district highlights - Barnegat Township School District

Mr. Houser: The musicians at the Brackman Middle School and Barnegat High School stole the
show at the Music in the Parks festival held at Six Flags Great Adventure this month. We
congratulate all of these fine musicians for the following achievements and invite the Directors
to please share a few words about the performances.
Winning for the district are: the Brackman Jazz Ensemble who took first place, Class AA and
Best Overall; C.J. Pacquing, who won Outstanding Soloist from over 1,100 other participants;
the Brackman Vocal Ensemble who took first place, Class AA; the Barnegat High School
concert band who took first place, Class AA; and the BHS Vocal Ensemble who took second
place, Class AA. We would like to welcome the directors of these music ensembles. We
congratulate all of these fine musicians for the following achievements, and invite their directors
to please share a few words about their performances.
Dr. McMahon: Come on guys. How many people are here from the Music n the Parks awards,
getting some awards this evening? OK, what to say a couple of words there? We are asking Mr.
Constantine to say a couple of words.
Mr. Constantine: I just want to say it is a great and wonderful opportunity and experience to be
able to take the band to a new level, meaning, going out to festivals and competitions. Actually I
don’t know if you remember Dr. McMahon, it was Dr. McMahon that implemented and started
the Music in the Parks program. He supported us going way back to 2002, and the Board of
Education then all the way through the present Board of Education supports the program and
supports the kids going out to achieve this kind of recognition making us better musicians and
being more educated that is what it is all about. And, of course, Steve Nichol and Karen
McKeon back then supported it and let us keep going, so I can’t thank you all enough and the
kids have benefited greatly from this experience. Our Jazz Band got best overall and they pulled
the highest scores I have ever seen in any kind of festival or competition. So we are deeply
indebted and I just want to express my gratitude to all that allow us to go ahead and pursue our
goals. Thank you.
Mr. Orrechio: When I first came into the district three years ago Mr. Constantine and Ms. Bense
had told me about this Music in the Parks and the wonderful opportunity it afforded our students
at Barnegat. So I said well, maybe I will try that and I went to the Administration here at the
high school, Dr. Saxton, and last year was our first year that we participated and we went and
had a great time. The kids learn a lot but when they see they have something to work for,
something like an award like this or a day at the park they really kick it up a notch when they
play. Last year they improved immensely in the year they were with me. This year we again
went back and the concert band took first place. We had our highest score ever and we fell just
shy of the top rating, Superior. I could not be more proud of all the students for all the hard
work they did and again, I want to thank all my principals, even the elementary principals
because I was actually able to miss a day from them because I teach at all the districts. So thank
you to all the Principals, Ms. Makela, Mr. Kiewe, Mr. Delaporte and to Dr. Saxton for giving us
the opportunity to go and to succeed as well as we did.
Ms. Bense: I have had the opportunity and the pleasure to accompany Mr. Constantine with the
Jazz Band in Music in the Parks and I also take out my Vocal Ensemble. We love singing for the
community, we go out all the time to the Rec Center for SOCH Benefit and other various places
Barnegat Township Board of Education Minutes - June 10, 2008 8