Rhode Island Music Education Association

### Context Profile for Rhode Island Music Education Association (RIMEA)

#### 1. Organization Mission & Cause
The Rhode Island Music Education Association (RIMEA) is dedicated to promoting quality music education for all students in Rhode Island. Their mission is to advocate for music education, support music educators, and provide resources that enhance music teaching and learning. RIMEA emphasizes the importance of music in education, believing it enriches students' lives and fosters creativity, discipline, and teamwork.

#### 2. Type of Activities
RIMEA engages in a variety of activities, including:
- **Professional Development**: Workshops and conferences for music educators to enhance their teaching skills.
- **Advocacy**: Efforts to promote music education policies and funding at local and state levels.
- **Events**: Regular meet-and-greet gatherings, such as the "RIMEA Fall All-Member Meet and Greet," where members can network and share ideas.
- **Competitions and Festivals**: Opportunities for students to showcase their talents through various music competitions and festivals organized by RIMEA.

#### 3. Tone of Voice
The tone of voice used by RIMEA is friendly, supportive, and professional. Communications are often warm and inviting, aiming to foster a sense of community among music educators. The language is accessible and encouraging, reflecting their commitment to inclusivity and collaboration.

#### 4. Emoji Usage
RIMEA does not prominently use emojis in their communications. The content tends to be straightforward and professional, focusing on clarity and the importance of music education without the embellishment of emojis.

#### 5. Key Facts
- **Founding Info**: Established to support music education in Rhode Island, though specific founding details are not listed on the website.
- **Scale**: RIMEA has a network of music educators across the state, with 9 total forms and 16 email campaigns indicating active engagement.
- **Impact Metrics**: While specific metrics are not detailed, the organization emphasizes the positive effects of music education on student development and community engagement.
- **Volunteer Info**: Opportunities for involvement are likely available, particularly through events and advocacy efforts, though specific volunteer details are not highlighted on the website.

#### 6. Writing Guidelines
- **Style**: Use clear, concise language that is accessible to a wide audience, including educators, parents, and students.
- **Tone**: Maintain a friendly and professional tone that encourages collaboration and community building.
- **Content Focus**: Highlight the benefits of music education, upcoming events, and opportunities for professional development.
- **Call to Action**: Encourage participation in events and advocacy efforts, using inclusive language that invites all stakeholders to contribute.

This context profile should serve as a foundational guide for generating personalized and relevant content for the Rhode Island Music Education Association, ensuring alignment with their mission, activities, and communication style.

LXCL:Attend the Member Share 9am-12pm and the Introduction to Modern Band with Music Will, 12pm-2:30.

Whole Day Professional Development: RIMEA Members

Whole Day Professional Development: RIMEA CNAFME Members

LXCL:Attend the Member Share 9am-12pm.

Morning Member Share Only: Nonmembers

Afternoon Introduction to Modern Band Only: Nonmembers

LXCL:Attend the Member Share 9am-12pm, free for RIMEA members.

Morning Member Share Only: RIMEA Members

LXCL:Purchase this $10 ticket to be provided lunch between sessions.

Lunch

<span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" id="isPasted" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;"><span fr-original-style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:221px;height:221px;" style="border: none; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; width: 221px; height: 221px; box-sizing: inherit;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970515/wysiwyg/ppgzsoba1ksbsca2in5x.jpg" width="221" height="221" style="margin-left: 5px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; max-width: calc(100% - 10px); text-align: center; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="margin-left: 5px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; max-width: calc(100% - 10px); text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Barbershop Singing: Resources for Music EducatorsBarbershop is a uniquely American vocal style. Although it began more than a century ago, it has evolved over time into a dynamic and exciting musical genre with broad appeal and strong opportunities for vocal music programs. In this session, we&#39;ll talk about where barbershop came from, what it looks like today, and how we might leverage its unique musical and cultural elements to engage our singers and inspire them to deeper levels of independence and musicianship. We&#39;ll also share some free resources for interested educators to explore what barbershop might add to their programs and even do a little informal singing ourselves! Chad Putka is in his tenth year teaching elementary general and choral music at Moses Brown School in Providence, RI. He earned a BA in Musical Studies from Oberlin College and an MM in Music Education from Boston University. In addition to his full time career as a music educator, Chad is an accomplished barbershop musician and community leader. He sings lead with the internationally recognized quartet, Daily Special, and is the co-founder and co-director of Voices United, the premier mixed barbershop chorus in the Northeastern United States. He coaches ensembles and helps lead youth barbershop events throughout New England.<span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" id="isPasted" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;"><span fr-original-style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:146px;height:219px;" style="border: none; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; width: 146px; height: 219px; box-sizing: inherit;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970469/wysiwyg/evnfcfbp2ufojxxp8pzo.jpg" width="146" height="219" style="margin-left: 5px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; max-width: calc(100% - 10px); text-align: center; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="margin-left: 5px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; max-width: calc(100% - 10px); text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> &ldquo;You Can&rsquo;t Boss People Around If They Don&rsquo;t Really Care&rdquo;: How to build authentic, meaningful relationships in music teachingThis session will start with a reflection on how we are communicating with our students and why that matters. &nbsp;Pertinent research findings will be shared in order to establish validity of the premise that through the building of authentic, meaningful relationships with our students, teachers can create learning environments that yield maximum positive student growth in relevant knowledge and skills over time. &nbsp;Research-based and anecdotal evidence will combine to provide participants with actionable steps to facilitate the creation and maintenance of those learning environments through relationship building. &nbsp;Finally, we will explore and discuss how the fruits of our purposeful labor will include more confident, emotionally-aware, and invested student-musicians as well as increase both teacher and students&rsquo; own happiness and health over time. &nbsp;Could this be a &quot;win-win&quot;? Come join us and find out! Handouts will be included. Mr. Raymond Votolato is currently a 6-8 grade general and choral music educator at Western Hills Middle School in Cranston, Rhode Island. &nbsp;In addition, Ray is a choral director with the South Shore Children&#39;s Chorus in Quincy Massachusetts. &nbsp;Over his twenty years as a music educator, Mr. Votolato has taught pre-K through 8th grade general music and choir in Texas, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. &nbsp;He holds a BM from the University of Rhode Island and an MM from the University of Texas at Austin. &nbsp;When he is not planning his next great lesson, Ray likes to read great books like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter while sipping on a delicious hot chai latte, workout with his trusted trainer, sing, and watch movies with his amazing wife Jen and their cat Dash.<span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" id="isPasted" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;"><span fr-original-style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:154px;height:216px;" style="border: none; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; width: 154px; height: 216px; box-sizing: inherit;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970494/wysiwyg/uhwi3o8z7jd3tfxizm7o.jpg" width="154" height="216" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Advocating for Your Music Program: &nbsp;It&rsquo;s a Voyage &ndash; Not an EventBy embedding advocacy into your music program all year long, you just might be able to avoid the &ldquo;crisis&rdquo; advocacy events, or, at the least, be much better prepared to deal with them. &nbsp;This one-hour teaser will give you Seven Simple Advocacy Steps to embed in your program now to power your Advocacy voyage. &nbsp; Please come &ndash; it just might save your program- and your job! Suitable for all Music Teachers Pre-K-12 &ndash; all genres.&nbsp;&nbsp;Presenter: &nbsp;Dr. David Neves &ndash; Co-Chair of the RIMEA Advocacy Task Force, Adjunct Professor of Music Education at URI, Director of the RI Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensembles, and a 49-year music education veteran. &nbsp;He has served in countless leadership positions for RIMEA, MassMEA and NAfME. Dr. Neves was also the 2002 RI State Teacher of the Year and a former Milken Educator Award winner. He continues to do music education and wind band clinics and adjudicating throughout New England. To contact Dr. Neves: &nbsp;<a data-fr-linked="true" fr-original-style="" href="mailto:dneves@aol.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">dneves@aol.com</a> or <a data-fr-linked="true" fr-original-style="" href="mailto:dneves@rimea.org" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">dneves@rimea.org</a> <span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" id="isPasted" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;"><span fr-original-style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:624px;height:296px;" style="border: none; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; width: 624px; height: 296px; box-sizing: inherit;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970336/wysiwyg/lx1lkcmyo47ndwjgpcy7.png" width="624" height="296" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> <p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.2;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" id="isPasted" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#313131;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;">Music Will: Introduction to Modern Band Workshop<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.2;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.2;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#313131;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;">This session will introduce strategies and resources for teaching popular music through performance in a modern band setting. Designed for educators across P&ndash;12 classrooms, the session will focus on foundational skills in drums, vocals, and ukulele, and offer practical tools to help teachers launch or expand popular<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.2;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#313131;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;">music-making in their programs.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.2;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.2;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#313131;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; box-sizing: inherit;">About: https://musicwill.org/

Hi <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thank you for registering for RIMEA&#39;s professional development workshop on 9/6/2025. Please find your receipt and e-ticket in your email inbox. We look forward to seeing you there! - RIMEA Team

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970515/wysiwyg/ppgzsoba1ksbsca2in5x.jpg" style="margin-left:5px;display:inline-block;vertical-align:bottom;margin-right:5px;text-align:center;position:relative;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit;max-width:100%" /> Barbershop Singing: Resources for Music EducatorsBarbershop is a uniquely American vocal style. Although it began more than a century ago, it has evolved over time into a dynamic and exciting musical genre with broad appeal and strong opportunities for vocal music programs. In this session, we'll talk about where barbershop came from, what it looks like today, and how we might leverage its unique musical and cultural elements to engage our singers and inspire them to deeper levels of independence and musicianship. We'll also share some free resources for interested educators to explore what barbershop might add to their programs and even do a little informal singing ourselves! Chad Putka is in his tenth year teaching elementary general and choral music at Moses Brown School in Providence, RI. He earned a BA in Musical Studies from Oberlin College and an MM in Music Education from Boston University. In addition to his full time career as a music educator, Chad is an accomplished barbershop musician and community leader. He sings lead with the internationally recognized quartet, Daily Special, and is the co-founder and co-director of Voices United, the premier mixed barbershop chorus in the Northeastern United States. He coaches ensembles and helps lead youth barbershop events throughout New England.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970469/wysiwyg/evnfcfbp2ufojxxp8pzo.jpg" style="margin-left:5px;display:inline-block;vertical-align:bottom;margin-right:5px;text-align:center;position:relative;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit;max-width:100%" /> “You Can’t Boss People Around If They Don’t Really Care”: How to build authentic, meaningful relationships in music teachingThis session will start with a reflection on how we are communicating with our students and why that matters.  Pertinent research findings will be shared in order to establish validity of the premise that through the building of authentic, meaningful relationships with our students, teachers can create learning environments that yield maximum positive student growth in relevant knowledge and skills over time.  Research-based and anecdotal evidence will combine to provide participants with actionable steps to facilitate the creation and maintenance of those learning environments through relationship building.  Finally, we will explore and discuss how the fruits of our purposeful labor will include more confident, emotionally-aware, and invested student-musicians as well as increase both teacher and students’ own happiness and health over time.  Could this be a "win-win"? Come join us and find out! Handouts will be included. Mr. Raymond Votolato is currently a 6-8 grade general and choral music educator at Western Hills Middle School in Cranston, Rhode Island.  In addition, Ray is a choral director with the South Shore Children's Chorus in Quincy Massachusetts.  Over his twenty years as a music educator, Mr. Votolato has taught pre-K through 8th grade general music and choir in Texas, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.  He holds a BM from the University of Rhode Island and an MM from the University of Texas at Austin.  When he is not planning his next great lesson, Ray likes to read great books like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter while sipping on a delicious hot chai latte, workout with his trusted trainer, sing, and watch movies with his amazing wife Jen and their cat Dash.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970494/wysiwyg/uhwi3o8z7jd3tfxizm7o.jpg" style="margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;position:relative;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit" /> Advocating for Your Music Program:  It’s a Voyage – Not an EventBy embedding advocacy into your music program all year long, you just might be able to avoid the “crisis” advocacy events, or, at the least, be much better prepared to deal with them.  This one-hour teaser will give you Seven Simple Advocacy Steps to embed in your program now to power your Advocacy voyage.   Please come – it just might save your program- and your job! Suitable for all Music Teachers Pre-K-12 – all genres.  Presenter:  Dr. David Neves – Co-Chair of the RIMEA Advocacy Task Force, Adjunct Professor of Music Education at URI, Director of the RI Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensembles, and a 49-year music education veteran.  He has served in countless leadership positions for RIMEA, MassMEA and NAfME. Dr. Neves was also the 2002 RI State Teacher of the Year and a former Milken Educator Award winner. He continues to do music education and wind band clinics and adjudicating throughout New England. To contact Dr. Neves:  <a href="mailto:dneves@aol.com" target="_blank">dneves@aol.com</a> or <a href="mailto:dneves@rimea.org" target="_blank">dneves@rimea.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1750970336/wysiwyg/lx1lkcmyo47ndwjgpcy7.png" style="margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;position:relative;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit" /> Music Will: Introduction to Modern Band Workshop This session will introduce strategies and resources for teaching popular music through performance in a modern band setting. Designed for educators across P–12 classrooms, the session will focus on foundational skills in drums, vocals, and ukulele, and offer practical tools to help teachers launch or expand popularmusic-making in their programs. About: https://musicwill.org/

Rhode Island Music Education Association

Member Share and Introduction to Modern Band with Music Will

90 Pleasant View Ave

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