Bethel

Submitted by Bethel-Tate Local Schools.

Bethel-Tate Middle School recently earned the SupportMusic Merit Award from The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.

The SupportMusic Merit Award recognizes individual schools that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. Only a select few schools received this honor for 2023 – 78 nationally and two in Ohio.

“This SupportMusic Merit Award affirms my belief that we have a meaningful program at BTMS that can be a model for other small school districts. The music program at Bethel-Tate Middle School has taken off. Our students are succeeding and excelling locally, in the Greater Cincinnati area, and the program has received recognition at the state level,” said BTMS music teacher Paul Glader.

“Our participation rates are high for an elective and are building consistency. The support from the administration is significant not only through their presence at programs but also through their advocacy for ESSER funds in 2022 for the BTMS music program.”

The middle school music program consists of the 6th through 8th-grade Bands and Choirs. They are all under the umbrella for which the school was recognized. There is also an after-school band program and a talent show.

To qualify for the SupportMusic Merit Award, Bethel-Tate Middle School answered 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 Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

Specific aspects of the BTMS music program factored into this award include: