2025-2026 FESTIVAL EVENTS
We are happy to announce the dates of festivals that will be taking place in Westchester County in the 2025-2026 school year. Information on All-County dates will be forthcoming.
NYSSMA Information
NAfME Eastern Division Conference
ZONE REP CORNER
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March 5, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
Happy Music in Our Schools Month®!!
There are many people to thank for their incredible work for music education this year in Westchester County even though we are barely into 2025. I want to highlight Kim Dunkin and Matt Royal, who were present in Albany this past Monday to advocate for music education with New York State Senators and Assemblymembers who represent Westchester County.
If you are feeling inspired to join these many wonderful volunteers to advocate for music education in Westchester County, I strongly encourage you to apply for a position on our board. President-Elect Kathleen Feldman has reached out to the membership about the positions up for election this year. If you have any questions about any of the positions, feel free to reach out! I would like to highlight two of these positions: Hospitality Coordinator and Government Relations Coordinator. The board voted in 2023 to reinstate the Hospitality Coordinator position which had been vacant for some time previously. We received no applicants for that position that year, and would like to encourage applications this year – you’ll have plenty of help from those of us on the board who love to plan events, and imagine how popular you’ll be if you’re responsible for implementing the delivery of delicious food to WCSMA events! Additionally, at our February meeting, the board voted to add a Government Relations Coordinator position to the board. This position, which involves frequent public advocacy for music education, is one that we anticipate being vital in the immediate future.
Finally in the spirit of thanks – while we can never hear this often enough from our children, families, administrators, and colleagues – thank you for all you do for your students socially and emotionally just by providing a music classroom for them. They need it more than ever, and they and we are much richer in spirit because of it!
Cheers,
Jon Riss, President