Waterford Unified School District recognizes and embraces the multitude of benefits that musical education brings to students. Ample research has demonstrated how musical education positively affects students' ability to succeed academically, assists in developing community and collaboration skills, and provides for method for creative expression.

Music is a great unifier, transcending age, culture, race, and even language. In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Music is the universal language of mankind." Incidentally, music helps children develop the skills to learn other languages, by stimulating the brain and strengthening memorization.

While practicing and performing together, students have to collaborate with their peers in order to harmonize. This collaboration and teamwork fosters deep friendships as students share in each other's learning journeys, overcome milestones, and form a network of mutual support. As students form this connection with music and their peers, they naturally feel more connected and engaged at school as a whole, and are more likely to succeed in other areas.

Musical education forces students to learn hand-eye coordination, multi-task, and stay focused. Improving ones musical skill does not come easily. Through continual practice over the course of years, students learn that keeping a positive mindset and persevering through times of struggle brings success. This work ethic is a great life-skill to carry over into other disciplines.

Like all the arts, music is an outlet for creativity. Students are invited to explore and create with fewer limits than other courses of study, and for many students, music class quickly becomes a time of stress relief and connection. Even students who struggle academically can succeed in the arts, lifting their self confidence and creating a sense of achievement.

Whether you or your child is serious about mastering an instrument or just wants to explore their interests, we encourage you to learn more about the benefits of musical education at Waterford Unified School District.

Last year was the beginning of musical education for many students at Lucille Whitehead Intermediate School (LWIS). Grades 4-5 laid the groundwork for continued music education by learning to read music, recognize notes, sing, and play the recorder. In addition, 6th grade students started learning instrumental music as part of the band, which allows them to learn any of the following instruments: the flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, and percussion.

Lucille Whitehead Intermediate students showed off all their hard work at the 2022 LWIS spring concert.

This year students at Lucille in 4th grade have been learning the recorders. Students in 5th grade have been starting to learn orchestra compositions. Students in 6th grade have participating in band.

Additionally, students enrolled in the Expanded Learning Program have numerous opportunities to explore their interest in music through a variety of instruments and methods.