The Clearview Regional High School District was named to the 2019 National Association for Music Merchants (NAMM) Best Communities for Music Education (BCME). This marks the second consecutive year that the Clearview Regional High School District has received this prestigious honor. Now in its 20th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. Inclusion on the BCMS list acknowledges the Clearview Regional School District as one of the top four percent (4%) of school districts for music education in the United States.

School districts listed in the BCME list go through a vetting process organized by NAMM and leading experts in the music education field. The application looks at the curricular music offerings in the district, recent student and ensemble honors, number of students engaged in school music classes across all grade levels, extracurricular musical offerings, teacher qualifications, community engagement, district and administrative support, as well as other music events and opportunities provided to students and teachers in the district. The Clearview Regional School District scored highly in all categories based on a strong tradition of excellence in both curricular and extracurricular ensembles, opportunities for all students to be involved in both middle school and high school elective music classes, and strong support from the community as well as school and district administrations.

The Clearview Regional High School District sponsors numerous curricular and extracurricular music opportunities for almost eight hundred students from grades seven to twelve. From March 2018 to February 2019 Clearview Regional High School students, ensembles, and faculty achieved the following accolades, among others:

• Clearview Regional High School chartered a chapter of Tri-M, the National Music Honors Society, with thirty students in the inaugural class.

• The Middle School Select Choir performed at the Kimmel Center before a Philly POP’s Concert.

• The Vocale Ensemble performed alongside community members in the Mullica Hill September 11th Memorial Ceremony.

• The Marching Band finished sixth in the Tournament of Bands Group 2 Open Atlantic Coast Championships.

• The Vocale Ensemble performed two concerts at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania as part of their winter concert series.

• The middle school choral and instrumental department brought together one hundred and fifty students to present a joint number at the winter concert in December.

• The Vocale Ensemble won the Christmas Choir Contest for 99.5 WJBR, and ended up opening for Mr. Jim Brickman at the Wilmington Opera House.

• Middle School Students successfully auditioned for and participated in the All-South Jersey Choir, All-South Jersey Band, All-South Jersey Jazz Band, and Olympic Conference Band.

• High School students successfully auditioned for and participated in the New Jersey All-State Mixed Choir, New Jersey All-State Treble Choir, New Jersey All-State Band, All-South Jersey Choir, All-South Jersey Band, All-South Jersey Orchestra, All-South Jersey Jazz Band, Olympic Conference Band.

• Male singers from the middle and high school participated in the Young Men’s Festival of Song at Rowan University

• Mr. Romel McInnis was selected as the conductor the 2019 All-South Jersey Honors Mixed Choir. Mrs. Diana Gable assisted as the piano player for the Mixed Choir.

• High School Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band students work with professional conductors from Drexel University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey, and Rowan University.

• The vocal department brought together five-hundred students from three school districts for the Tri-District Choral Festival, held at Clearview Regional School District.

• Clearview students participated in both the Gloucester County and New Jersey State Teen Arts Festivals, earning high marks across multiple disciplines.

• Mr. Gerry DeLoach was a featured presenter at the New Jersey Music Educators Association State Music Conference.

• The Wind Ensemble finished first overall in the Region III (South Jersey) Concert Band Festival, receiving the highest rating of Gold.

• The Wind Ensemble participated in the New Jersey State Band Gala as one of the representatives from Region III.

• The Clearview Regional High School Theatre Department presented two musical productions, Peter Pan, and Footloose, featuring over two hundred students from both the middle school and high school.

• Mr. Romel McInnis led the Rowan University Concert Choir as well as the Clearview Vocale Ensemble in a production of “Carmina Burana” as a prerequisite for completion of his Master’s Degree.

• Clearview Regional High School band students collaborated with a local school district to provide additional instruction for elementary band students.

• Piano students in both middle school and high school served as accompanists for both middle school and high school vocal ensembles.

• Students in the Advanced Placement Music Theory classes received high marks and collegiate credit for their work.

• The Marching Band and Colorguard participated in the Memorial Day Ceremonies in both Wenonah and Mantua Township.

• Piano and guitar students completed recital performances for their peers as part of an end-of-the-year performance opportunity.

• Mr. Wiernusz performed with the Atlantic Brass Band as part of their tour of England and Scotland, participating in both Brass in Concert and the Scottish Open.

• Students participated in honors ensembles at the following institutions: Rowan University, The College of New Jersey, Eastman School of Music, and Rutgers University.

• Clearview music students received entry into the following music schools: Temple University, West Chester University, Rowan University, Rutgers University, The College of New Jersey, University of Delaware, and the Westminster Choir College.

The Clearview Regional School District Music Department would like to thank Mr. John Horchak III and his team of administrators, as well as the administration and staff at both the high school and middle school for their continued support of the music program in the school district.

Information about the award designation, as well as the full list of schools can be found at the following link: https://www.nammfoundation.org/articles/bcme-2019-districts.

Information about the Clearview Regional School District can be found on the district website: https://www.clearviewregional.edu/

About The NAMM Foundation -

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,400 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.