Louisiana Music Educators Association

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President's Message

Carolyn Herrington

President, LMEA – May Article 2007

MUSIC CHANGES LIVES …. a flowery statement, but we know that every day (if we slow down enough), we have the power to make a difference in someone’s life with music.  We know we have the medium with which to touch a soul for life….I will get back to this….

          I would like to begin by thanking all of you who ran for the position of District Director, and congratulate those of you who will represent your districts.   Serving the districts for the next two years are:

District I              Amanda Terry

District II             Johnny Walker

District III            Scotty Walker

District IV           Richard Bresowar

District V            Sharon Stephenson

District VI           Guy Wood

District VII          Jim Trant

District VIII         Carol Lupton

District IX           Sharon McNamara-Horne

A special thanks to Wes Howard (leaving the board – District IV) who has been serving in Baton Rouge.  I look forward to working with the new district directors; they are a fine group of humans and will be fabulous to work with.  Katie Strictland will be coming back and serving as our Public Relations person, she has done a wonderful job for LMEA.

Looking at next year’s calendar it seems that the LEAP testing and Spring Break may possibly put our Large Ensemble Concert date at the same time for the entire state.  Knowing this information in advance, it will be critical for each district to secure judges early as we will all be possibly playing for district festival at the same time!

Another issue that will weigh heavily upon us is the effects of “High School Redesign” for the fine arts.  At the January LMEA meeting we were made aware of the conversation concerning fine arts and the limited possibilities for the fine arts credits.  We began the process of letter writing to the members of the committee and the BESE board.  Pat Deaville has been a valuable liaison for us and has kept us posted on the committee developments as they relate to the fine arts.  Change is never easy to deal with, but we must be well educated and forward thinking as we wait for the committee to finish its work. 

As I embark upon my final year as president, my goal is to complete the job that I have started in opening the lines of communication across the state.  The task has not been easy, and is not complete, but I will continue to work to keep the line of communication open.  I want to thank Jim Trant for his work on the LMEA website, and Sharon McNamara-Horne for her work in making the handbook readable from different programs.  This has been a valuable tool for us all.

I will be attending our national meeting for MENC this summer; I will continue to make our voice heard for more advocacies for music education from the national level.  At our state convention, this was a big topic in the division meetings.  I will do all that I can to convey our needs, but when the day is over, it is still our job on the home front to be the best advocates for our craft. 

Music changes lives? …. It has changed mine.  

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER.

Carolyn