Fall 2024 Triad President Notes

ENGAGE!.....Okay, so if you made it through the Star Trek TNG reference without too much eye-rolling, please keep reading because “ENGAGE” is the perfect word right now! You have begun engaging your students in meaningful musical pursuits; you have engaged with colleagues to continue to improve your craft; and now is the best time to engage with YOUR professional music education association as you continue those pursuits of sharing music with your students and continually growing as a music educator. OMEA is largely a volunteer-based organization, so member engagement is paramount to our success. Remember…WE ARE OMEA!

Involvement in OMEA has been (and can be for you) one of the best ways to navigate our increasingly tricky profession, overcome our challenges in and out of the classroom and secure longevity in this field that we all entered because we share this core belief: Teaching music to children is vital in a well-rounded education.

There are many ways to become more involved:

Participate in Adjudicated Events: Thanks to the hard work of AE Chair, Scott Eversdyke; Director of Adjudications, Bill Thomas; Director of Materials and Awards, Dane Newlove;Director of Technology, Nicholas Turon and and our fabulous Adjudicated Events Committee, our adjudicated events are better than ever! There is an option to suit every soloist, ensemble and large group. With many new initiatives, you have the flexibility to tailor our adjudicated events to meet the needs of your students wherever they may be in their musical journey. Check out all the options at https://www.omea-ohio.org/ae_general_information.php

Become an Adjudicator: We are a peer-adjudicated association, in other words, teachers helping teachers become better teachers! When I became an adjudicator, I quickly discovered that it was the best PD to improve my own teaching. Listening to other groups and providing meaningful feedback caused me to reflect on my own teaching and improve my own craft. With our ever-changing pool of adjudicators, there is ALWAYS a need for new, qualified teachers to provide this important service. Check out the process here: https://omea-ohio.org/new_adjudicator_application.php

Get Involved in your OMEA District or Region: All 17 OMEA Districts and Regions have a multitude of events. Attend the district meeting to network with your colleagues, recommend students for district and region honor ensembles, attend a live or virtual workshop. There are so many ways to be involved.

On July 11, the OMEA Trustees hosted our first OMEA Leadership Retreat since before C%&#$D! Nearly 40 attendees from 14 districts attended the one-day event to learn more about OMEA leadership possibilities (and received contact hours as well!) If you are interested in becoming a leader, please keep an eye out for this event in the future. I want to thank my fellow Trustees Dan Ruckman, Immediate Past President; BethAnn Hepburn, President-Elect; Stephanie Bonitz, State Secretary; Tim Hoagland, State Treasurer and Hilary Patriok, Editor of Triad. These professionals work tirelessly on behalf of our membership to continually improve and grow our association and the music education profession. RIGHT NOW, your district and region nominating committee is considering possible candidates to be the next leaders in our association. Consider running for a district or region office! Contact your district president or region chair for more information and let them know that you may be interested in a leadership position. You can also fill out the leadership nomination form on the homepage of the website.

Attend the PDC: The 2025 OMEA Professional Development Conference will be held February 6-8, 2025 in the newly-renovated Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland. Did you know that we host one of the largest Professional Development Conferences in the nation?!? Executive Director, Jay Wardeska; Director of Professional Development, Mark Hensler and Director of Business and Trade Show Operations, Bill Wittman have begun the work to make this conference one of our best ever! The line-up of performances and clinics is world-class! You do not want to miss it! There are so many ways to make OMEA a part of your professional life. Remember, our association will only be what WE make of it. WE ARE OMEA! Have a great school year, everyone!