GPS Recognized as a Best Community for Music Education for 6th Straight Year
Tristan Chavez
Gilbert Public Schools was awarded the 2025 Best Communities for Music Education in the nation by the NAMM Foundation. This award program recognizes and celebrates outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have made music education an integral part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment to, and access to, music education.
2025 marks the 6th consecutive year GPS has been recognized with the Best Communities for Music Education award. Gilbert Public Schools is also one of just seven school districts in Arizona to receive this honor this year, a testament to the district’s sustained dedication to music education.
"The welcoming atmosphere, opportunity for self-expression, and the ‘success through hard work’ philosophy inherent in our District's music education classes produces a safe and encouraging community where students from every walk of life can flourish and mature into kind, considerate, empathetic, hard-working and socially exceptional young adults through their study of music," said Jenny Nichols, GPS Elementary String Department Chair.
Chip Durham, GPS Music Instructional Specialist, credits music teachers, administrators, and the support of local communities as reasons why the district has earned the Best Communities for Music Education for six straight years. “The Music Educator staff at GPS are dedicated, set high standards for themselves, and work together to ensure student success,” he added. “Our Administrators, School Board and our community are all very supportive, attending concerts, providing funding, and cheering on our success. I am very proud of my colleagues and their commitment to Gilbert students and this community.”
Gilbert Public Schools is proud to have a dedicated team of music educators across the district, including 5 National Board Certified Music Educators, 12 Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) Excellence in Music Teaching Award winners, and many campus-level teachers of the year. Two GPS teachers have been named AMEA Music Educator of the Year, while one has received the American String Teachers Association National School Educator Award, and another the Country Music Association Foundation National Music Teacher of Excellence Award. Even a current school board member, Jill Humpherys, has been recognized with the AMEA State Music Advocate of the Year award.
GPS is dedicated to providing students with a high quality and expansive music education from Pre-K through 12th grade. To learn more about music programs at GPS, including information on Elementary and Secondary Music Education, visit GilbertSchools.net/Student-Life/Music-Education.