Rising Starr Middle music technology teacher Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz helps students blend sounds and science.
With her music tech classes, Spatz works with students on things like songwriting and mixed-media projects to help them tap into their creativity. Because technology is always changing, she gets to keep learning along with her classes. Together, the students are set up to succeed in the real world.
“I feel like the skills that we learn in this class are so applicable to what the job market holds in the future for these kids,” she said. “The genie is out of the bottle. Technology is everywhere.”
She also coordinates the school record label Hall Pass Entertainment. It’s an initiative that she believes sets Rising Starr apart from schools across the nation. Students have so many creative options at their fingertips through it, like recording their own music and creating artwork. They put out an album every year that is produced with industry professionals, they record the podcast series Lock Break, and they produce a host of other projects.
There are so many cool things happening that she calls it the ‘Disneyland of Education.’
“It’’s basically a platform for us to share the creative works that our students are doing here, which is really exceptional.”
Hall Pass is the distribution arm of the Community for Creativity, which is an encompassing project for the whole school. Some of the cross-curricular innovation has included students building beats to set Shakespeare to hip-hop music.
“It’s not just bringing the other subjects into the music room. The music room goes out to the other classes, as well. It’s really like a school-wide effort.”
She became a teacher to make a positive change in the lives of students in the same way that her teachers helped shape her.
“I really want to make a positive difference in society,” said Spatz. “That’s why I”m a teacher.”
“The Honor Role,” an official podcast for Fayette County Public Schools, features employees, rotating through key stakeholders, including teachers, staff, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Join us as we dive in and learn about their journeys, their inspirations, and their whys.
Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and promoted on the social media channels of Fayette County Public Schools.
Episodes will also be available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2200811.
Posted 9/10/2024
