After the retirement of music teachers Louine Gagnon and Kathy Downing last year, Phippsburg Elementary School took on board music teacher Celina Reed and band teacher Josh Caron. aron received his Bachelor of Music in Contemporary and Popular Music from the University of Maine at Augusta earlier this year. eed was born in New York and has traveled across the country as a musician and music teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Arkansas; she and her husband moved to Maine to get back home to New England. “I’ve always been a musician on the side – teaching private drum lessons, assisting the marching band at Edward Little High School in Auburn – and I decided I wanted music to become my focus,” he said. “This is the perfect midlife career change for me.” My goal is to have students love coming to the music classroom. Music can be intimidating because of high standards and expectations. I come at music from the perspective of music play,” Reed said, describing how she allows students to explore music by listening and experimenting with instruments before tackling technicalities. Contributed photo

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