Hannah Gadd-Ardrey: Mississippi’s 2019 Teacher of the Year. Hannah teaches music education in Oxford, Mississippi.

I love to share stories about amazing educators that have been recognized for their professional talents and hard work. One of these is Hannah Gadd-Ardrey, a middle high and high school music teacher who has been named the 2019 Teacher of the Year for the state of Mississippi.

Hannah teaches music history and choir in grades six through twelve at Lafayette Middle School and Lafayette High School. Her school is part of a rural public school district located in Oxford, Mississippi. Her students come from diverse backgrounds and varied learning abilities.

As an educator, Hannah says she is passionate about using music to create interdisciplinary connections and to develop real-world skills. Throughout her career, Hannah has overseen the growth of the choral program from 60 to 130 students. She believes that all students should have access to a quality fine arts education. She asserts that classes like choir, band, visual art, and theater empower students, providing them with outlets to lead and cultivate a climate for growth and acceptance among their peers and the community.

The honored educator is particularly interested in using music to enrich the lives of special education students. In 2018, she collaborated with elementary teachers of students with special needs in her district to create the More than Music program. The program is a student-led music class for elementary students with special needs. “My students are building a legacy,” she declares. “They are learning life skills in choir that can help students become successful citizens. Music allows students to cultivate a climate for change and make the world a better place,” she continued.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Hannah serves as a mentor for teachers in her school district. She also serves on the Mississippi Teacher Council. Before being named the 2019 Mississippi Teacher of the Year, the Chalkboard Champion presented research at the Summer Conference of the Mississippi American Choral Directors Association.

Heather earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music in 2013 and her Master’s of Music in Choral Conducting in 2015, both from the University of Mississippi. She has been a teacher since 2013. To read more about this amazing educator, see this story printed in Ole Miss, University of Mississippi News.

Beloved instrumental and vocal instructor Diony Diaz of New York succumbed to coronavirus on April 2, 2020.

We are sad to report that the coronavirus has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Music educator Diony Diaz from New York City succumbed to the disease on April 2, 2020. He was only 33 years old.

Diony taught instrumental and vocal music at Intermediate School 61 in Queens. His career there spanned eight years. Even though his career was short, he made a big impact on his students. “He was a great man, a great teacher and, more important, a great friend,” recalled one of his students. “This really hurts,” another student said. “He was more than a teacher. He was someone that was very relatable and who taught us some life lessons.”

Colleague Lucy Scully, who teaches Drama at the same school where Diony taught, remembers the fallen educator fondly. “When Diony first started teaching,” she said, “he jumped right in and started an after-school strings program that included guitar and violin,” she said. “He was a mentor to his students and always made time to support them emotionally, socially and academically. His door was always open, even after school,” she continued.

In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Diony played piano in his church for 14 years. He also played in a band while a student. He was a resident of Staten Island.

To read more about Diony, follow this link to the memorial page devoted to him created by the NYSUT (New York State Union of Teachers).

An educator who puts extra thought and creativity into their instruction is always very exciting. One educator who practices this is Dr. Quentin Lee, the principal of Childersburg High School, a public high school located in Childersburg, Talladega County, Alabama. He created a back-to-school video in the form of an MC Hammer parody that is causing an internet sensation.

Quentin wanted to find an innovative way to convey covid-safe expectations to students, who will be returning to school during the current coronavirus pandemic. The principal, a former band director, used his musical talents to write and record a parody of MC Hammer’s 1990 classic, “U Can’t Touch This.” The purpose of the parody is to remind students to engage in extra hygiene practices and safe distancing protocols. The video shows Quentin rapping, wielding a no-contact thermometer and bottles of hand sanitizer, and performing the “Running Man,” all while demonstrating the covid-safe behaviors expected of students when they return to school.

“Basically, I just really wanted to do something fun for back-to-school to kind of reinforce a lot of the new things we’re having to do,” explained Quentin. “I like making little silly videos for the kids, just to kind of get them excited about school. I wanted to do something to help promote the community,” he continued.

The innovative principal posted the video to YouTube early last week. The recording has become an instant internet success, and has even been featured on numerous television news broadcasts.

Quentin earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in 2005. He earned his Master’s degree from Sanford University in Educational Leadership and Administration in 2010. He earned his PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration in 2017. He taught music at Talladega County Central High School from 2006 to 2012. He is starting his fourth year as principal at Childersburg.