2016 National Assembly
By Benjamin Potvin, MMEA President-Elect
As the new president-elect, this past spring saw a flurry of firsts in my life. Of all the events, one of the most exciting was the June 22-25 trip to Washington, DC to take part in the 2016 National Assembly. At this annual conference, representatives from each state and ninetyseven collegiate members gathered to discuss what has happened in our states and where we are going in the field of music education as a nation. I learned many things at this event, but here are the highlights:
We are not alone. It was refreshing to learn that the problems we face in our state are also being tackled by states all over the country. I was able to have some great conversations with delegates from our Eastern Division and around the U. S. to see how they have approached different issues and I know with this larger support group, we will make strides over the course of the next two years as we further the MMEA.
Diversity and Inclusion in Music Education Following the departure of Michael Butera from NAfME, diversity and inclusion were the hot button topics at this national assembly. The take-away from these three days was that NAfME adheres closely to the ideal of fostering inclusion and diversity. NAfME’ s mission is“ to advance music education by promoting the understanding and making of music by all” – with an emphasis on“ all.” Over the next two years, NAfME will be funding research and implementation initiatives surrounding this very topic.
Every Student Succeeds Act( ESSA) In a time when the education mandates are coming fast and furious, it is easy to turn a blind eye to it all and just focus on classroom teaching. Had I not been at the National Assembly, I probably would have missed the monumental passing of the Every Student