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