On Friday, students at Mead Elementary School lined up outside the school’s front doors for a special treat. The school’s music teacher, Chad Lemons, invited a special guest, Guerrilla Fanfare, to perform for the students.
At the beginning of every school day, elementary students and their teachers take 15 minutes to move. During this time, classroom teachers choose activities for their students and can be seen all around the campus engaging in a variety of exercise activities. Once a month, the school comes together for an all-school movement event, Lemons said.
“Research links movement to increased focus, creativity, ability to process new material, and the release of endorphins to improve mood. We are very proud of the positive impact our daily movement has contributed to our test scores, attendance rate, and overall achievement as a school,” Lemons said.
Teachers rotate who will organize the all-school movement event. In September, Mead Elementary’s specials classes team was in charge of creating and leading the event.
“We collaborated as a team to do something bigger than usual and we landed on a choreographed routine to music performed by a live ensemble,” Lemons said.
Students at the school have been learning about brass, woodwind and percussion instruments, Lemons said. Friday’s event allowed students to experience these instruments performed in person.
“Exposure to quality live musical performances as a companion to solid music instruction in the classroom leads to increased excitement and curiosity about music,” Lemons said. “It's important to bring quality musicians into our schools and at the end of the event, our students will be excited about music, ready to learn, and proud to be Mustangs.”
The staff invited Guerrilla Fanfare because of its rich history in the St. Vrain Valley School District. The band has performed with Mead High School’s Unified Percussion Ensemble as well as other schools in northern Colorado.
“We were looking for a high-energy professional ensemble that can get our students dancing but also understands and values the advancement of music education in our schools,” Lemons added.
Students and their families gathered in the plaza outside the school’s main doors for the concert. They were greeted with high-energy music as their teachers led them to their places in the plaza. As students entered, they were immediately infected by the happy music and many of them danced their way to their spots.
Teachers stood on raised platforms and guided the students through the choreographed dance as the band showed off their skills with the instruments the students have been learning about.
