JERSEY SHORE AREA SCHOOL NEWS 570.398.1561 • www. jsasd. org
JERSEY SHORE AREA SCHOOL NEWS 570.398.1561 • www. jsasd. org
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE EXPERIENCE by Adrienne Johnston, Jersey Shore Elementary Principal
During the month of May, the fourth grade students at Jersey Shore and Avis Elementary Schools participated in a five-day artist-in-residency experience with Rhythmic Connections clinician, Mary Knysh. The fourth graders had the opportunity to explore the vibrant world of rhythm and music from a global perspective.
Students engaged in drumming traditions, melodic scales, and movement practices from Africa, the Caribbean, India, the Middle East, and Bali. Through hands-on exploration, improvisation, and ensemble playing, the students were able to expand their rhythmic vocabulary, develop musical independence, and experience the joy of creating their own compositions.
Inspired by Carl Orff, this residency emphasizes creativity through action. Students learn by making music themselves, using accessible instruments, body percussion, and voice. The focus is on improvisation, personal expression, and connecting movement with sound to deepen understanding and engagement. At the end of the residency, fourth grade students participated in a performance for other grade levels in the school to showcase what they had learned. Melissa Becker, elementary music teacher, secured a JSASD Educational Foundation grant to provide this residency. Support from the Avis and Jersey Shore Elementary PTOs also made this program possible.
Congratulations to the 2026 Jersey Shore Elementary Junior Rotarian award winners, Graham Fenstermaker and Savannah Leonard!
Congratulations to Scarlett and Madison for representing Jersey Shore Area School District as this year’ s Middle School Jr. Rotarians!
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