President’s Message
Greetings to My Fellow OCMEA Colleagues!
It seems like someone said to me, “See you in September,” like a day ago, yet here we are, a few month’s later already, and that means that it is time for all of us to get back to it and start making music again!! My letter to you marks the start of the 2024 – 2025 school year and one that I hope will be another filled with excitement for what we all do each & every day in our classrooms, and combined together as a county-wide association of music makers. I extend my best wishes to all of my OCMEA colleagues, whether veteran, new hire, retiree, or supporter of our association here in Orange County.
The start of this new school year marks the beginning of my 31st year of teaching at Middletown High School, where I have been the Director of Choirs, for my entire teaching career. This also marks the beginning of my 2nd year as your President and also will be my last. I look forward to working with each of you this year, so that we can continue to move OCMEA forward through our combined collaborative efforts. I have & will continue to focus my efforts in honoring the time honored traditions of musical excellence that our county has come to be known and recognized for, since I first started as a teacher and while I was also a student in Middletown & an OCMEA All-County musician myself before that.
I want you to know & encourage each of you to reach out to me at any time. I will be checking [my email] regularly, and assure each of you that I will respond to your questions, concerns, and feedback in a timely manner. Our OCMEA website has been experiencing some technical issues. We’re on it! Our festival schedule for the 2024 – 2025 school year will be fully implemented. The All-County Festival template will be posted for all of you, as well as for your student’s, parent’s, and administration to access on our website.
For the purposes of planning, OCMEA will be hosting a Back-to-School or beginning of the year Mixer at the Captain’s Table Restaurant (Monroe) on Friday, September 6th from 4:00 P.M. – 6:45 P.M. It would be great to see all of you, especially after our few months of Summer Break, and I would respectfully request that veteran colleagues invite the new hires in your district, remind them, bring them with you, so that they can begin to meet those in attendance, network, and make some connections. It has been said that, “It takes a village,” and a supportive network can make a world of difference for all of us!!
I look forward to seeing each of you & connecting with our newest hires, And, wishing us all a 2024 – 2025 filled with amazing musical opportunities. All my best!!
Gregory Bennett
Greetings to My Fellow OCMEA Colleagues!
It seems like someone said to me, “See you in September,” like a day ago, yet here we are, a few month’s later already, and that means that it is time for all of us to get back to it and start making music again!! My letter to you marks the start of the 2024 – 2025 school year and one that I hope will be another filled with excitement for what we all do each & every day in our classrooms, and combined together as a county-wide association of music makers. I extend my best wishes to all of my OCMEA colleagues, whether veteran, new hire, retiree, or supporter of our association here in Orange County.
The start of this new school year marks the beginning of my 31st year of teaching at Middletown High School, where I have been the Director of Choirs, for my entire teaching career. This also marks the beginning of my 2nd year as your President and also will be my last. I look forward to working with each of you this year, so that we can continue to move OCMEA forward through our combined collaborative efforts. I have & will continue to focus my efforts in honoring the time honored traditions of musical excellence that our county has come to be known and recognized for, since I first started as a teacher and while I was also a student in Middletown & an OCMEA All-County musician myself before that.
I want you to know & encourage each of you to reach out to me at any time. I will be checking [my email] regularly, and assure each of you that I will respond to your questions, concerns, and feedback in a timely manner. Our OCMEA website has been experiencing some technical issues. We’re on it! Our festival schedule for the 2024 – 2025 school year will be fully implemented. The All-County Festival template will be posted for all of you, as well as for your student’s, parent’s, and administration to access on our website.
For the purposes of planning, OCMEA will be hosting a Back-to-School or beginning of the year Mixer at the Captain’s Table Restaurant (Monroe) on Friday, September 6th from 4:00 P.M. – 6:45 P.M. It would be great to see all of you, especially after our few months of Summer Break, and I would respectfully request that veteran colleagues invite the new hires in your district, remind them, bring them with you, so that they can begin to meet those in attendance, network, and make some connections. It has been said that, “It takes a village,” and a supportive network can make a world of difference for all of us!!
I look forward to seeing each of you & connecting with our newest hires, And, wishing us all a 2024 – 2025 filled with amazing musical opportunities. All my best!!
Gregory Bennett