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Gwendolyn Carroll, Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Gwendolyn J. Carroll

Adjunct Professor of Music EducationUniversity Supervisor for Music Education student teacher candidates, Department of Music

B.A. Music, Concentration in Piano and Voice, Bethune-Cookman College M.A. Music, Columbia University P.D. School Administration and School District Administration, LIU Post

Description

Born in Gainesville, Florida, Gwen completed her undergraduate studies in 1961 at Bethune- Cookman College (now university status) located in Daytona Beach, Florida and known as one of the premier HBCU's (Historical Black Colleges and Universities). She began her career in the public school system in Sarasota, Florida at Booker Jr/Sr High School with responsibility teaching music to students in grades 7-12. In her six years there she taught Vocal Music, Music Theory, General Music and Classroom Piano. Festival Competition was a huge responsibility in high schools in the state of Florida in those early years and as a result of extensive preparation her vocal music groups successfully garnered numerous awards and recognition on an annual basis.

Moving to New York in 1967, she secured a teaching position in Hempstead Public Schools. Gwen began to make her mark in this district and later moved through different phases teaching music and coordinating the annual drama production at Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School where she also got her first experience in an administrative supervisory position as a "Team Leader" with direct responsibility to students and teachers who were introduced and adjusting to the new "Open Classroom" concept. Years later she moved to Hempstead High School as the Hempstead High School Choir Director teaching Vocal Music, Piano and Music Theory. It was in 1985 she honored the call to leave the classroom altogether to devote her talent and skills in supervision and administration. She became the District Director of Music, Art, and Cultural Arts. Under her leadership she created the district's annual "Music in Our Schools" celebration where vocal and instrumental music groups representing the ten district schools came together in a public forum for an afternoon of music. During the district's emergency in 1988 involving the illness of the then superintendent, Gwen was assigned to serve as the Acting Superintendent for Secondary Curriculum and Instruction to which she left her music directorship for a year.

In 1990 she left Hempstead and accepted the position of Director of Music and Fine Arts in Amityville Public School District where she remained for eleven years until her retirement in 2001. There she created the district's annual "Music and Art Awards Celebration" with the sole purpose to recognize and honor students in the district having exemplary skills in music and the visual arts. In addition to her administrative responsibilities in both the public school districts she served, she also coordinated the BOCES Cultural Arts Program. Under her direction many extra enrichment activities were brought to the two district's student population as well as selected students received extra cultural experiences at a BOCES site.

Retirement was not to her liking and she joined the Adjunct Music Faculty at LIU Post in 2002, where she currently remains. Aside from the various music methods courses she has taught, she was most honored to have served the Music Department as Interim Director of Music Education during the semester the director was on sabbatical leave. In more recent years she devotes considerable time supervising and mentoring prospective music teachers in both weekly seminar meetings and field work experiences.

Specialties

Solo and Group Vocal Development, Secondary Curriculum Development, Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation Development, Supervision and Mentoring of Student Teachers, In-Service Staff Training, Vocal and Piano Adjudication

Lectures and Presentations

  • Staff Development Sessions (Summer In-Service Workshops – Hempstead Public Schools – "The Open Classroom: Readiness and Preparation"
  • Staff Development Sessions (Summer In-Service Workshops & Quarterly Staff Development Day- Hempstead Public Schools – "Team Teaching across the Curriculum"
  • Staff Development Sessions (Summer In-Service Workshops – Hempstead Public Schools – "Management and Discipline in the Classroom" (In collaboration with METRO of New York University/ Renaissance Management Team)
  • Staff Development Sessions (Summer In-Service Workshops – Hempstead Public Schools – "Developing the Mastery Curriculum" (In collaboration with METRO of New York University/Renaissance Management Team)
  • Leadership Team Member in Preparation for Middle States Evaluation (service to both Hempstead & Amityville School Districts)
  • "Teaching The Negro Spiritual: Tips for the Non-Experienced Choral Music Teacher" – NASPAAM Biennial Conference(s)

Recordings

  • "A Collection of The Negro Spirituals" – Bethune-Cookman College Concert Choir (member/ soprano section – 1961)
  • "Handel's Messiah" – Teachers College/Columbia University Summer Choir (member/ soprano section – 1970)

Honors/Awards

  • Citation District Music Director- from Hon. George Milhem, Mayor/Incorporated Village of Hempstead (1988)
  • Dedicated Service & Leadership Award New York Black Music Caucus of NBMC(1988)
  • Leadership & Facilitating Award METRO of New York University/Renaissance Team (1989 & 1990)
  • Citation District Music Director Hempstead Public Schools  - Hon. Thomas S. Gulotta/Nassau County Executive (1990)
  • Dedicated Service and Leadership to the Students in Hempstead Public Schools Award from Hempstead Schools Administration Association-(HSAA -1990)
  • Leadership Service Award to the Community of Hempstead from Hon. Gregory Peterson/Presiding Supervisor Town of Hempstead ( 1995)
  • Citation - Outstanding Arts Educator Recognition Award from Hon. James Garner, Mayor/Incorporated Village of Hempstead
  • Outstanding Leadership & Service Award Tri-M National Music Honor Society Amityville HS Chapter(1993)
  • Dedicated Service to Chapter and Community Award Theta Iota Omega Chapter/Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1995)
  • 8th Basileus Award - as President of Theta Iota Omega Chapter/Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1995)
  • Outstanding Leadership & Service Award as Cluster III Co-Coordinator- North Atlantic Region/Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1995)
  • Outstanding Soror Award Pan Hellenic Council/Nassau-Suffolk Counties (1994)
  • Outstanding Adjudicator Award Annual Talent Hunt - Beta Beta Chapter/Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (1998)
  • Tireless Educator Award Beta Beta Chapter/Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (2003)
  • Recognition of Outstanding Service as 12th President NASPAAM(National Association for the Study and Performance of African American Music (2001)
  • Retirement Recognition for Forty-Years of Service in Music Education NASPAAM Board of Directors (2001)
  • Retirement Recognition for Tireless Service NYSCAME Suffolk County (2001)
  • Retirement Recognition for Forty-Years of Service in Music Education NYSSMA (2001)
  • Outstanding & Dedicated Service Award - Board of Directors of NASPAAM (2011)
  • Juneteenth Celebration Honoree Heckscher Museum of Art (2007)
  • Proclamation –Community Leadership and Promotion of the Arts from  New Audiences Advisory Committee and Board of Trustees Heckscher Museum of Art (2007)
  • Leadership Award For reflecting the Ideals, Values, Visions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Hollywood Full Gospel Baptist Church/Amityville, NY (2012)
  • Adjunct Professor of the Year LIU Post (2012)
  • Honorary “Arts Panorama” Chairman Emeritus Award Theta Iota Omega Chapter/Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (2016)
  • Letter of Retirement Recognition for Services Rendered as a New York State Adjudicator NYSSMA (2017)

Affiliations and Associations

Professional Affiliations

  • NAfME – National Association for Music Education (Retired Status)
  • NYSSMA – New York State School Music Association (Retired Status)
  • NYSCAME – New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education (Retired Status)
  • NASPAAM – National Association for the Study and Performance of African American Music (Member, Board of Directors)
  • ACDA – American Choral Directors Association
  • CMS – College Music Society

Affiliations and Associations

  • Member/Theta Iota Omega Chapter/Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (8th President)
  • Member/Long Island Chapter/The Links, Incorporated (Former Arts Facet Chairman)
  • Charter Member/National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Long Island Chapter, Incorporated.
  • Board Member/NASPAAM (12th President & current Secretary)
  • Founder/Aquarius ’74 Social Club