Children in the district are receiving consistent music education every week for at least 45 minutes in a unique team-teaching approach by Linda Clements, Megan Gilroy, Tammy Feinberg and Carolyn Simon.

Through the efforts of the nonprofit Los Gatos Education Foundation, the district was able to hire an additional fourth music teacher this year, according to Lexington Elementary School Principal Raf Strudley, who supervises the program.

The four teachers have a rotating schedule, taking songs and instruments to every school in the district over the course of a week. But they are rarely all in the same classroom at the same time, unless it's to collaborate on teaching ideas. This way, they can utilize their different talents on a wider level.

"There's so much to think about, because we are so spread out," said Gilroy, who also directs Raymond J. Fisher Middle School's choral program and majored in vocal performance in college. "The organization is the biggest challenge."

Fisher's choral program was initially cut last year, but then restored thanks to LGEF funding from the Save Our Schools campaign, which raised more than $1 million. Gilroy holds chorus practices during "zero period" before school starts, Monday through Friday. Dr. Suzanne Boxer-Gassman, LGUSD assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said smaller-group teaching like this is important because it's increasing the number of contact hours students have with their teachers.

Gilroy and Feinberg have also added an after-school chorus program one day a week at each of the district's four elementary schools—Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington and Louise Van Meter.

In the past, Gilroy said there was one teacher assigned per two schools to teach music, and students were pulled out of class to receive instruction if they opted to take music. But by enriching the already existing program, elementary school classes are now all required to attend the music program.

"You've got four brains working together who are tapping each others' expertise and supporting each other," Strudley said. "And it's well-known that children who participate in music tend to be more successful in school. We consider music to be an essential core in their education."

LGUSD Superintendent Mary Ann Park said the program serves students in kindergarten through eighth grades. The district's four elementary schools have 100 percent participation in the program, and Fisher Middle School students have music offerings as electives. Strudley said the four enthusiastic and passionate teachers take extreme pride in their work.

In the elementary schools, Park said the program is beneficial because it allows classroom teachers to be released to work on core programs and curriculum development while their students attend the music program. The core programs include research that teachers conduct together by grade level to make sure they are delivering the best education programs possible.

"In addition to being enjoyable to kids and allowing them to express themselves, there is also some really good research that shows music helps the kids academically," Park said.

As a music teacher whose expertise is in violin performance, Simon said she is becoming more well-rounded because she interacts with students from kindergarten through eighth grades on a regular basis, instead of interacting with just one grade level.

"We could be teaching in universities with the qualities we have—but this is more fun," said Feinberg, whose proficiency is in piano performance and classroom music.

With the help of her three colleagues, Clements serves as the instrumental specialist, directing the middle school band, orchestra and marching band, and said she enjoys being part of the team.

"I've become an instrumental expert," Clements said. "As my husband likes to say, I can play "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on anything."

Kindergartners through second-graders receive classroom music instruction based on the works of composer and educator Carl Orff. His teachings include music fundamentals, Gilroy said, such as percussion, rhythm, movement and pitch.

"It's more hands-on, as opposed to just singing," she said.

Third-graders learn the recorder. Fourth-graders take half a year of violin and another half of general classroom music. And fifth-graders are given an introduction to band and orchestra through a wide range of instrumental choices such as trumpet, trombone, clarinet, flute, violin and cello.

There are still some bugs to be worked out of the program, such as making the rotating schedule more manageable and solving the problem of what do to if a music teacher needs a substitute. But by next school year, the four teachers said they are confident the kinks in the pilot program will be fine-tuned.

As for whether funding from LGEF will continue next year for the fourth music teaching position, Strudley said he's not sure.

"We're hoping it's going to last forever," he said. "But will it? It's hard to say."

Gilroy said she does not expect the program to be cut. LGEF is in the middle of its annual campaign to raise money for educational assets such as teaching salaries, maintaining smaller class sizes, science and, of course, music, which is one of LGEF's top priorities. Boxer-Gassman said music is valued as a form of language expression and cultural enhancement and helps children become better problem solvers and mathematicians.

"It was a dream come true that the [Los Gatos Education] Foundation was able to fund another music teacher," Boxer-Gassman said. "It's exciting to know all of the children are receiving music development."