HILLSBOROUGH: Teachers join NJ Symphony program

By Eileen Oldfield,Staff Writer
   Hillsborough teachers Sarah Munch, Megan Jadro, and Olga Zacharko sat in the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), at the first workshop for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Master Teachers Collaborative Program on Jan. 23.
   Though it was their first workshop, the two elementary school art teachers and the high school strings teacher were already excited about the program.
   ”We felt very excited going into the first workshop, but also didn’t know what to expect,” Ms. Jadro said. “Our first workshop included a special treat, being able to watch a closed dress rehearsal of the NJSO.”
   Teachers attending the Master Teacher’s Collaborative Program attend three approximately 6-hour sessions, spaced approximately one month a part, with the orchestra. The sessions focus on integrating music into a variety of classes, including math, language arts, and science, as well as creating teaching materials for statewide use.
   The second workshop, on March 7, will allow teachers to present lessons plans as the plans develop, and refine concepts presented in the plans. The final workshop, scheduled for April 3, involves a preview of participant’s final projects.
   Ms. Munch, Ms. Jadro and Ms. Zacharko applied for the workshop after noting the enthusiasm Peggy Cioce, the district’s Fine and Performing Arts supervisor, had for it. In addition to logging 20 years of experience with the Master Teachers’ Collaborative, Ms. Cioce currently serves on the workshop’s governing board.
   ”We hope to reach many students in New Jersey, helping to make their experience at the NJPAC rich and inspiring,” Ms. Jadro said. “We will be able to prepare the students to go into the concert with both knowledge and questions.”
   ”It was very inspiring and really makes us feel great that we will be able to enhance the students’ experiences attending the NJSO through pre and post lessons,” she added. “After the first workshop, Ms. Zacharko and I feel excited to get to work on the lessons and we are looking forward to our next workshop.”
   Teachers participating in the program receive 50 free tickets to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Education Concerts for their students. In addition, the Master Teachers’ Collaborative fulfills 15 credits of state-mandated professional development.