GREAT FALLS – The Great Falls Public Schools Music Education Program has been honored with national recognition.
They have been awarded the Best Communities for Music Education Designation, which is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
To qualify for the designation, GFPS had to answer detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs.
GFPS Music and Art Supervisor Dusty Molyneaux said, “You can’t even understand what kind of a hook music is for a lot of these kids. And it’s the reason a lot of them come to school, and it’s the reason they excel in their other classes because they want to be there for their music classes later in the day.”
GFPS offers music instruction to 7,500 pre-K, elementary and middle school students.
In high school, the district also offers music elective classes. Over 30% of the school population takes these electives, which is well above the national average for high school participation.
This is the eighth consecutive year in which the GFPS Music Education Program has received this award.
Reporting by Kasey Herman for MTN News
