VTHS ranks among top communities to support music

VERNON — The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation has recognized the Vernon Township School District for its commitment to music education with a Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) designation.

With more than 2,000 districts and schools participating in the survey this year, Vernon joins 376 districts nationally to receive the prestigious distinction in 2014. For the past two years, Vernon was the only school district in Sussex County to be awarded this designation.

In its 15th year, Best Communities for Music Education affirms school districts that have demonstrated exceptional efforts toward maintaining music education as part of the schools’ core curriculum. The BCME survey requires districts to answer detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service of Lawrence, Kansas, an affiliate of the University of Kansas.

“Our Performing Arts teachers are positive, motivational, collaborative and extremely talented,” said Kyle Arlington, assistant superintendent of schools. “Our teachers constantly focus on enhancing their student’s musical experiences in and out of our music classrooms. It is, in fact, our teachers that uniquely qualify us as a Best Community for Music Education.”