Please join us in celebrating Bethel-Tate Middle School’s nationally recognized music program.
On Jan. 16, 2024, it was announced that BTMS is receiving national recognition through an Advocacy in Action Award, presented by Music for All. The award is in the Decision-Maker Engagement Category and it was presented for the “Small Town Music Program with Big Support” submission by the school.
Bethel-Tate Middle School will be featured on Music for All’s Advocacy in Action Archive, where their event and ideas will be available for music educators to emulate around the country. You can find the page here: https://advocacy.musicforall.org/recipient/small-town-music-program-with-big-support/
BTMS Music Teacher Paul Glader, Principal Dr. Christen Davis, Superintendent Melissa Kircher and others are elated by the recognition.
Mr. Glader is “amazing,” Dr. Davis said.
“He has a great connection with students, which is one of the many reasons the program is so successful and continues to grow,” she said. “It is easy to support Mr. Glader and the program that he is so dedicated to.”
Superintendent Kircher echoed similar comments.
“Our music students are excelling and succeeding as a result of his initiatives and focus on student enrichment,” she said. Mr. Glader’s influence is also generating a ‘buzz’ around the music programs, which, in turn, is driving increased student participation.
Just under 30 schools across the country, including two from Ohio, were selected for this award. Bethel-Tate Middle School was the only school to be honored in the Decision-Maker Engagement Category.
“I am thrilled the Bethel-Tate music program is being recognized with the 2024 Advocacy Action Award,” Mr. Glader said. “The music program at BTMS has grown leaps and bounds in the past five years - both in terms of student participation and student success - and this is a national recognition of all the decision-makers involved who have helped make this growth possible.
It takes a village to support a music program in any school, which is certainly evident here at Bethel-Tate, he said. The Superintendent and principals have supported the music program both in education decisions and with financial investments. School board members are regularly seen in attendance at student performances. The parent booster organization is in constant communication and supports the students as needed and with financial backing for honor band/choir events.
“The music program at BTMS is a ‘small-town music program with big support’ and I believe it has led us to a point where our program is an example of how to have a successful music program as a small, rural school district in America,” Mr. Glader added.
National recognition is not new to BTMS. Just last year, BTMS was awarded the SupportMusic Merit Award from The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Mr. Glader is a recognized expert in his profession and regularly presents at state and national conferences.
The Advocacy in Action Award received by BTMS highlights the connection between the Bethel-Tate Middle School music program and key decision-makers including the Superintendent, Principals, Board Members, and Parents and the resulting support the middle school receives, Mr. Glader said.
The Advocacy in Action awards are presented each year in seven categories: Community Involvement, Decision-Maker Engagement, Elementary Excellence, Innovative Fundraising, Marketing and Promotion, Parent/Booster Support and Student Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention. The awards recognize and celebrate the commitment of school administrators, community leaders, teachers and parents who believe in music education and are advocating to ensure that it is part of a comprehensive education for all children.
Advocacy in Action is a signature program of Music for All designed to collect, recognize, and share effective practices and initiatives that support music education in schools.