Elementary band director tells Naperville 203 board elementary music builds the pipeline to strong secondary programs
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Summary
Emma Oliver, a fourth- and fifth-grade band director, told the board that inclusive, in-school beginning band and orchestra programs build equity and long-term student engagement; she said she teaches about 170 elementary band students across two schools.
Emma Oliver, a fourth- and fifth-grade band director in Naperville CUSD 203, told the board during public comment that the district’s elementary band and orchestra programming are foundational to the success of junior-high and high-school ensembles.
"I personally teach 170 band students between my two elementary schools," Oliver said, describing in-school instrument demonstrations, clinic days and a deliberate approach that allows every third grader to try instruments during the school day. She said the structure removes transportation and after-school barriers and fosters equity and belonging.
Oliver asked the board to recognize that what audiences see at concerts is "just the tip of the iceberg" and urged continued support for early instrumental education as a strategy that boosts student learning, well-being and engagement over time.
