Teacher
Mr. James Rollins- music educator
Mr. Rollins is the director of the Raymond E. Shaw Elementary music program in the Millbury Public Schools District. Since his arrival in 2000, enrollment in the band program has grown nearly three times in size and his student ensembles have earned numerous awards.
Previously, he taught instrumental music at the Chocksett Middle School in Sterling, MA and the Westminster Elementary School in Westminster, MA. He maintained an active private teaching studio at Holy Name Central Catholic High School and Wachusett Regional High School where many of his saxophone and clarinet students were regularly accepted at the district and all-state levels.
Mr. Rollins received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has also completed the Fine Arts Director Certificate Program from Fitchburg State University where he also received his Master of Education in Arts Education. In addition, Mr. Rollins holds a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Worcester State College.
He has studied saxophone with Donald Markey, Kenneth Radnofsky, Lynn Klock, and Michael Monaghan. He has also performed in regional master classes for Daniel Deffayet and Frederick Hemke. During his time at UMass, he was part of the nationally acclaimed UMass Minuteman Marching Band and UMass Jazz Ensemble 1.
With his additional background in occupational therapy, Mr. Rollins is a firm believer in multisensory and multiple intelligence learning. He has had much experience and success working with students with disabilities, especially those with attention deficit, learning disabilities, and students on the autism spectrum.
Mr. Rollins has performed for many years as a freelance musician in numerous settings and organizations throughout New England and beyond including Carnival Cruise Lines, Mohawk Trail Concert Series, New England Theater Company, Wachusett Theater Company, Worcester County Light Opera, and the Worcester Jazz Orchestra.
As a member of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association, Mr. Rollins has served as an adjudicator. In addition, he is certified in the Orff-Schulwerk approach, music technology through Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME), and Teaching Guitar Workshop through NAfME, NAMM, & GAMA.