Teachers and Our Mission

Our Mission

When students enroll in the band, they become essential to Kettle Moraine Middle School and its community. Band class not only develops the student’s musical skills but also encourages the growth of the whole person. Whether performing individually or as a group, the students are encouraged to do their absolute best. It is our hope as instructors that this attitude will transfer to other areas of the student’s lives. Band is not just a performing ensemble; it serves as a model of excellence.

Making music is a rewarding and valuable experience in itself. Without an understanding of music and the arts, an essential piece of human development (aesthetic, emotional, psychological, cognitive) is missing. Furthermore, grades and test scores only partially determine personal success. More often, it is based on individual feelings of accomplishment and pride. We strive to instill a sense of pride in individual and group achievement. Band is the ultimate ‘team’ activity. There is no second string—every person must carry their weight.

Band fosters self-improvement and self-responsibility. Individual strengths make others stronger, but individual weaknesses affect others as well. Student effort in math class, for example, affects only the individual. However, in the band, the group's success depends on each member's efforts.

About the Teachers

Cathe Kuehn

My musical education journey has been long but fun. I began taking piano lessons when I was six years old and trumpet lessons when I was 11. I played in the band, jazz band, and orchestra throughout high school and college. Even now, I continue to play as my schedule allows. My formal college music education began at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where I received a music education degree. Later, I received a Masters degree in music from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Finally, I attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, where I worked on a doctoral degree in trumpet performance. I am a Nationally Board Certified Teacher and have been teaching in the Kettle Moraine School District since 2006. Not surprisingly, my family is also actively involved with music. My husband is a freelance musician and private percussion studio teacher. My daughter plays violin and percussion. We attend concerts regularly and listen to music all the time at our house. It is a privilege to be a part of the music team and to serve the KM community.

Nate Weiss

I grew up in a musical household with a father who was a band director and a mother who has been involved in music throughout her life. My personal music journey began in 2nd grade when I started piano lessons and continued when I began playing the trumpet in 5th grade. In high school, I was involved in a variety of honors jazz groups on trumpet and began teaching private lessons. I attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where I studied music education, composition, and jazz improvisation. I received a Music Education degree in K-12 Instrumental and General Music, and my compositions were recorded on several UW-Milwaukee Jazz Ensemble albums. In college, I also began my professional music career and currently perform professionally with a variety of ensembles in the Milwaukee area. I received my Master's degree in Instructional Technology from Cardinal Stritch University and am a Nationally board-certified teacher. I have been teaching in the Kettle Moraine School District since 2009.