The Explorer West Middle School community is very grateful to Kimm Stammen for sharing her many talents and hard work as the school’s interim music teacher over the last several months. She easily assimilated into the faculty team and worked tirelessly while also having a lot of fun with her peers and students. Through her efforts as a teacher and advisor, it was clear how much Kimm cared about making the most of the program and about each student.
Although her teaching duties ended when Aurora returned from leave last week, we wanted to recognize some of Kimm’s accomplishments:
Curriculum Highlights
- Introduced a new world music unit, Turkish music, to all grades. For this unit: she set up listening assignments and activities on a website for students to access from home; George Sadak came to the school for drumming workshops during classes, an assembly, and during their final concert; all 6th graders created their own middle Eastern-style drums in art class, which were used for one of their concert pieces.
- Arranged music and guided students in composition for the concert.
- Continued to work with small ensembles during lunches – an optional activity for students who wanted more opportunities to perform.
- Brought a wealth of talent and insight in teaching students how to be better musicians and ensemble members.
Implementing Fund-A-Need Budget
- Improved the soundproofing of the music room and recording studio.
- Purchased high quality new and used instruments – upright bass, trombone, baritone horn, baritone saxophone, three keyboards and several hand drums.
- Purchased a new sound system with several microphones that stays in the gym and can be easily set up for Explorer West events.
- Obtained a variety of gear, equipment, and storage systems for bigger instruments that don’t fit in the music lockers.
- Worked many weeks over the summer overseeing the soundproofing, getting the music room better organized, and searching for good deals on instruments.
We so appreciate all of these extras that Kimm brought to the music program! As we welcome back Aurora, we are so pleased for Kimm to continue to be part of our parent community.
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” – Plato
