necessary work while looking forward to what the needs of our students will be in the near and long term. We need to handle current challenges( budgets, scheduling, policy changes and more) while planning new and varied offerings that will provide expanded opportunities for the students we have yet to meet. This most valuable work must be dovetailed with community education efforts at the local, state, regional and national level. The vital importance of music and arts education in the public school setting must be continuously taught to all stakeholders. Now more than ever, we need a rich music curriculum present in all our schools, and voices that speak to that with clarity, persistence and sincerity.
How do you interpret what the role of President Elect is or will be within MMEA? Chief Listener and Observer. Process, history, timelines and goals must all be learned. The President-Elect needs to gain critical institutional knowledge and then apply it in effective and varied ways. This occurs through involvement in small and large scale projects within the organization. This on-the-job training serves the larger goal of providing the best educational experience and access for our students.
What do you see as your leadership strengths that you will bring to the position and to the board? The job of music educator is a humbling one, and a few of the lessons I have learned that would serve me in this position are the ability to seek as much information as possible, to work alone and with others, effective time management and organizational skills, the willingness to learn new things, to voice my ideas and concerns and to listen to those of others, the desire to always seek consensus, and the ability to make a decision. Personally, I enjoy meeting and working with people towards a shared and valuable goal. My interests in teaching, learning and music have only deepened throughout my career, and my wish to serve on a larger scale is paired with my curiosity to learn more about what is happening in our great state.
Dennis Boyd
Please give a brief bio of your experience in Music Education, both in the state of Maine, and elsewhere if applicable: Dennis Boyd Jr. is in his 11th year teaching, currently serving as the Director of Choirs for Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and Middle School in South Paris, Maine. Mr. Boyd also directs the Christmas for Teens Choir, an annual fundraiser that serves low-income teenagers in the Oxford Hills Region. Mr. Boyd is from Berwick Maine and attended Noble High School. Mr. Boyd earned his Bachelor of Music degree studying