“What better way to instill passion for music'

To the editor: I found it difficult to keep myself sufficiently restrained to finish reading Ms. Shah’s letter, before signing onto my computer to draft this response. Firstly, I have four children in the Warwick Schools, one in High School, one in Middle School and two in elementary school. I have always been actively involved in the schools with PTA activities and as a substitute teacher and for the past two years have been president of the Warwick Valley Middle School PTA. Never have I seen Ms. Shah’s name ever come up on a committee, or involved in any student or PTA activities. So I very concerned to know the basis for her knowledge and insight into the “occurrences and policies of the music department.” I believe it is speculation that is used to give an appearance of any factual knowledge of the true interests and motives of our music teachers. Regardless of the subject, the Warwick teachers have passion and dedication. Too often I encounter parents, who misinterpreting intentions, are unable to see the real dedication of our teachers. I have encountered parents who did not want to support a character enrichment assembly that the teachers themselves requested our PTA to support because these parents wanted to first see how the teachers would “incorporate ‘a lesson’ on character” in the classroom. These two parents were clueless and could not appreciate that character enrichment is incorporated everyday into our classrooms. Warwick teachers do this in all areas. They teach by example, by exhibiting passion and showing respect. What greater complement can there be to a student musician, then to be shown the respect of sitting in an orchestra pit with teachers and professional musicians as equals. What better way to instill a passion for music then for a beloved teacher to go outside the rhetoric of the classroom and to show that passion on the stage as a performer at a school concert. Teaching is truly a difficult job, and becomes more so each year, but not because of any difficulty with students, but because of parents who sadly cannot see that when teachers play in a school musical performance, they are teaching the merits of dedication and instilling a pride and passion that not only reaches our children’s minds, but touches their hearts. These are the true occurrences and policies of not only the music department, but every department in the Warwick Valley Schools. Virginia Snigur Warwick