music

Hello from your new Solway music teacher! I would like to introduce myself... I am Mrs. Siems. I am a graduate from Bemidji State University with degrees in Music, Sociology , Criminal Justice and a Master's Degree in Music; Curriculum and Instruction. I have been teaching music in the Bemidji School District for 28 years and have taught in every school in the district except the high school. My teaching has included general music K-5 grades, 4-5 grade choir and orchestra at Horace May, Solway, Northern, Lincoln, J.W. Smith, Central, Deer Lake, Gene Dillon elementary schools and middle school. I was honored to be Teaher of the Year and nominated to compete Nationally for Teacher of the Year. I grew up in Bemidji and graduated from Bemidji High School. I was very involved in 4-H growing up and showed horses and dogs at the County Fair. For many years I ran a sled dog team around the Minnesota circuit and raised and showed dogs. I have had a blessed life traveling and living in a variety of places. Before teaching in MN, I taught at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, served as a Program Assistant for the National 4-H Center in Washington, D.C. and worked as a National Park Ranger for Voyageurs National Park. For the past 27 years I have played fiddle in an all-women band called Caleigh. We have recorded five CD's and can be found on ITunes and Spotify. We've had the opportunity to perform all over MInnesota and several years ago was asked to perform at the Minnesota State Fair and Mount Rushmore! I live in Bemidji and have one son who is a college student at St. John University. I am excited to be at Solway Elementary School! Go Tigers!!!!

I currently teach general music K-3 at two schools: Horace May and Solway. My position includes teaching almost 600 students in 26 music classes.

Current Music Units: K-1 grade students at Solway are learning melodic direction and playing the xylophone and metallaphone.

2-3 grade student at Solway just completed a musical unit about the famous Nutcracker Suite Ballet by Peter Tchaikovsky.