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San Tan Charter School in Gilbert is offering a new Music Together program for parents and young children.
The school is enrolling parents and their children from birth through 8 years old for the spring and/or summer session.
The 45-minute classes, which include plenty of songs, dancing, exploring musical instruments and more, will take place at the school’s Recker campus, 3959 E. Elliot Road, in Gilbert.
Rita Sippel, founder of San Tan Charter School’s Montessori program, knows first hand about the classes for parents and their little ones. More than 20 years ago, Sippel attended a Music Together class with her young son, Kristofer Sippel Jr.
The experience was so musically rich and enjoyable, Sippel said she was inspired to become a Music Together teacher, and share the classes with others.
In 2006, when Sippel and her husband Kristofer Sippel Sr. founded San Tan Charter School, she wanted Music Together to be part of the Montessori program’s curriculum.
“We have offered the Music Together curriculum, classes and celebrations to our preschool community for 17 years now," she said. "We are delighted to continue our commitment to Music Together in offering parent-child classes."
She added that she hopes to eventually expand the program from once a week to multiple classes per week.
Kami Kerby, the in-school music specialist at San Tan Montessori Preschool, will lead the Music Together classes for parents and children.
Kerby has plenty of experience with the Music Together approach and curriculum, having taught the Music Together preschool classes at San Tan for more than five years.
“Music Together is the most incredible and age-appropriate music class I have ever come across,” Kerby said. “I am thrilled for us to be able to reach more families with a playful, musically rich, engaging program. It is a wonderful way to build community and make music a bigger part of your family.”
Stephanie Geare said she is looking forward to attending the Music Together classes with her young daughter.
Geare, who is Founder of Cottontail Kids Music Together, has offered the classes since 2016. Through her work, she has seen the positive impact the classes have on children of all ages.
“Music Together classes are amazing, because they keep families together,” she said, adding that everything is learned through hands-on play and experience, and each child is free to move, watch and or listen at their own pace. “It’s an absolutely brilliant and magical curriculum developed from rich research. It’s 45 minutes packed with musicality from start to finish, and it goes by so fast, because it’s fun.”
