Greetings from Southwest Kansas! It is my pleasure to begin serving the SWKMEA district as president. I would like to welcome the new teachers in our district. We hope you are enjoying your time in this great area of Kansas. Our district is in transition—every performance group has a new chairperson, I have begun my term as president, AND we have a new executive director. We have been fortunate enough to have the same executive team for the past 19 years. Many thanks goes to Bill and Rita Clausing for their dedication and service to SWKMEA! They have left a remarkable impression on all that we do. Now the "books" have been turned over to our newly elected executive director, Kelly Knedler, and he is working hard to fill the void.

Our first event of the school year was held at Dodge City Middle School on Saturday, November 3, 2012. The Middle School Honor Choir & Honor Band performed, as well as the High School Honor Jazz Band. On Saturday, December 1, 2012, the High School Honor Band, High School Honor Choir, and Combined Northwest/Southwest District High School Honor Orchestra will be performing at Dodge City High School. Finally, on Saturday, January 19, 2013, the Elementary Honor Choir will perform at Dodge City Middle School.

The Northwest and Southwest Combined District Honor Orchestra has offered for the past three years a larger orchestra experience to the students of both districts, and the arrangement has benefitted all involved. We will continue this arrangement with our district hosting the orchestra again this December to allow for the rotation to align better with each district's conventions. Alternation between the two district conventions will begin in 2013 with the Northwest District serving as the host site. SWKMEA will host again in 2014.

We are looking forward to hosting the following clinicians for the 2012-2013 honor ensembles:

• High School Jazz: Brad Dawson, FHSU
• High School Orchestra: Ken Hakoda, Kansas-Wesleyan
• High School Band: Alan Mills, CSU-Pueblo
• High School Choir: Daniel Hall, Ohio University
• Middle School Band: Bob Bitter, retired from Skyline Schools
• Middle School Choir: Tracey Gregg Boothby, University of Oklahoma
• Elementary Choir: Heather August, formerly from Hugoton Schools

We would like to recognize the recipients of our "Outstanding Educators" awards for this year. Receiving the Elementary Level Award is Kim Eaton, Cimarron Elementary Vocal Music Teacher. The Middle School award goes to Martha Saucedo, Choral Director at Southwestern Heights. Lance Burnett, Liberal High School Director of Bands, is our High School award recipient. The "Outstanding Administrator" award will be presented to Mike King, principal of Dodge City Middle School. Congratulations to these fine people who contribute so much to our profession!

We look forward to seeing all of our district's teachers over the next few months. Directors, please attend the business meetings at each of the Honor Ensemble Conventions! Visit our Southwest District website at: ksmea.org/sw for more information regarding our district events.

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2012 Outstanding Educators

Elementary Kim Eaton Cimarron Elementary School 10 years

Middle School Martha Saucedo Vocal Kismet-Southwestern Heights 9 years

High School Lance Burnett Band Liberal High School 34 years

Administrator Mike King Principal Dodge City Middle School