It has been an incredible year to be apart of the music therapy team in Fulton County Schools. As a group of 16 music therapists covering 76 schools in Fulton County, we have had the opportunity to participate in many wonderful events, performances, professional developments and celebrations over the year.
In September, we welcomed our new batch of six interns to the Fulton County Music Therapy Department. We have been training interns for 19 years.
In October, we had the opportunity as a department to attend a Music Leadership Collaborative professional development by learning drumming techniques from one of our own therapists, Joe Bailey.
Around the holidays, many therapists from our department put on festive shows, went caroling or led holiday sing-a-longs.
In January, our faithful department leader Amber Weldon-Stephens, officially began her role as president of our national music therapy association, AMTA.
Also in January, we learned how to improve our guitar skills with music therapist Harry Lester.
In February, we celebrated music therapist Rachel Coon-Arnott for winning teacher of the year at Lake Windward Elementary School. Rachel was also given a service award at the Southeastern Music Therapy conference in March.
In February and March we auditioned and selected interns for the 2018-2019 school year.
Throughout the entire month of March, many therapists put on Exceptional Children's Week shows to celebrate children and youth with exceptionalities and the professionals who serve them.
| Right before Spring Break, we said goodbye to this year's interns and had a party outside of school to celebrate their hard work. |  |
In April, we attended another Music Leadership Collaborative professional development. Dr. Gayle Lindsey, an occupational therapist, came to present to us about better understanding the sensory needs of our students.
In May we attended both North and South Fulton County Special Olympics by participating in Olympic Town.
To end the school year, many therapists participated in end-of-the-year talent shows with their students, some even featuring an art gallery collaboration with the adaptive art teachers.
And finally, all throughout the year we had music therapists participating in presentations at Music Leadership Collaborations and Music Therapy Conferences, as well as here in our own school buildings.
And that's a wrap on the 2017-2018 school year! To see what your therapists are up to this summer, follow us on our Twitter and check to see if your school's music therapist has a personal Twitter of their own.