Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (Princeton NJ)
- Instructor: Nancy Graham
- Class Title(s): Middle School Music; Upper School Music Theory, Appreciation, Honors Musicianship
- Grades Levels Included: 6 through 12
- School Profile: Private school, grades 6-12, enrollment unknown
- Structure of NTM Class(es): Middle School: Sixth Grade: each student builds and learns to play a dulcimer. They then learn the basic conducting patterns and conduct the dulcimer consort. 7th Grade: each student learns to play the guitar/works with GarageBand. 8th Grade: each student is in a musical production.
Upper School: Music Theory I/II: working with notation software, GarageBand, Practica Musica; Music Appreciation/History: begin with contemporary popular music and work circularly; Honors Musicianship/AP Music Theory: for the NTM, a culmination of skills; for the TM, AP credit. - Software Used: Finale, Practica Musica, GarageBand
- Hardware Used: Guitars, dulcimer kits, smartboards, projectors, cameras, clavinovas, handbells.
- Class NTM Activities: Stuart has a very unusual and restrictive schedule as far as the arts are concerned. Most of what we offer, except Honors/AP, is more of a club than a class. When I finally accepted this, then the program took off. I planned for what WOULD work and did not whine about what would not.
- History: I arrived at Stuart in 2001 and began with guitar. All that was in place was chorus. Now music is taken by 100% of Middle School and 60% of Upper School: 300 students. All students are treated as NTMs because our cyclical schedule deems it so.
- Success Stories from NTM Activities: Stuart, alone. raised nearly $20,000 for the World Food Program by making a Christmas CD including the schools of Princeton NJ. The project has raised over $60,000 to date.
- Advice to Others Starting NTM Project: As stated above, whining about the lack of traditional support for music will get the students and you no where. Move on: check the culture of your school and work within it. After a few years, you will have all the respect and support you need. Listen to the students. Start where they ARE and not what you believe they SHOULD be.
- Date Submitted: October 2009