Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District has been honored with the prestigious 2024 Best Communities for Music Education Award by the NAMM Foundation. The district is one of 975 school districts nationally to be recognized.

According to NAMM, the schools and communities recognized with the award demonstrate a commitment to ensuring music learning opportunities are available for every student and provide an example for other communities to follow.

“We are honored and beyond excited about being selected to receive the NAMM 2024 Best Communities for Music Education Award,” Supervisor of Fine and Performing Arts Dr. Katherine Sinsabaugh said. “This award highlights all the amazing work our music teachers do in our schools with our students. It acknowledges how our teachers spread the love of music in our community, and it’s also reflective of our whole community’s support of our fine and performing arts programing.”

Now in its 25th year, the designation is awarded to school districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students. According to the organization, the award program recognizes the collective efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have been instrumental in making music part of a well-rounded education for every child.

Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education. To qualify for the designation, the district submitted an application that included information about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and support for the music program and community music-making programs. The program applauded the district for its unwavering commitment to creating an environment where each child can participate in quality, robust music making.

Date Added: 4/5/2024

Second graders at King Street School took on the roles of engineers to design and build their own playgrounds. Under the guidance of teacher Anthony Travaglini, they have been fully immersed in the innovative STEAM project.

Having learned about engineering and the design process, as well as how simple machines are used in playgrounds, the students discussed their importance and applications to this project. Equipped with a small paper tray, construction paper, pipe cleaners, foil, paper tubes and masking tape, the second graders collaborated in groups to create a full playground with different types of fixtures. Each student was tasked with creating one fixture for their playground that was both safe and fun for students to play on.

“This is where the fun began as students had to figure out how to take their designs from a sketch on paper to an actual physical model,” Travaglini said. “The students designed some really interesting and creative fixtures – slides, ball pits, swings, foam pools, soccer fields, water slides, you name it, they created it.”

Travaglini said the project-based activity allowed students to take agency and ownership in their learning while being creative and having some fun.

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Date Added: 3/1/2024

Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District kindergartners reached an exciting milestone with the 100th day of school on Feb. 15. They celebrated by using the number 100 in a variety of hands-on activities to commemorate how much they have learned since September.

Throughout the day, the students stacked 100 cups, made illustrations and self-portraits, and used different colors to chart 100 dots, among other things. During one kindergarten class at King Street Elementary School, the students used brown paper bags, cotton balls and markers to create a portrait of what they thought they’d look like as a 100-year-old person. In other classes, the students dressed as centenarians and donned eyeglasses and white hair, wore suspenders and leaned on walking canes.

The activities, which were centered around the number 100, served as creative ways to get the students invested in the day and encourage them to continue to learn and grow while having fun.

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Date Added: 2/28/2024

As part of an after-school enrichment program at each of the elementary schools in the Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District, students are learning different languages.

During a recent lesson, King Street Elementary School students created masks to celebrate the annual Italian festival Carnevale, which is known for its elaborate costumes and masks. The experience provided the students with exposure to the Italian language and culture.

The program enables students to engage in a new language, such as French, Italian or Spanish, and learn about different cultures while working with their future teachers. The lessons are taught by middle and high school teachers.

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Date Added: 2/27/2024

King Street School students in Adriana Paulucci’s Music Therapy class recently had an engaging and educational lesson. Equipped with different instruments, they worked on learning the instruments’ names and playing them.

“These sessions include following directions, memorizations of songs and taking turns, amongst other things,” Ms. Paulucci said. “All that while learning different songs and rhythms, playing instruments and having a great time. Another focus of the lessons is to teach the students to work cooperatively and encourage each other.”

Date Added: 2/26/2024