SAN GABRIEL, CA – San Gabriel Unified’s Roosevelt Elementary will highlight its award-winning Music Immersion Experience (MIE) program, which has boosted enrollment and student engagement, at the seventh annual California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC).

MIE coordinator Samantha Theisen and District teacher on special assignment Jennifer Trujillo will give an overview of the comprehensive music education program and present data on its success at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16 in San Jose.

“Over the course of my 25-year career as a music educator, I realized that music education in California is considered a luxury rather than a core curricular subject,” Theisen said. “When I came to San Gabriel Unified, they shared my belief that music is for all students. I love that we can share the great things happening with MIE because it is a step toward inspiring others.”

Theisen and Trujillo will be accompanied by SGUSD Superintendent Dr. John Pappalardo, Board Member Dr. Gary Thomas Scott, Roosevelt Principal Cheryl Labanaro Wilson and District music teachers.

Formed in 2015, the MIE program offers more than a dozen courses that enhance overall student learning and achievement through music education.

Roosevelt’s CASMEC presentation, “Every Day for Every Student –What we’ve learned about the power of music education through the Music Immersion Experience Program,” will discuss music education as a core academic subject and explain how the program is integrated into daily academic life.

The presentation will also highlight findings from a program evaluation conducted at the end of 2017, which includes student, parent and staff surveys, data from attendance rates and school enrollment. Responses from the student survey showed that 70 percent of students had an increased desire to go to school because of MIE.

The evaluation also showed that enrollment increased by six percent for the 2017-18 year, and California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress test scores in English Language Arts improved by 16 percentage points for third- through fifth-grades in 2017.

“This conference is a wonderful opportunity for our talented and dedicated staff to share publicly what we have learned and gained by providing a no-cost music education to 100 percent of our students, every day,” Labanaro Wilson said.

CASMEC will run from Thursday, Feb. 15 to Sunday, Feb. 18 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. The conference will feature concerts and performances, as well as professional development clinics presented by acclaimed leaders in the music profession.

“Roosevelt’s opportunity to feature the Music Immersion Experience at CASMEC is a testament to the District’s dedication to ensuring each student has access to a high-quality education,” Superintendent Dr. John Pappalardo said. “We are so proud of the individuals who have made MIE a tremendous success and we look forward to many more successes through this program.”