|
Schalmont
Elementary Schools:
Schalmont Middle School:
Schalmont High School:
Mrs. Kathleen Bragle
—
Jefferson
Mrs. Bragle has taught in the Schalmont School District for 35
years, spending the last 29 at Jefferson Elementary School.
Before teaching in Schalmont, she taught in the Albany City
School District. She is a cum laude graduate of the College of
St. Rose and received her Masters in Music Education from the
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She is a certified
teacher in Orff Schulwerk and a NYSSMA Adjudicator for piano. In
2002, she became one of six teachers from New York State to
become a National Board Certified teacher in Music. This year,
Mrs. Bragle is teaching kindergarten, first, second and third
grades. She often accompanies several high school students for
the NYSSMA Solo Evaluation Festival held in the spring -
something she has loved doing ever since coming to Schalmont.
For 10 years she served as the Director and Producer of
Schalmont's Summer Theatre. She is a member of American Choral
Directors Assoc. (ACDA), American Orff Assoc. (AOSA), Music
Educators National Conference (MENC) and the New York State
School Music Assoc. (NYSSMA).
Mr. Justin Godlewski —
Jefferson and Middle School, Marching Band Director
Mr. Godlewski recently graduated magna cum laude
from the College of St. Rose with a bachelor’s degree in music
education. At St. Rose he was fortunate to study saxophone with
Paul Evoskevich, through whom he was able to receive a lesson
from saxophonist Bob Mintzer. Mr. Godlewski was principal
saxophone of the college’s wind ensemble for four semesters and
a member of the jazz ensemble, where he was given the
opportunity to solo for jazz great Billy Taylor. Justin began
work with the Mohonasen Marching Band as woodwind director in
2006, has been giving saxophone lessons at Drome Sound Music
Studios since the summer of 2007, and currently directs the
Rotterdam Town Jazz Band as well. Mr. Godlewski is a member of
the National Association for Music Education and National Band
Association. He currently plays around the capitol district with
the band Classic Rock Tribute Celebration.
Mr. Sean Lowery
—
Jefferson and High School
It
all began is a little log cabin made of earth and
wood......sorry, that's Johnny B. Goode's bio. As for Mr.
Lowery, he received his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Music
Education from the Crane School of Music at S.U.N.Y. Potsdam, NY
in 1981. In January of 1983 he completed the Master's in
Performance and Literature program at the Eastman School of
Music in Rochester, NY where he held an assistantship in the
Brass and Music Education departments. After receiving his
Master's degree, Sean enrolled in the Jazz and Contemporary
Media program also at Eastman.
Mr. Lowery began his teaching career at Middleburgh Central
Schools in Middleburgh, NY in May of 1983. In the fall of
1986 he accepted the position of High School Instrumental Music
Director at Schalmont where he directs the Concert Band, Wind
Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Band.
In 1986, Mr. Lowery became a permanent member of "Doc Scanlon's
Rhythm Boys" a local swing, rhythm and blues band of which he is
still a member. To date the group has recorded 4 albums and has
traveled around the globe, performing at the Pori Jazz Festival
in Finland as well as at the Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg,
Russia. Mr. Lowery has performed with Ray Charles, Aretha
Franklin, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Temptations, Tom
Jones, The Manhattan Transfer, Julio Eglesias, and Dionne
Warwick, to name a few.
Mr. Robert Renzi
—
High School
Mr. Renzi has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology
from Siena College and a master’s degree in Music Education from
the College of Saint Rose. He is currently in his 16th year as
choral director at Schalmont High School. He sings tenor
professionally in One Man Short, a male, vocal a cappella group
that performs throughout the region. He is also the director of
the traditional adult choir at St. Edward’s Church in Clifton
Park.
Mrs.
Eileen Scheffer — Middle School, Jefferson, Tri-M Music Honor Society Advisor
Mrs. Eileen Scheffer received her music education degree from
Hartwick College and started teaching at Schalmont in 1980 where
she taught at the Middle School until 1986. During that time,
she obtained her Masters Degree in Special Education from the
State University at Albany. She then left teaching to have a
family, and remained in the district as a resident. She has
three children — all who are now graduates of Schalmont. Mrs. Scheffer returned to teaching in 1994, part-time at Schalmont,
along with being the head teacher/director of the OLA Nursery
School for 11 years. Mrs. Scheffer is now a full-time music teacher
at Schalmont. She
teaches
all fourth-graders and one third-grade class at Jefferson. She
also teaches two fifth-grade classes and part of the fifth grade
chorus, all eighth-grade general music
classes, and conducts the eighth-grade chorus. She is the
music coordinator for the district.
Eileen is a member of MENC and ACDA National Music organizations and serves as a piano
adjudicator for NYSSMA as well as teaching private piano
students. She is the Co-Chair of the Board of the
Schalmont Teachers' Institute and is now serving as
president of the Schenectady County Music Association. Mrs. Scheffer loves
sharing the “joy of music” with her students and the community.
[ TOP OF
PAGE ]
|
