Mineola High School band director Marc Ratner has been chosen among more than 4,500 teachers as a quarterfinalist for the Music Educator Award. Only 213 music teachers from across the United States have been selected as quarterfinalists for this award, which is presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation.
The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. Ratner has been a member of the Mineola music department for the past six years and was nominated for his exceptional work with the Life Skills class. He is known to use the iPads to differentiate skill levels, use percussion instruments and mallets as forms of expression, and teach students to play the piano with color-coded keys.
The semifinalists will be announced in September. Finalists for the award will be announced in the fall, and one of the 10 finalists will be honored with the award during GRAMMY Week 2016 for his/her remarkable impact on students’ lives.
“The district congratulates Mr. Ratner on making the quarterfinals for this honor and wishes him luck as he submits a video and additional information for his continued consideration for the award,” the school district said.
