Dr. Linda Young, Director of the Equity and Diversity Education Division of the Clark County School District and Judy Steele, President and CPO of the Public Education Foundation were instrumental in introducing the program to the school district and Lee Antonello School. Lee Antonello Principal Linda Reese, 2nd Grade Teacher Jennifer Ayers and 13 other teachers worked with Nassiri for several months in developing the pilot program and comprehensive lesson plan. The curriculum identifies a specific content area and partners it with songs whereupon specific objectives are identified. (Example: Social Studies - “Love Sees No Color” - Students are encouraged to use the peace path to solve conflicts in a peaceful and respectful manner.)

During the first full year of integration into the school courses, teacher Jennifer Ayers stated “The children love to listen to the music. They just interact better with each other. They understand what it is to be peaceful and to get along and the purpose for why they are learning all this.”

A follow-up meeting with CCSD and the principals and teachers at Lee Antonello School in August 2007, revealed that the program is an outstanding success. Dr. Linda Young stated “we have been so pleased with this pilot program. The principal and teachers at Lee Antonello School spent many resourceful hours in creating the curriculum and teaching their students this last school term. They're all very excited to once again include this program in their courses for the coming school year.”

Principal Linda Reese believes “It encompasses a great deal. The big thing that we see is that our school went from AYP, meaning that we did not meet the average yearly progress requirement as put forth in “No Child Left Behind” to a school that is now designated as high achieving. We see this as an integral part of that whole progress in terms of student achievement. The program has made a difference. The whole thing is a puzzle and it's a piece of that puzzle - a very important piece of that puzzle.”

Assistant Principal Kody Bartu commented “The kids were very, very happy and enthusiastic about what was going on in the building, the involvement, the activities, whether it was during the school day or after the school day. We had more parent involvement than we have ever had, because this brought them in. This message is reaching everybody.

This pilot project was funded by a grant from Nassiri through the Clark County Public Education Foundation. Future plans are to make it available to other district schools statewide and soon thereafter, nationally and internationally.

Media inquires: Sandy Dixon,@702.327.6300 or 702.932.0250/ email - sandy@nassirimusic.com

NEA Post Show Summary
World Hoop Day Summary
Clark County School District
Elementary Curriculum
Middle and High School Curriculum