​​​Music Education Celebration

Date: September 15, 2026

Location: Valley Manor School (Martensville, SK – Treaty 6 Territory)

Hosted By: Saskatchewan Music Educators Association (SMEA)

On September 15, 2026, music educators, students, and community members from across the province gathered live and online to celebrate Saskatchewan Music Education Day!

If you missed the live stream or would like to share the celebration with your students and colleagues, watch the full assembly replay

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Assembly Highlights & Presenters

• Opening & Provincial Proclamation: SMEA President Graham Gilmore opened the assembly with a Treaty 6 Land Acknowledgement, highlighted SMEA’s role as a Professional Growth Network of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF), and shared the official provincial Proclamation recognizing Music Education Day.

• Indigenous Perspectives & Student Performance: Richelle Hanley and Janice Reigert (Indigenous Perspectives Facilitators, Prairie Spirit School Division) brought greetings and introduced student performer Mason Rathgeber, who shared an inspiring Pow Wow dance.

• Northern Spirit Flutes Project: Richard Dubé (Founder of Northern Spirit Flutes) performed and discussed the hands-on Northern Flute Kit. SMEA Board Member and educator Heather Mann shared how 70 of her students at Valley Manor School successfully built, customized, and played their own flutes.

• Resource Launch & Interactive Workshop: Musician and cultural intelligence facilitator Wilbur Sargunaraj, alongside Cree artist Falynn Baptiste, led an energetic interactive performance. Together, they guided the assembly through learning the lyrics, Cree language pronunciation, and call-and-response singing for SMEA's newly launched original song.

 

 New SMEA Resource Launch: "Side by Side" (ᓃᓱᑳᐸᐏᐘᐠ / nîsokâpawiwak)

Alongside Music Education Day, SMEA is proud to officially launch Side by Side, a collaborative musical project created on Treaty 6 Territory following proper cultural protocols. Created with Wilbur Sargunaraj, Falynn Baptiste, and featuring Indigenous drumming by Elmer Tootoosis, this project models authentic, respectful ways to incorporate Indigenous music and Cree language learning into Saskatchewan classrooms.

SMEA Member Exclusive Resources Include:

• Official audio track & music video

• Instrumental backing tracks

• Chord and lyric charts

• Cree Language Pronunciation Tutorial led by Falynn Baptiste

• Upcoming: Concert band and choral arrangements for all grade levels

SMEA Members: Log in to the Member Area to access the complete "Side by Side" teacher resource suite.

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Grants & Funding Acknowledgments

SMEA gratefully acknowledges the essential financial support of Saskatchewan Lotteries and SaskCulture, as well as our partnership with the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF).

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How Can you Celebrate Music Education Day?

Make the official Music Education Day Proclamation come alive in your building! Here are simple, zero-prep ideas for teachers, school administrators, and division leaders to share and celebrate this recognition across your community.

1. Quick Ways to Share & Display

Show off the official recognition using tools you already have:

• Social Media & Newsletters: Download the official Proclamation Certificate (PDF) from this page and post it directly to your school’s social media account, or drop it into your next school newsletter for parents.

• Smart Board & Desktop Wallpaper: Display the Proclamation Certificate on your classroom Smart Board during morning homeroom or set it as your laptop desktop background for the week.

• Email Signature Mention: Add a simple line to the bottom of your email signature for the month: "Celebrating Saskatchewan Music Education Day!" alongside the attached certificate.

2. School-Wide Broadcasts & Displays

Put the official proclamation in front of your entire school community:

• Lobby & Staffroom TV Screens: Email the Proclamation image (JPEG) to your school administration or IT lead to display on the digital screens running in your main lobby, hallway monitors, or staffroom.

• Morning Announcements: Have your principal or student broadcast team read a quick 30-second shout-out during morning announcements recognizing your school's music educators and mentioning the official Board Proclamation.

• Admin Video Shout-Out: Suggest that your principal or superintendent record a quick 30-second phone video thanking music staff, featuring the digital proclamation and sharing it with division staff.

3. Simple Classroom & Community Activations

Easy ways to highlight music making without extra lesson prep:

• 5-Minute Morning Listening: Start your day by playing a song from a Saskatchewan artist or student ensemble on your classroom speakers, and share the Proclamation message with your students.

• Student Thank-You Notes: Have students write or draw a quick thank-you card during homeroom to deliver to your school's music teacher.

• Showcase Student Music Online: Share a short 15-second video clip or photo of your students making music on your school’s social media page to show the learning happening in your building!

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