Samantha Quesenberry

1. Samantha Quesenberry Applicant for the position of Montgomery County Public Schools Fine Arts Supervisor

2. Shinichi suzuki: • “Art exists for the human species. I think that all of the people who love art, who teach art, and all of you should burn with the obligation to save the world.” • “It is necessary to be concerned about the importance of educating a really beautiful human spirit.”

3. Musicians have their instruments of choice; artists have their preferences of mediums. My true passion is the art of education. I am an Arts Educator.

4. Employment history summary • Montgomery County Public Schools: • Present Position: • Music Specialist, Grades K-5 • 1996-Present • Teach music classes for grades K-5 in two schools • Produce music programs several times a year • Previous Position: • Choral Director, Blacksburg Middle School • 1989-1996 • Taught choral music grades 6-8 • Produced and directed a yearly musical

5. Previous and Additional Employment: • Tunes For Tots • Blacksburg, Virginia • Private music classes for ages birth through five • Summer Sessions, 1996-Present • Design and teach a summer curriculum for multi-level age groups • Private Voice Lessons • 1996-2006 • Specialized in audition preparation

6. SynerVision Leadership Foundation • Executive Director • 2010-2011 • Took a year’s leave of absence from teaching to help • start this foundation • Worked with churches and nonprofit organizations to help develop • their leadership skills • Worked to secure funding, maintain the website, obtain • nonprofit status, develop vision and mission statements, • and create a business plan • Helped develop three online leadership courses

7. Church Music • Present Position: • Blacksburg Presbyterian Church • Children’s Music Director • January 2011-Present • Plan for and rehearse two choirs weekly • Previous Position: • One In The Spirit, Blacksburg, Virginia Ecumenical Group of 12 Churches • Executive Director • 2008-2009 • Led the development of vision and mission statements and • long-range planning goals • Oversaw all aspects of project implementation and budgets • Wrote and dispersed weekly and monthly communications • with all churches • Led the development, planning, and implementation of ecumenical • activities such as a Good Friday service and • Social Justice Prayer Walks

8. Church Music, con’t • Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, Blacksburg, Virginia • Director of Ecumenical Worship Renewal Grant • 2006-2008 • Oversaw all aspects of grant implementation and funds • Headed a task force of representatives from six area churches • Headed the task force from Luther Memorial on worship renewal • Planned and implemented an ecumenical worship service for 4,000 • people in response to the Virginia Tech April 16th Tragedy with • The Rev. Dr. Tony Campolo as the featured speaker • Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, Blacksburg, Virginia • Worship Leader, Alive! in Christ • 2000-2006 • Oversaw all aspects of ministry • Designed and led weekly worship service • Oversaw all aspects of the worship team • Auburn United Methodist Church, Riner, Virginia • Choral Director • 1985-1992 • Oversaw all aspects of the choral ministry • Led children’s music activities

9. National Board Certified I received my National Board Certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards in 2004 My certification is in Early and Middle Childhood Music Following that period I spent six years co-leading a mentoring program for other teachers engaged in the process, both music and non-music in Montgomery County

10. education Master of Science, 2013 Radford University Educational Leadership Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, 1989 Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia Major: Music Concentration: Vocal Music Education

11. Certification Virginia Department of Education PreK-12 Administration and Supervision National Board Certification, 2004 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Early and Middle Childhood Music Virginia Department of Education Music PreK-12 Vocal and Instrumental

12. Volunteer positions Parent Advisory Board Community Children’s Chorus, Division of the Blacksburg Master Chorale 2006-2008 Children’s Music Director Luther Memorial Lutheran Church 2000-2007 Couples Group Leader Luther Memorial Lutheran Church 2005-2007 Summer Musical Enterprise Board of Directors, 1997-2001 HaeBo Theatrical Productions Board of Directors, 2006-Present

13. Vocal and/or Musical Director/Actress 1997-present Summer Musical Enterprise TriSoulProuductions Haebo Productions New River Stage Productions include: Cinderella, The House at Pooh Corner, Steel Magnolias, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Monky Business, Tom Sawyer, Oliver, Godspell, Annie Get Your Gun, The Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz

14. Grants • Calvin Worship Renewal Institute • Special Blacksburg Grant, $5,000 • Calvin Worship Renewal Institute, 2006-2007 • Worship Renewal Project, $20,000 • What’s On Stage Grants: • Lowes Toolbox for Education Grant, Fall 2010 • Blacksburg Master Gardener’s Association, Fall 2010 • Verbrugge Family Fund, 2010-2011 • Community Foundation of the New River Valley, Fall 2003-2011 • Fall and Spring Grant Cycles-16 grants awarded • STAR, Montgomery County Public Schools, 2001-2008 • Six grants awarded

15. VERB: Play Without Borders, 2005 • Virginia Commission for the Arts, Teacher Incentive Grant, 2004 • Virginia Education Association Mini-Grant, 2004 • National Education Association, Innovation Grant 2002 • Virginia Commission of the Arts, Teacher Incentive Grant, 2001 • Artist-In-Residence: Joe Shannon • New River Valley Friends of the Symphony, 1999 • Artist-In-Residence Program

16. Awards and publications Teacher as Researcher, 2006 Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity National Collegiate Music Award, 1986 “Worship in Terrible Times” in Reformed Worship Magazine June 2008 “Stars of Stage and Screen” in Virginia Journal of Education, December 2005 “Strange But True Choir Stories” in VocalEase, January 1997

17. What’s On stage • Founder and Director, “What’s On Stage” • Afterschool Arts Program for At-Risk Students • Harding Avenue Elementary School, Blacksburg, Virginia • 2001-present • Secure all grants and donations to fund the program • Design the theme and curriculum for each year • Manage all communication with sponsors, donors, parents, • school administration, and arts providers • Lead all weekly sessions • Plan, implement, and supervise all field trips

18. What’s On stage

19. What’s On stage

20. Community connections • I was in the first Kindergarten class at Riner Elementary School. • I attended school in the Auburn strand until my family moved when • I was a junior in high school. The current Fine Arts • Supervisor was my band director! • I did my student aiding in the Shawsville/Elliston strand with a • teacher who is currently the BMS choral director. • I student taught in the Christiansburg strand. One placement was • with a teacher who still teaches at CES. • I have taught in the Blacksburg and Christiansburg strands for • 21 years. • Through my church work, community theatre work, What’s On • Stage and many other activities, I have a wide base of • community contacts.

21. Multiple disciplines/Levels • I have taught middle and elementary school and done workshops • and directed musical theatre at the high school level and • above. • Although my time has been spent as a music teacher, I have • collaborated with the art teachers in all my positions in • order to do interdisciplinary units, Fine Arts Festivals and • other joint activities. • My work with What’s On Stage has given me the opportunity to • be more involved and hands-on with art projects and • art staff than the average music teacher. • I have extensive work with drama and musical theatre.

22. My standards • I have a vision for the future of Fine Arts in Montgomery County that • builds on our tremendous success thus far. (ISLLC Standard 1) • I am committed to viewing all decisions through the lens of • student learning and am committed to supporting my staff • in meaningful professional growth. (ISLLC Standard 2) • I am a highly organized individual who is accustomed to managing • many tasks and activities. (ISLLC Standard 3) • I have many established community contacts and have collaborated • with the school and larger community for many years. I am able • gather and organize resources and have worked with a very • diverse population in my teaching assignments and What’s • On Stage. (ISLLC Standard 4) • I have and will always attempt to act in an ethical manner with • fairness and integrity in both my personal and professional life. • (ISLLC Standard 5) • I understand that one school, one school district, and even one • community cannot be the whole of our focus. As educators we • must be active in the community in any way that will help us to • better serve our students. (ISLLC Standard 6)

23. Personal vision statement I believe that educating the whole child-body, mind, and spirit-is essential to the well-being of the individual and to our society in general. We must not let our children’s education be merely an exercise in memorization and learning only what will be tested. We must teach our students that creativity, problem solving, and cooperation are highly valued traits in our 21st century. We must also constantly make them aware that the beauty of art is a necessity, not a luxury. Not only for them, but for all of humankind.