Music ambassadors

Innovative teaching from two Jackson High School teachers has put them in the national spotlight.

Tom Broussard and Christy Shinn, both music instructors, have been selected to be consultants for the College Board, which means they'll begin traveling the country to teach other teachers about the Jackson music program.

The pair believe they were selected because of the district's vertical team approach, which brings teachers in a subject area like music together to plan curriculum from the elementary to high school level.

Students benefit from such an approach because everything they learn builds on the foundation set in elementary school.

The College Board's mission it to help students find opportunities that will lead to college success. The board is a national not-for-profit association that facilitates advanced placement courses in high schools and the SAT tests.

Jackson's teachers will serve as ambassadors for their school district and this region as they travel the country teaching other music teachers about their program through the College Board.

The students, school board, staff and residents of Jackson should be proud of this recognition. Only three music teachers were chosen by the College Board for such a program, and two are from Southeast Missouri.