Sandy Rogers can play clarinet, oboe, flute, saxophone, piano — and that’s only the beginning of her list.
“You have to play all of them if you’re going to teach them to kids,” she said. Rogers, who is in her 20th year teaching music at Meridian Middle School, has built her career around immersing kids in music.
She’s retiring at the end of this school year after nearly 40 years as a music teacher, educating all ages from kindergarten to high school. She estimates she’s taught more than 4,000 students.
“I really see that part of my job is to get them through this awkward middle school phase with them realizing that it’s OK to mess up in public, you won’t die. You can play a wrong note, most people won’t notice it,” Rogers told Meridian School Board when she was honored mid-January.
Rogers teaches nine classes: five bands, three choirs and general music.
At a recent select choir class, an audition-only group for seventh and eighth graders, Rogers laughed and joked with her students but commanded their attention when it was time to sing.
“I just love the connection that everyone has singing together, and I love that she cares so much,” said Jaydelyn Hill, an eighth-grader in the select choir.
Eighth-grader Siena Spillum said she likes that Rogers gives her constructive criticism on her singing and pushes her to be better.
“I’m going to miss her teaching, how comforting she is, the relationship we have, all of our inside jokes,” eighth-grader Emersyn Hilburn said.
Rogers said she wants students to have fun and leave her class refreshed.
“It gives them a chance to be away from the computer screen for a bit and rely just on knowledge and skills in themselves, and their teamwork with their friends, more interpersonal connection and communication,” she said.
Rogers’ personal music journey started with piano lessons and church choir.
Born in Hawaii, Rogers lived in Montana and then moved to Grants Pass, Oregon as a child. It was in Grants Pass where she joined band in school, and met the band director that she still calls her “idol.”
She went on to study music education at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, graduated in 1986 and took her first teaching job at 21 in Northern Idaho.
There, she taught grades K-12. “I learned and learned and learned,” she said. After one year, she moved to Washington and took jobs in the Lakewood School District and then Sedro-Woolley School District. In 2005, she started at Meridian Middle School.
Rogers keeps in touch with many of her former students. Two now work at Meridian Middle School: social studies teacher Jacob Dennis and health and physical education teacher Sydney Gospodinovich.
A few have gone on to careers in music, and some have become music educators themselves.
Heather Stoker was Rogers’ student in the Lakewood School District from 1991–95. She said Rogers’ “passion for music and witty sense of humor made me look forward to coming to band every day.” Stoker is now a music teacher at Tumwater Hill Elementary.
“It’s been such a joy to stay in touch with her all these years, sharing the successes, laughs and struggles of our chosen field,” Stoker said.
Rogers said finding music has helped many of her students graduate high school and go on to have successful careers.
“I remember one particular graduation, a mom stood right next to me as her son walked across the stage, and she just cried her eyes out [and said] ‘If band hadn’t been there, we wouldn’t be doing this. He wouldn’t be graduating,’” Rogers said.
Rogers said retirement will immediately consist of caring for family with health challenges. But she also hopes to keep teaching fitness classes and join a community orchestra. And maybe even volunteer in public schools to give an extra hand to hard-working teachers.
“I think I’ll be busy, that’s for sure,” she said. “I don’t see myself sitting around a whole lot.”
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
