Board of Education Honors U-46’s Music Education Program

District recognized with national honor for 

six years in a row 

ELGIN - The School District U-46 Board of Education on Monday honored the District’s music education program and music educators after U-46 was recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” by a national foundation for the sixth year in a row.

The designation comes from the NAMM Foundation, a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 15,000 member companies and individual professionals around the world.

The Best Communities for Music Education designation, now in its 25th year, is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the District answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and support for the music programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

U-46 was one of less than three dozen school districts in Illinois to receive the honor. U-46 Fine Arts Coordinator Jaimie Giraldo accepted the Accent on Achievement certificate from the Board of Education.

“This recognition is a testament to our exceptional teachers and the robust instructional opportunities we offer our students,” Giraldo said. “Our dedicated music educators and supportive community have created an environment where students can thrive and develop their musical talents. We are proud of this achievement and committed to continuing our tradition of excellence in music education.”

One of the unique musical opportunities that U-46 is known for is its Mariachi instruction offered at several middle and high schools, as well as the Mariachi Joya Dorada de U-46, an extracurricular performance ensemble composed of students.

For the past week, the District has hosted professional development workshops for Mariachi instructors from U-46, school districts around Chicagoland, and from California and Pennsylvania. To wrap up the week, about 35 of the Mariachi teachers will perform a free concert on Friday, June 14, at 3:30 p.m. at the Downtown Elgin Market on South Riverside Drive.

###

School District U-46 serves families in 11 communities: Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, South Elgin, Streamwood and Wayne, as well as portions of Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, St. Charles, Schaumburg, and West Chicago. In total, the District encompasses 90 square miles within the Fox River Valley, approximately 45 minutes west of downtown Chicago, and includes communities within Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. More than 34,000 preschoolers through 12th graders attend the 55 District schools and programs. To learn more, visit the U-46 website, or like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.