Experience (MIE) program received a 2017 SupportMusic Merit Award from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation for its commitment to music education. The MIE program launched schoolwide in 2016-17.