Katy ISD has been awarded a designation to the “Best Communities for Music Education” by the  National Association of Music Merchants Foundation this year. This is the district’s eighteenth time on the list including the last 16 years consecutively.

“Our Katy ISD fine arts educators continually demonstrate an outstanding achievement in their efforts to provide music access,” said Katy ISD Executive Director of Fine Arts Mike Ouellette.

NAMM Foundation began issuing the designation 21 years ago, and Katy ISD is among 724 school districts and 98 individual schools receiving the designation this year.

To qualify for the designation, Katy ISD had to answer detailed questions regarding funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas, according to a Katy ISD press release.

“No matter what type of music you like, playing or listening to music has its benefits for our students, such as brain development, increasing human connections and even helping to relieve stress,” Ouellette said.

Katy ISD’s music educators are listed below:

Elementary:

Jonathan Langan - Alexander Elementary 

Alyssa Plumb - Alexander Elementary 

Holly Carr - Bear Creek Elementary 

James Griffin - Bethke Elementary 

Laurel Bowersox - Bethke Elementary 

Christine Marrs - Bryant Elementary 

Michael Marker - Campbell Elementary    

Elisa Willingham - Campbell Elementary    

Anastasia Kovar - Cimarron Elementary 

David Wallace - Creech Elementary 

Susie Calarco - Davidson Elementary 

Jessica Lopez - Davidson Elementary 

Jerry Manto - Exley Elementary

Kristi Blair - Exley Elementary

Abigail Wunneburger - Fielder Elementary 

Bart Plumb - Fielder Elementary 

Andrea Gillentine - Franz Elementary 

Linda McGowan - Franz Elementary 

Jose Sanchez - Golbow Elementary 

Cynthia Brodt - Griffin Elementary 

Jason Ritchie - Griffin Elementary 

Kimberly Peterson - Hayes Elementary 

Sean Jackson - Holland Elementary 

Melissa Talton - Holland Elementary 

Ho-Ling Chen - Hutsell Elementary 

Mary White - Jenks Elementary

Debra Herrera - Jenks Elementary

Marianna Stokes - Jenks Elementary

Leslyn Jacks - Katy Elementary 

Michele Dial - Kilpatrick Elementary

Jessica Guest - Kilpatrick Elementary

Kathy Chervnsik - King Elementary 

Lesley Dennis - King Elementary 

Pay-Sung Chew - Leonard Elementary 

Rhea Marsh - Mayde Creek Elementary 

Christy Chiriboga - McRoberts Elementary 

Katrina Pano - Memorial Parkway Elementary 

Paul Cimini - Morton Ranch Elementary

Laura Miller - Morton Ranch Elementary

Andrea Montano - Nottingham Elementary 

Jenny Mauterstock - Pattison Elementary

Lara Dixon - Pattison Elementary

Jennifer Chitmon - Randolph Elementary

Anna Villanueva - Randolph Elementary

Stephanie Bradley - Rhoads Elementary 

Margaret Palmer - Rhoads Elementary 

Shaun Cherwink - Rylander Elementary

Megan Kessler - Rylander Elementary

Karen Griffin - Schmalz Elementary 

Michael Thomas - Schmalz Elementary 

Nicoletta Singer - Shafer Elementary 

Melanie Braddy - Shafer Elementary 

Christy Tschauner - Stanley Elementary 

Monica Gerard - Stanley Elementary 

Mary Manceaux - Stephens Elementary

Nancy Bransom - Sundown Elementary 

Haley Long - West Memorial Elementary 

Jennifer Patterson - Williams Elementary 

Melanie Singeltary - Williams Elementary 

Stephanie Jones  - Wilson Elementary

Brooke Yubaile - Wilson Elementary

Christen Jones - Winborn Elementary 

Jennifer Lanham - Wolfe Elementary 

Emily Lucas - Wolman Elementary 

Bethany Eaton - Wolman Elementary 

Christy Bailey - WoodCreek Elementary

Bonnie McSpadden - WoodCreek Elementary

Junior High School

Jennifer Agbu – Adams JH

Lee Anderson – Adams JH

Donald Artley – Tays JH

Shelley Bailey – Stockdick JH

Israel Barron – Memorial Parkway JH

Lindsay Bartlett Tays JH

Dennis Beaver – West Memorial JH

Carlene Behmer – Memorial Parkway JH

Mary Bell – Morton Ranch JH

Dianna Blose – Adams JH

Mischa Brinkmeyer – West Memorial JH

Daniel Brodt – Cardiff JH

Karel Butz – Beckendorff JH

Jessica Capshaw – Tays JH

Jonathan Churak Simpson – Beckendorff JH

Bryan Cremer – WoodCreek JH

Tammy Disharoon – Tays JH

William Eldridge – Mayde Creek JH

Edward Ellsworth – Katy JH

Gisela Escobar Diaz – WoodCreek JH

Robert Fesler – West Memorial JH

Marissa Garcia – Seven Lakes JH

Jennifer Gingell – Seven Lakes JH

Mary Gold – Tays JH

Cynthia Gorton – Katy JH

Anne Guess – WoodCreek JH

Bobby Guess– WoodCreek JH

Bethany Hagin – Seven Lakes JH

Meredith Hernandez – McMeans JH

Klayton Hoefler – WoodCreek JH

Randallyn Holdford – Adams JH

Kelli Houston – McDonald JH

Bonnie Hulse – Beckendorff JH

Rachelle Isaacson – Cinco Ranch JH

Lisa James – Cinco Ranch JH

James Kalke – McMeans JH

Rachel Knight – Beckendorff JH

Natalie Koepp – West Memorial JH

Alex Lathrom – Memorial Parkway JH

David Lee – Tays JH

Kristin Likos – Seven Lakes JH

John Liner – Morton Ranch JH

George Liverman – Stockdick JH

David Lorine – Memorial Parkway JH

Richard Maher – Katy JH

Roger Marquis – Seven Lakes JH

Katherine Mathews – Tays JH

Kameryn Mattingly – Cinco Ranch JH

Kristofer Mckee – Mayde Creek JH

Robert Miles – Katy JH

Zachary Miller – Morton Ranch JH

Michelle Mitchell – Morton Ranch JH

Julie Moore – Beckendorff JH

Nelsen, Barbara L (BJH)

Ariel Ortega – Beck JH

Mark Palombo – Beck JH

Charnele Pendarvis-Romero Cardiff JH

Julia Peoples – Cinco Ranch JH

Kody Pisney – Beck JH

Bryanna Porter – Tays JH

Sara Proodian – Stockdick JH

Sadberry Marcia – Cardiff JH

Elizabeth Schmidt – Mayde Creek JH

Adam Seltzer – Seven Lakes JH

Joseph Semmler – McMeans JH

Emily Sharp – Stockdick JH

Sabrina Silva – McMeans JH

Pamela Smith – Beck JH

Brenden Steber – Beck JH

Susan Steber – Beckendorff JH

Matt Tavilson – Mayde Creek JH

Jeffrey Tipps – McDonald JH

Catherine Urban – Cinco Ranch JH

Jeffrey Van Hal – Morton Ranch JH

Laura Vu – Cinco Ranch JH

Amy Williams – McMeans JH

Kerianne Wright – Katy JH

Joe Young – McDonald JH

Taylor Young – WoodCreek JH

Daniel Zavala – Cardiff JH

High School

Ruben Aicala Alcala, Ruben J (MCHS)

Ary, Michael, D (THS)

Baker, Brannon B (KHS)

Bond, Stephen, L (OTHS)

Brown, Christopher M (MRHS)

Cabot, Jonathan F (THS)

Capshaw, Clinton L (THS)

Carlton, Sean M (SLHS)

Carruth, Charles C (THS)

Casillas, Molly R (MCHS)

Michael Chandler – Mayde Creek JH

Joseph Cherwink – Tompkins HS

Aimee Cho – Morton Ranch HS

Kathleen Cuddihee – Katy HS

Rory Davis – Cinco Ranch HS

James Dolnik – Mayde Creek HS

Dale Fremin – Katy HS

Terence Gorton – Katy HS

Emily Gunter – Morton Ranch HS

Ray Jones – Cinco Ranch HS

Randal Jordan – Seven Lakes HS

Gabriel Katz – Morton Ranch HS

Ellen Lawrence – Katy HS

John Mays – Seven Lakes HS

Brian Miller – Katy HS

Sundas Mohi – Paetow HS

Brett Nelsen – Cinco Ranch HS

Desiree Overree – Seven Lakes HS

Ruben Perez – Tompkins HS

Melanie Piche – Cinco Ranch HS

Matthew Porter – Tompkins HS

Ryan Pride – Morton Ranch HS

Gregory Redner – Paetow HS

Christin Reinartz – Tompkins HS

Kevin Riehle – Tompkins HS

Daniel Rivera – Cinco Ranch HS

Jessica Shine – Mayde Creek HS

Maria Singer – Mayde Creek HS

David, Singletary – Tompkins HS

Elizabeth Tait – Seven Lakes HS

Kevin Thompson – Paetow HS

David Van Wyk – Morton Ranch HS

Oscar Vera – Cinco Ranch HS

James Vinson – Seven Lakes HS

Emma Wade – Morton Ranch HS

Tiffany Webb – Taylor HS

Eric Weingartner – Taylor HS

Dorothy Wilson – Cinco Ranch HS

Henry Windham – Paetow HS

Johnathan Yoo – Seven Lakes HS

Luke Zamprell – Paetow HS