Livonia students perform for board as district spotlights music, robotics and esports
Summary
At its Dec. 15 meeting the Livonia Public Schools board heard a performance by the Churchill Chamber Orchestra and a district update from Superintendent Andrea Okwist highlighting music scholarships, robotics team successes (including Frost RoboFalcons qualifying for a world championship), and new esports facilities.
At the Dec. 15 Livonia Public Schools board meeting, students from Churchill High School’s Chamber Orchestra opened the session with a holiday performance, and district leaders used the occasion to highlight recent accomplishments across the music and extracurricular programs.
"We have, from Churchill, we have the Chamber Orchestra here, and they are going to delight us," Board President Bradford said in introducing the performers. Matt Van Ham, the district’s secondary content leader for music, and Eric Batorf, elementary content leader, described a season of concerts, parade appearances and scholarship opportunities. Van Ham noted the Churchill marching band had been selected to perform the national anthem at a Tigers game on May 18, and he described recent jazz- and orchestra-tour activities across middle and elementary schools.
Superintendent Andrea Okwist told the board the district’s music and arts programming spans kindergarten through grade 12 and emphasized the importance of full-time music teachers at every school. "We are so proud of the music programs in Livonia Public Schools," Okwist said as she listed events that included holiday concerts, the Merry and Bright parade and in-school mentoring between high school and middle-school students.
The update also highlighted non-music extracurriculars. Okwist reported that several K–4 FIRST LEGO League teams had successful seasons, that the Frost RoboFalcons qualified for the world championship in Houston this spring, and that Churchill’s new, fully equipped esports room helped students advance to state-level competition. She thanked parent volunteers, teacher sponsors and district staff who support the programs.
The board and administrators noted individual recognitions: Megan Gramatico of Roosevelt Elementary was announced as a recipient of the 2026 Michigan Music Educator of the Year award, and multiple students earned Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp scholarships based on merit auditions. Van Ham and Batorf both credited mentorship across buildings and the district’s curriculum choices for expanded student opportunities in music creation and performance.
Upcoming events highlighted during the presentation included additional winter concerts across middle and high schools and the May 18 Tigers game performance. The district also encouraged families to check school calendars for band, choir and orchestra tour dates.
Board members thanked the students and staff for the performance and the overview. The district update was presented as an informational item and did not require a board vote.
