2021 RECIPIENTS
2021
EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR
STEPHANIE BLUE
Director of Student Learning
Mukwonago Area School District
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Stephanie Blue holds a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Technology Enhanced Education from UW-Whitewater. She is certified as a director of instruction and principal from Marian University and currently serves as the Director of Student Learning for Mukwonago Area School District (MASD). Her undergraduate degree from Wartburg College was in the field of English Education and French. She has previously served as an English secondary teacher for 18 years, a curriculum coordinator for the Waukesha School District, an associate principal at Waukesha South High School, and a principal at Prairie View Elementary in MASD.
As the director of student learning for the MASD, Mrs. Blue drives the development of the district's curriculum and instructional practices for all grades and subject areas by working collaboratively with other administrators and teacher-leaders on the Content Area Teams (CATs) to research materials, align instruction to academic standards, and ensure proper assessment of student learning. She had the pleasure of going through a curriculum cycle with the music department as she stepped into this position during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school year.
Music has been an important part of Mrs. Blue’s life. She was a member of the Webb High School Choraliers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Later, at Wartburg College, she was a member of the Wartburg College Choir for four years. While an English teacher in New Berlin, she choreographed multiple musicals. As a mother, Mrs. Blue is an advocate of making sure music is part of her children’s lives. Mrs. Blue has four children who have played violin, viola, flute, and trombone. Her son received a Jerry Award for his role in his senior production of Pippin in 2020.
CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE - STUDIO MUSIC
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ELIZABETH WARNE
Violin and Viola Private Teacher, Performer
Milwaukee
Elizabeth Warne is a very busy performer and teacher. She has been a member of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra since 1998 and became their Orchestra Manager and Librarian in 2018. She has been a substitute violinist with the New Mexico Philharmonic, Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, and has performed with the Dallas Opera Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and here at home, the Wilson Center’s Starry Nights Orchestra and the Skylight Opera Theatre. She freelances in Chicago and performs for the Marcus Center’s Broadway Series in Milwaukee, both on violin and viola. Also a Wisconsin orchestra contractor since 2017, she has assembled and performed in orchestras for the national tours of Il Divo, Weird Al Yankovic, The Who, Dennis DeYoung of Styx, and Mannheim Steamroller.
Elizabeth Warne holds a Masters of Music degree from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, both in Violin Performance. She has also done post-graduate work with Burton Kaplan, Professor Emeritus of Violin and Viola of the Manhattan School of Music. Elizabeth has a studio of 29 violin and viola students. Her teaching philosophy has been influenced by her teachers Stephanie Preucil, Efim Boico, Stacia Spencer, and Burton Kaplan, who in turn studied with Josef Gingold, David Oistrakh, Mimi Zweig, Ivan Galamian, and Dorothy DeLay. A private teacher since 1991, she has also taught at the college level at Austin College in Sherman, TX (1993-95), and at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI (1996-2001). Her students have won concerto competitions with the Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Racine Symphony Orchestras. Others have gone on to study music at Lawrence University, UW-Madison, and the University of Iowa.
CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE - GENERAL MUSIC
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LAUREN KING DRISCOLL
General Music Teacher, Richards Elementary School
Whitefish Bay
Lauren King Driscoll moved to the Milwaukee area in 2014 and is in her eleventh year teaching elementary general music. She currently teaches at Richards Elementary School in Whitefish Bay and formerly taught in the School District of Menomonee Falls. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education, as well as a Master of Music Education from the University of South Carolina where she studied under Dr. Wendy Valerio. Lauren is passionate about early childhood music development. As a graduate assistant, she taught Music Play classes for children birth to age 4 at University of South Carolina’s Children’s Music Development Center. She is a member of the Gordon Institute of Music Learning (GIML) and has completed Elementary General I, Elementary General II, and Early Childhood I GIML certifications.
CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE - YOUTH MUSIC
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PRISCILLA NOKOVIC
Teaching Artist, Literacy and Arts Camp, Arts@Large
Milwaukee
Priscilla Nokovic is gifted with creativity. She currently lends that creativity to the lucky students at Literacy and Arts Camp and Arts@Large. She recently started a YouTube channel called Kids Music Crazy Good Nokovic that focuses on her original children’s songs, what she considers her shining legacy.
Priscilla is most grateful to her prior principal, Robb Schleck at Burdick Elementary School, where she taught 1990 through 2013, for allowing her to live out her wild dreams in music education with complete freedom. “I taught the Priscilla Nokovic curriculum”, she says, “based on National Music Standards, the MSO ACE Program, PianoArts, and WSMA concert repertoire.” She is also grateful to Jane Borden who spearheads Literacy and Arts Camp. She explains “Jane’s brilliant program reaches all learning styles of children. Literacy and Arts Camp serves low-to-middle income children with weekly nature themed learning and experiences with the arts. Jane and I are a match made in heaven. Bringing out the inner talents and gifts of children while focusing on literacy is key. It is a gift and honor to share my talents with children and our community.”