For the fourth consecutive year, District 64 has been awarded the Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) award!
This recognition reflects the strength and vitality of music education in our schools, and it is a direct result of your ongoing dedication, expertise, and commitment to your students. Every rehearsal, lesson, performance, and moment of encouragement you provide contributes to a culture where music thrives and students are able to grow both musically and personally.
“Congratulations to our music teams on this incredible four-peat! We very much appreciate all of our staff, students, and community for their dedication to the fine arts,” said Superintendent Dr. Ben Collins.
Recipients of the 2026 BCME Awards were selected through a comprehensive application and review process that evaluates key indicators, including funding, instructional time, participation rates, facilities, and community support. To uphold the program’s rigor and credibility, all applications were independently reviewed and verified by WolfBrown, a leading research and evaluation firm specializing in education and the arts. We are so grateful for the amazing support in our district.
A special thank you to all of our instrumental music and general music teachers across the District!
- Elisabeth Ballinger, Natalie Briggs, Colleen Carlson, Anne Fong, Margaret Gorcik, Chloe Guerra, Max Hellermann, Ilona Hutter, Jennifer Kapustka, Alaina Knapp, Jessica Kwasny, Alyssa LaTragna, Rachel Manchur, Sean Rybak, Alex Teater, Gretchen Woell, Connor Yoon
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, we answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by the leading arts educational research firm, WolfBrown.