CUSD Board Proclaims Music In Our Schools Month

Choir Director Gary Kliewer leads his 50-plus strong choir from Maple Creek Elementary in song at Wednesday’s school board meeting. (JT Gomez/Clovis Roundup)

At the Clovis Unified Governing School Board meeting held on March 2nd, the “Music in Our Schools Month” was honored. 

Parents, family and the school board, were enlightened to the tune of two songs sung and performed by the Maple Creek Elementary Choir under the direction of Mr. Gary Kliewer. Kliewer went to the podium to address the board and the crowd, which was standing room only, to watch the performances. 

“We want to say, as a choir, music has played such an important part [for us]. Especially during this trying time,” Kliewer said. “Being involved in music has brought joy and peace in a time that was a little bit difficult for students.” 

Maple Creek Elementary is just one of the schools participating in the Music in Our Schools Month across the district. 

Other schools will be participating across the school district for the entire month of March and will be for years to come after the board unanimously passed resolution 3849, proclaiming that March would be the annual “Music in Our Schools Month.”

Board member Dr. Steven Fogg read the resolution. “A resolution is the strongest thing a board can give. It’s the strongest thing we can do.” 

According to the resolution, the board takes the position of Clovis Unified and their “rededication” to the music education program across the school district, which is most “relevant to the needs of the children placed in its care.”

Superintendent Eimear O’Brien commented on the performances and the new declaration of the board after the meeting. 

“I would say maybe the word I would use is ‘inspiring’. It was uplifting, for everybody, to have our kids in the room performing,” O’Brien said. She went on to say that they will have three more performances from students inside the boardroom for the remainder of the meetings in March. 

The board members thanked the choir and their director, Gary Kliewer, on their way out.

The Maple Creek Elementary Choir performed at the Crystal Awards just a week ago in addition to performing at the CASMEC conference in Kliewer’s second year as choir director in 2019. 

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JT is a recent college grad with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He is mainly interested in sports and entertainment but covers a wide array of subjects. He currently writes for the Fresno State Baseball Dugout Club. JT looks forward to continuing his career at the Clovis Roundup and is excited to be working closely with a community that is very proud of its people.