March 2023

It's that time of year again where we celebrate the importance of music education in schools and the value it has on our lives. 

Check out the amazing teacher/staff drum ensemble who performed for students.

March 2023

Rockin' the day with our favorite music t-shirts :)

March 2023

To kick off Music in Our Schools Month (March), Mr. Andreas hosted two early childhood music classes to bring music to life for children ages birth through four. These students are the future Spackenkill musicians!

February 2023

Second Grade practices and creates a composition based on the four basic body percussion moves.

February 2023

Mrs. Briody's class practicing their valentine's day circle dance.

February 2023

Second Graders practice their ability to read quarter and paired eighth note rhythms with various centers.

January 2023

Second Grade students sing, move, and play the glockenspiels to the song "John The Rabbit."

January 2023

Second Graders add instrumentation to accompany their song "Closet Key."

December 2022

Mrs. Ravas' Kindergarten class singing the song "Frosty Weather" with scarf props.

December 2022

Last weekend Mr. Andreas was awarded the 2022 NYSSMA Early Career Achievement Award at the NYSSMA Winter Conference. He was also able to attend various workshops and catch up with old friends and colleagues.

November 2022

Students in Mrs. Strapec second grade class learned the chant "Peas Porridge Hot" and played non-pitched percussion instruments on certain words of the chant. 

November 2022

Second grade students play the singing game "5 Fat Turkeys."

March 2021

This year we celebrated Music In Our Schools Month with a virtual video assembly. Each class participated from their classroom with singing, moving, dancing, laughing, and smiling :)

March 2021

We are so excited to finally see our students in-person :)

November 2020

Mr. Andreas publishes a book entitled "A Quick and Practical Guide to Remote Elementary Music." This book is filled with tips, tricks, and activities to help guide the elementary music teacher through online and remote teaching. 

January 2021

October 2020

Although elementary music should not be experienced through a screen, we have been dong our best to bring the magic music energy to home 

September 2020

Remote Learning means putting together over 500 instrument kits for elementary music students!

April 2020

What a great way to connect with students during the pandemic by visiting their homes with a car parade.

April 2020

One highlight of remote learning during the pandemic was the "Family Folk Song" Project.

Students were asked to research a family or friend"adult" and learn one song from their childhood and culture. After learning about the , students were asked to submit a recording of themselves performing the song. 

What a wonderful way to peek into the musical lives of students outside of the music classroom. 

Congratulations to the Spackenkill Music Department for being selected as a 2020 Best Community for Music Education.

This is award is selected through an application process by the NAMM Foundation. 

March 2020 - Mrs. Lombardi's Class

Although we haven't seen a lot of it, Mrs. Lombardi's Kindergarten class sings a song about frosty weather!

March 2020 - Mrs. McGurl's Class

First Graders explore different ways to move their bodies across the rooms while completing an astronaut mission. 

These pathways include "straight", "curvy", "bumpy", and the "loop." 

March 2020

Mr. Andreas recently presented a workshop at the 2020 NJMEA (New Jersey Music Educator's Association) State Conference in Atlantic City, NJ. This workshop was entitled "How Far I'll Go" and introduced various ways to incorporate popular children's media into the early childhood classroom. 

October 2019 - Nassau and Hagan Elementary

Check out the "spooky" happenings in music class. 

September 2019 - Mrs. Briody's Class

First Graders explore a variety of ways to move their bodies while listening to the drum leader.

2019 - Mrs. Goodwill's Class

First Graders practice their steady beat on the woodblock while speaking the chant "I Think Music's Neat."

September 2019 - Mrs. Boyce's Class

Check out Mrs. Boyce's class fishing for sunken rhythm treasure while singing the song "Bobby Shafto."

Each treasure contains a four beat rhythm pattern using quarter notes and eighth notes.

June 2019 - Second Grade Students

Second Grade Students performed "Count On Me" by Bruno Mars  at the Spring Music Assembly! Nassau students are visited twice a year by Hagan Musicians in the Chorus, Strings, and Band ensembles!

What a wonderful way to conclude the school year!

May 2019 - Nassau Elementary

Nassau Folk Dance Night welcomed over one hundred students and adult dance partners!

March 2019

Congratulations to the Spackenkill Music Department for being selected as a 2019 Best Community for Music Education.

This is award is selected through an application process by the NAMM Foundation. 

March 2019

Mr. Andreas is spending his weekend attending a 25 hour training in an early childhood music and movement program called Music Together.

"It is so important to continue to grow as an educator and seek out opportunities to improve my teaching."

March 2019 - Mrs. Zanca and Mrs. Boyce's Class

Every February and March, K-2 students travel to different countries learning and engaging with an array of world music.

Second Graders traveled to Africa and then recently to Ireland. Students have been expressing the form of the piece "Irish Washerwoman" through movement with a parachute!

To kick off our Music In Our Schools Month celebration, students and staff wore a musical shirt to celebrate!

February 2019 - Ms. Fyffe's and Mrs. Kniffen's Class

Circle games help to develop many musical skills and understanding in a fun way!

Fais Dodo (Ms. Fyffe's Class)

Doggie, Doggie (Mrs. Kniffen's Class)

March 2019

What a great surprise when a second grader came to music class dressed in a shirt of our composer, Bob Marley.

February 2019

Several teachers at Nassau Elementary, including music teacher Mr. Andreas, lended a hand at the annual STA Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser held at Applebess.

They got to serve many of the students from Nassau and Hagan Elementary

January 2019 - Mrs. Boyce's and Mrs. Wilcox's Class

Second Grade students learned the Russian Circle Dance, Sasha!

January 2019

Second Graders shine with their performance of "Kokoleoko" at the Nassau In-School Winter Music Assembly!

December 2018 - Ms. Goodwill's Class

First Graders practice their awareness of levels (high, middle, and low) through movements  on an elevator ride. 

December 2018

We love our second grade teachers and Ms. Spiegel (physical education)!  They are rehearsing to perform with our second grade students for our Winter Music Assembly. 

December 2018 - Ms. Fyffe's Class

Watch Ms. Fyffe's First Grade Class sing and play "Snail, Snail."

December 2018 - Mrs. Boyce's Class

Mrs. Boyce's Class singing, acting, and playing "Miss White."

October 2018 

October is always a spooky time of year in the music class :O

October 2018 - Mrs. Boyce's Class

Second Graders practice their mallet technique and steady beat while singing the song Miss White!

October 2018

Second grade musicians collaborate with each other to create a rhythmic composition utilizing quarter and eighth note rhythms.

First we write and compose our rhythms!

Next we practice speaking and putting the rhythms on our bodies.

Last, we perform with instruments for the entire class!

October 2018 - Mrs. Ravas' Class

Kindergartner's practice using the four different types of voices with the song "Frog in the Meadow."

October 2018

Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Red Grammar performs for the students at Nassau Elementary!

September 2018 - Ms. Fyffe's and Mrs. Briody's Class

First Graders review and practice free-space while flying their "airplanes" around the room to the "Superman" movie theme song!

September 2018 - Mrs. Politi's and Mrs. Ravas' Class

Kindergartener's are learning about the importance of free-space and how to travel around the room. Students work to float in their own personal "bubble" and not get popped!

June 2018 

Congratulations to our Kindergarteners on their Spring Music Concert!!

June 2018 

It's always a pleasure to have students who take the initiative to learn an instrument outside of the music classroom.

First Grader, Joy, studies private piano.

Kindergartener, Natalie, studies private violin.

June 2018

Our second graders are getting excited for third grade which means.....Beginner Strings at Hagan!! Ms. Valentine visited Nassau all week to size students for their instrument and for their first official lesson!

June 2018 - Mrs. Davis' Class

A birthday at work is made special when a Kindergarten class sings and makes you  a special birthday crown.

June 2018

Our composer of the month for May/June was John Williams! Each week we received a "text message" from John Williams telling us a fun fact about himself.

First Grade was exploring musical form (AA/AB Form), so I created a movement activity utilizing John William's  E.T. Flying Theme Song.

May 2018

Nassau was full of music as a school-wide assembly brought the musical talents of Hagan Elementary.

Congratulations to our own second grade musicians who performed the popular song "See You Again" arranged by Mr. Andreas on the piano.

April 2018

Congratulations to the Spackenkill Music Department on being selected as a

2018 Best Community For Music Education"

March 2018

March was MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH where we celebrated why music is so important and why we are so lucky to have music education in our schools.

We concluded the month with a school-wide assembly which brought together students and staff in an engaging and entertaining celebration of music at Nassau Elementary.

March 2018

Teachers met a few times during the month of March before school to rehearse for the Music In Our Schools Month Assembly. The teacher drum ensemble performed two pieces, a rhythmic-driven piece on the tubano and an arrangement of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

March 2018

Nassau Elementary loves music :)

March 2018

Check out with many of the staff here at Nassau Elementary love music too!

March 2018

This morning we kicked off Music In Our Schools Month (March) by holding two early childhood caregiver music classes.

We made musical memories with many of the younger siblings of our Nassau students as well as some incoming Kindergarteners!

What a blast!

March 2018 - Mrs. West's Class

Check out Mrs. West's Kindergarten Class sing "Frosty Weather" and perform our circle dance with a stretchy band!

February 2018 

Down By The Bay!

February 2018

Looks like it's time for kindergartener's to explore the xylophone and the technique for playing the instrument.

January 2018

For February and part of the month March, students will be "traveling" to Africa where they will learn about and perform songs from the country!

February 2018 - Mrs. West

Watch Mrs. West's Kindergarten class play our singing game "Grizzly Bear."

February 2018

Second Grade students have been learning about the instrument families including the String, Brass, Percussion, and Woodwind families.

What better person to talk about the String Instrument Family than Hagan's own Ms. Valentine!

Students were able to see how each instrument looked, sounded, and the technique for playing each.

What a great way to get these (almost third graders) excited about having the opportunity to play a string instrument next year at Hagan!

February 2018

My heart was so full today when first grader, James, came to music class dressed in a button down shirt and tie.

When asked why he was dressing so nicely, he said that he wanted to be like “Mr. Andreas.”

This is why I love my job!!

January 2018

Second Grade students composed using quarter notes and eighth notes, a delicious Thanksgiving composition project!

January 2018

Reese, a kindergarten student from the class of Andrea Davis, shared his talent of playing the violin!

What a treat! Keep up the wonderful work Reese!

January 2018

Musical Centers are a hit with second grade classes! Students reinforce concepts of rhythmic performance and notation, dynamic levels, composer facts, and more. 

Students playing an interactive game to identify dynamic levels (loud/soft) and Students clap and speak rhythms with various dynamic markings as well crescendo/decrescendo markings (all while rescuing Moana!).   

Fly Swatter Game! A student leader claps and speaks a rhythm, while two students race to swat the rhythm they see!                                                                          

Storybook station! Students are to read the story which reviews  musical concepts, facts about composers, and more.

Relaxation Station. Students listen to a piano arrangement of their favorite pop tunes while coloring musical sheets.

January 2018

Second Grade students watch their performance of "Funga Alafia" at the annual Winter Music Assembly and reflect upon their performance.

Students watch, listen, and analyze their performance through a guided written concert reflection.

December 2018

Check out the second grade performance of "Funga Alafia" at the annual Winter Music Assembly!

Students were accompanied by their second grade teachers who rehearsed and performed as the drum ensemble!

Nassau Students were able to watch performances by Hagan Ensembles including the 4th and 5th grade chorus, Gold Strings, and Concert Band.

Congratulations to all who have performed!

December 2017

This month we developed our musical skills and understanding            through implementing the music of Disney's "Moana."

Sang a Polynesian echo song called "Tongo"

Practiced a steady beat to the song "Logo Te Pate" from "Moana"

Expressed the form of the song "How Far I'll Go" through movement.

Explored elements of pitch and head voice using Moana themed contour drawings.

November 2017

Check out some of the fun we had in music class this October!

We practiced our steady beat to Michael Jackson's "Thriller", expressively moved our bodies looking like zombies to a piece  from the orchestral suite The Comedians entitled "Pantomime" by composer Dmitry Kabalevsky, and performed a circle dance called "Spooky Loo."

Other spooky activities not in the video include using a ghost puppet to explore our "head register" or the higher part of our singing voice, playing Orff instruments (xylophone) to the song "Miss White", and telling spooky stories.

October 2017

Check out a few of the First and Second Grade classes performing our first line dance called Sneaky Snake.

September 2017

Check out the new layout and design of the class! (use the bottom arrows to slowly navigate)