Schuylkill County school districts honored for their music programs – Pottsville Republican Herald

Music education is more than just teaching notes on a page. It’s a pathway to confidence, connection and cultural understanding, says Schuylkill Haven Middle School music teacher Carla Cappella.

Therefore Schuylkill Haven’s recent honor of being one of four Schuylkill County school districts named among the nation’s Best Communities for Music Education is an important achievement, she said.

It’s a reflection of how much those districts value the lifelong impact of a strong arts education, and the values of creativity and expression that teaching music provides, she said.

Also receiving the honor recently from the National Association of Music Merchants were North Schuylkill, Shenandoah Valley and Minersville school districts. For North Schuylkill it was the sixth consecutive year for the award, for Shenandoah it was the fifth, Minersville the second, and Schuylkill Haven the first.

More than 1,000 districts received the award nationwide. The honor was based on the districts’ music programs as a whole, including their bands, choruses, performances and music classes. Awardees were selected through a rigorous application and review process, which included verified data on funding, instruction time, participation, and community engagement, according to NAMM.

“We are proud to be recognized among the nation’s best, and this honor only deepens our commitment to ensuring that every student has access to high-quality music education,” said Cappella, also speaking for high school music teacher Caitlyn Biggs and elementary music teacher Corrine Houtz.

Cappella was among the band teachers from the local districts who credited the enthusiasm of their students, the steadfast support of families, and the commitment of their district’s leadership and community partners.

“This award is a tremendous honor and a powerful affirmation of our shared belief in the power of music to enrich lives, build community, and inspire growth in our students,” Cappella said.

North Schuylkill band director Jacob Shoener said that music instruction offers important life and social skills such as forming relationships and teamwork, and also many cognitive benefits.

“With music kids can also be themselves, be who they are, but also part of something bigger as they’re expressing themselves,” he said.

Most exciting for him is seeing students develop both skills and confidence as they fulfill their potential.

“Seeing that talent come to life is the joyous part,” he said.

Shenandoah band director John Shoener, who is Jacob’s brother, called the award “a true testament to the dedication of our students, the commitment of our educators, and the unwavering support from our community. In the Shenandoah Valley School District, music education is not just a program—it’s a point of pride, and this recognition reflects the exceptional value we place on the arts in our schools.”

Minersville elementary music teacher Emily Wetzel said the award was also deeply meaningful to her district.

“It reflects the incredible growth and support our music program has experienced in just the past two years,” she said.

When Wetzel began in her position in fall 2023, the elementary band had only seven students, and the choir had just two at its first rehearsal. Today is has 44 students participating in band and 30 in choir.

“Our administration and community have shown steadfast support for this progress,” she said, referring to a new stipend created this year to support Minersville’s afterschool elementary band program, and the revision of her teaching schedule to give students expanded access to instrumental lessons. At the high school level, music education is also making a strong comeback, with band set to be taught as a credited class again in the fall, the district’s recent purchase of keyboards, and the introduction of courses in composition and audio music production.

It’s that type of commitment, she said, that helped bring the award to Minersville.

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