Karol Rinehart

In all the years that I have taught strings in the CUSD, I think I've had 4 or 5 different administrators, and two different acronyms - ASMP (After School Music Program) and the current EIMP (Elementary Instrumental Music Program). We are about to have a new administrator because Karol Rinehart has just retired after 30 years in the school district. She has been a great boss who helped us get things done and supporting us and our students in any way she could.

We celebrated Karol at Casa de Salsa last week with a little party which included teachers from our program providing background music (first a string duo and then a jazz combo). A bagpiper also made an appearance. We will miss Karol, but know that she will enjoy her new retired life in Colorado.

ARTstART

Another brief, but worthwhile exhibit in the Ginger Elliot Hall next to the Garner House in Memorial Park. This exhibit showcased art from students at Vista, Oakmont and Sycamore. These upper grade students were part of ARTstART sponsored by the Claremont Museum of Art. This program works at many levels starting with college students who mentor high school students to lead the elementary children through three art lessons. 

The Courier's lead story on Friday led me to the exhibition. It gives a more fully detailed explanation of the work that is being done with this exciting program of arts integration across the curriculum, and leadership training for high school students. The exhibit will be open once more - this Wednesday from noon - 4, and if you are free then (and the exhibit is also free), I highly recommend a visit! 

Watching My Speed

Sometime this year, this traffic-calming device was installed on College Ave. at the corner of Green and College right at Oakmont Outdoor School. It's easy to pick up speed after crossing the train tracks because of the downhill slope. Every time I drive by, I try to keep it to 24 mph or so, because if you are over 25 mph, this sign says "SLOW DOWN".  That is, I try to keep it under 25 unless I'm riding my bike. I've gotten up to 16 mph on two wheels.  Now, there is a corresponding sign on the other side of College, and when I'm riding my bike, the fastest I've been clocked at was 9 mph, and that was the day I was in a real hurry. Usually I'm about 6 mph puffing up the hill.

Whooping Cough in Claremont

I have not seen anything online or in the Courier about it, but there is a whooping cough outbreak at Chaparral Elementary School. All people who have had exposure to anyone at Chaparral have been advised to get a course of antibiotics whether or not they show symptoms. While this may seem like overkill, this is a highly contagious disease which can take hold of a person for 3 months or more. That's a lot of life to give up.

When I went to get my vaccinations for our trip to Peru they included the Tdap, so I feel pretty safe that I am immune right now.

#TBT

It's trendy now to post an old photo on social media on Thursdays. It's called Throw-Back Thursday. I enjoy seeing older photos of friends, trying to imagine what the stories are behind the photos. Since the Claremont USD had our Elementary Strings Concert last night, I thought it would be appropriate to show a photo of the El Roble Orchestra from the 1990s. (The ER Orchestra always plays at the end of the elementary concert so that students can see where they will be playing in a year or two and to get inspired by the older kids.) Back then, Gary Iida was the conductor of the orchestra. He was a much beloved teacher at both CHS and El Roble, and we miss him in the community very much.

Music Assemblies

What better thing to do on one of the hottest days of the summer, but to take the CHS band and orchestra as well as the color guard, the elementary instrumental music teachers, assorted parents and staff, and travel to all 7 elementary schools to promote the music program with outdoor assemblies. With a well-planned schedule, four of the teachers split into two groups and leap-frogged between the schools so they could set up and tear down music stands and stay after the presentation to explain registration to the 4th-6th graders and answer questions.

What I particularly enjoyed was seeing my former students now as high schoolers (and getting hugs!) and then hearing how their playing has progressed over the years. It's so great when students continue their music education and clearly enjoy the music as well as the camaraderie with fellow musicians. 

After five schools, everyone enjoyed a lunch break under the trees at Memorial Park. We even had a visit by the Claremont PD because someone had called them saying that a "suspicious-looking" pickup was parked on 10th St. The suspicious items? Drum cases. They only make musical explosions.... 

I have distorted the photos on purpose since I do not know which students have permission to have their photos posted.

The CHS Marching Band

The Color Guard

Elementary students seeking shade during the performance

Grass was a welcome relief at some of the sites over blacktop at others.

The CHS Orchestra

Signs of Summer and Fall at the Same Time

Signs of Fall:
First Day of School for CUSD today (lots of Facebook photos to enjoy!)
More Students at the Colleges / More Students at the CMC gym
My music schedule for Vista arrived today
Working on Lesson Plans

Signs of Summer:
It is HOT (and even muggy!)

Star Spangled Banner

At the CUSD board meeting last night, no one could remember a time, ever, when a group of students played for such a meeting. So, we think this is a first - the Chamber Strings (mostly 6th graders) playing the National Anthem at the start of the meeting. They played very well and received hearty applause from the standing-room only crowd.

The space was a little tight, so the set-up was slightly unorthodox, but I don't think anyone was stabbed by a bow.

Spring String Concert

Continuing the summer count-down, the EIMP gave our final concert of the year last night at El Roble along with the El Roble and CHS Orchestras. I always enjoy listening to how much the kids have improved since 1) the beginning of the year and 2) since the February concert.

This year all the teachers got these lovely, lovely bouquets, and I also got a Baskin Robbins gift card from a student. However, even more special to me was the heartfelt hug from one particular student who came to this school district this fall from another district. She had played the violin for one year, but she didn't really know how to read music, and through her hard work made a great deal of progress. When I told her I was proud of her improvement, she looked me in the eye and said, "It's because of you. You are my favorite music teacher." I'll try to bottle up that good feeling and enjoy it whenever I teach.

Farewell to Brandon Johnson

Yesterday was a very sad and difficult day for many people in the CUSD. Brandon Johnson, the El Roble instrumental teacher, as well as beginning band teacher in the elementary schools, was called from the reserves to active duty as Army Chaplain at Fort Hood. 

In the five years that Brandon has been with us, he has grown the El Roble music program, brought great innovations to the elementary program, given us great friendship with grace, humility and humor. In January 2011 he was honored in the school district for Spotlight on Excellence. Although he had many, many things on his plate, I never once heard him complain, but always framed everything in the most positive light. 

You can read his farewell letter to the community here.

The EIMP music staff had a farewell lunch for Brandon yesterday, just hours before his family started driving east to Texas for their next life adventure. Here are a few photos from the luncheon.

LA Phil Field Trip - '13

For the 4th year in a row, the CUSD Elementary Instrumental Music Program has been given tickets by the Foothill Philharmonic Committee for students to attend a Toyota Symphonies for Youth by the LA Philharmonic. We take our orchestra students on this trip since they have shown the fortitude to stick with their instrument for more than one year (and some for up to 8 years!). You can read about last year's trip here. This year while waiting for the concert to start, the students on either side of me were perusing the program and asked me all kinds of questions, including "what does 'on sabbatical' mean?" and "what are Junior Patrons?" I was happy to chat with them about what they were going to hear and see, and we looked at the arrangement of the string section (which is not the way we arrange our students) and also looked at the various percussion instruments and how many string basses there were. 

As usual, we partook of the music-making session pre-concert in the amphitheater where the kids got to play boomwhackers, tambourines and hand drums. And, as usual, our students were excellent at performing the correct rhythms and following the conductor.

* * *

Day 21 - Clutter Cleanse: I've really gotten into the old media track and found 10 VHS tapes (some with stuff recorded from tv, some prerecorded stuff) that I will never use. Instead of writing about one a day, let me just say that I am donating or trashing all of these, depending upon their condition.

Flash Mob!

If you were at the Claremont Village West Plaza yesterday around 4:00, you would have seen a large gathering of people (many clad in green for St. Paddy's), many schoolchildren milling about. Then you would have heard them sing the old jazz standard, Sing, Sing, Sing!

This event was spearheaded by Ken Corhan of CEF and Donna Marie Minano, music teacher at Sumner/Danbury and Mountain View, meant to raise community awareness that CEF funds music and art education in the K-6 schools in Claremont. I don't know exactly how many students showed up, but I think there were at least 100, probably more.

Donna Marie giving instructions at the Metrolink Parking Lot before the trek over to the Plaza.

Ken Corhan giving out release forms to parents.

Students singing.

Concertizing

For the past 17 years my students have given quite a few concerts, and I think they keep getting better and better. I count myself fortunate to have a job I love - and these kids are the reason why. I used to get a big high after each successful performance, but lately I come to expect things to go well. That doesn't mean I don't look forward to these festivities.

What I really enjoy about these evenings now is that I get to see people I don't always run into. While I see the kids every week, I don't always see their parents. I also love seeing the El Roble musicians who started with us in elementary school. They look so mature, they play more complex music, and they are happy to come hug me and say hi. That's it - I look forward to all the hugs!

Alternative Christmas

For the first time this year, I heard about the newest alternative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday - it's Giving Tuesday.

During Advent at CUCC, we provide the opportunity for easy giving for some of our favorite local and international charities. Today we kicked off Alternative Christmas by having representatives from these charities available to talk about their good works. After deciding which worthwhile charity will receive your hard-earned dollars, you fill out a form and make out one check. Voila! You have not only helped make the world a better place, but you can make these donations in honor of someone you love. If you missed Giving Tuesday and today's CUCC Alternative Christmas, it is not too late to donate something to your favorite group, and CUCC is accepting donations for the event for the next two Sundays in church, or the church office during the week.

I like to think globally and act locally, so I support Heifer, International, Habitat for Humanity, All Our Children International, and our very own ECC (Early Childhood Center at CUCC).

Another local organization that reaches the children of the Claremont USD (though not represented at our Alternative Christmas) is the Claremont Educational Foundation which provides funds for all schools in the district for a variety of things which the school budget just cannot cover.

Productivity

This is the second year that the Claremont USD has taken the whole week of Thanksgiving as a holiday, and although it puts the beginning string students a little behind for learning Jingle Bells for Winter Sing next month, I have to say that I am greatly enamored of this time to catch up and try to get ahead.

This week I have been able to have appointments for: routine blood work, eye appointment, teeth cleaning, haircut. I have also been able to clean up areas of the house that have needed it.  I have drafted my Christmas newsletter and have wrapped some Christmas gifts. I worked on the peppernuts. Lesson prep has included string classes, Winter Sing prep, and just knowing the general plan of what will take me through December lessons. I have also gotten to read books which is good since the library has come up with a handful of books arriving all at once. Oh, yes, I have also had time to practice violin and viola.

I could do with one of these kinds of weeks every two months or so....

First Day of School Photos

Today is the first day of school for CUSD. I could feel it as I saw parents walking their children to their classrooms. I continue to see it in Facebook all day as people post their first-day-of-school photos.

This is now such a tradition that people take multiple photos. In one morning. As far as I can tell, this photo is the only one of me on my first day as a student. It was 6th grade in Wichita, Kansas, taken in front of the garage door. Note the culottes, the lack of backpack (just a notebook), and Mom's shadow as she snaps the pic.

How Many Friends Are Too Many?

I read a little while ago that one person can only hold about 150 friends in their circle at a time.  Perhaps that's true.  I don't know.  I have 314 "friends"on Facebook, and yes, some of them I know only slightly, but I do know all of them.  Maybe one of these days I'll pare down my list, who knows?

When you have lived in a town for a long time, raised your children there, put your heart and soul into working for the community, it turns out that you may have way more friends than you realize.

Frank D'Emilio has been learning this the hard way.  If you live in Claremont, you know about the uproar of Frank's dismissal as principal of Sumner Elementary School.  You can read one of the Courier articles here.  As a former Sycamore Elementary teacher for many years and, most recently, principal for 7 years, Frank reached many people - students and their families.  In my case, I know him as fellow parent from my daughters' summer swim team over the course of many years.

It does not surprise me at all that when a Facebook group popped up called We Stand with Frank D'Emilio last Thursday, the number of Facebook supporters swelled, and it has reached over 1,000 as of today.  This number does not even count Frank's supporters who are not on Facebook, or who don't log into their accounts very often.

I, in no way, agree with the school board's two decisions, but I am glad to live in the kind of community that has the back of one of our finest members.

Sycamore Leaves

Earlier this week I noticed that Sycamore Elementary School is sporting a new art piece near the office.  I have no idea who the artist is, but I find the installation very appealing!

LA Phil Field Trip - '12

It's the time of year when so much is happening. Yesterday I had the choice of going to a day-long all-church meeting, enjoying the Earth Day Celebration in Claremont, or going to the LA Phil with a group of 34 students and 5 adults for a Toyota Symphony for Youth. Obviously, as the music teacher, I needed to go on the field trip.  Don't feel sorry for me, though.  I really enjoy these music students, and I really enjoy these children's concerts.

This is the third year we've taken the District Elementary Orchestra students to Disney Hall.  You can read about last year's trip here.  This year the Philharmonic played minimalist music of John Cage, Steve Reich, John Adams, and Arvo Part.

Winter Concert

As far back as I can remember, or at least since 1995 when I started teaching strings in the Claremont USD, we have never had an elementary string orchestra with this many students - 65!  We had our first concert of the year last night, and along with the orchestra, we had about 80 beginning students.  For as many kids as we had running around like penguins (black and white attire), we had no behavior problems, AND the kids sounded great!  Now the bar is set for an even better May concert.