Later this year you will vote for one of these persons to serve two years as President--elect of the SW Division of MENC.  Please read the information below.

James South
Candidate for President-Elect, SW Division MENC

John Taylor
Candidate for President-Elect, SW Division MENC

Message from James South:
I am delighted to introduce myself to MENC Southwestern Division members. I am the Immediate Past-President of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association. I taught three years as a band director in Irving (TX), and have taught twenty years in higher education. I am currently the Director of Bands and Chair of the Department of Music at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. My degrees include the BME from Northwestern University, and the MM and DMA from the University of North Texas.
In nine years on the OMEA Board, I helped to write our Mission Statement and Strategic Goals, and oversaw the creation of a new website that gave us the ability to update web information instantly and to send mass emails to OMEA members. I also represented the SW Division on the 2007 MENC Strategic Planning revision team.
Music is an essential part of a real education, and I believe that MENC must be the strongest voice for our profession at the national level. Although legislation at the state level most directly impacts music education, the “No Child Left Behind” law has shown us that federal legislation can also negatively affect instructional time, funding, and the relative importance of arts programs in schools. MENC should continue to develop partnerships with the other arts education organizations and work together to protect and strengthen arts education.
MENC plays an essential role in the professional development of teachers through publications, conferences, and the support of research. I believe that MENC should improve leadership training for state officers, especially Presidents-Elect, so that they may develop skills in their roles as advocates for music education, leaders of people, and planners of events. MENC should develop and distribute “best practice” papers to the state leadership on lobbying/advocacy, electronic communication, and fiscal management, to report successful strategies and programs used by other states.

Message from John Taylor:

John Taylor has taught music for over thirty years to all ages.  He is Professor of Music at Friends University, Wichita, Kansas, where he teaches Music Education (vocal and instrumental) and Instrumental Music. 
As Musical Director of the Wichita Wind Ensembles, he conducts adult and student bands who win frequent national championships.  Taylor’s ensembles have performed internationally and at state and national conventions.  His CMENC chapter has had twelve State CMENC Presidents.
Taylor is Past-President and Executive Director of KMEA.  He manages eight employees and a budget of $250,000.  He recently served on the MENC Presidential Nomination Committee. He has served on KSDE Music Standards and Licensure Committees. 
Taylor guest conducts festival and school bands, and adjudicates in Kansas and Oklahoma.  He has served on the boards of KMEA, KBA, and CIDA.  His articles have appeared in national and state journals, including the MEJ.
    “This is an introduction to issues that face MENC and music education.  A more complete statement about these issues will appear on your state website in the fall.

Advocacy and Programs
There are good programs, publications, meetings, and advocacy activities that MENC provides for teachers.  Each time students perform in public – in each music class – teachers advocate for music education.  MENC leadership participates in national advocacy activities. Teachers can advocate at their own comfort levels.

Standards
A recent review of the National Standards suggests they are still appropriate.  MENC should continue to create materials and sessions that help teachers include the National Standards in their curricula and teaching.

Music Educators Shortage
Music educators must encourage their best students to become teachers.  We need to grow Tri-M and CMENC Chapters and focus on them at our state conventions.

NCLB
The election in November will bring new leadership to Washington and our states.  MENC leadership can work with politicians to positively impact NCLB.”

INTERVIEW WITH THE TWO CANDIDATES IS AVAILABLE BELOW AS AN Adobe PDF file download.