Biography- Evelyn "Evie" Smith, Music Teacher
I grew up in Montgomery County and am a vertern student of its public schools. I attended Montgomery Knolls Elementary and Eastern Junior High in Silver Spring, then Pyle Junior High and Whitman High School after my parents moved to Bethesda. I then attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for my bachelors of music degreem and Towson University in Baltimore for my masters. I've also earned an Orff-Schulwerk level three and master class certification.
I've lived in Damascus, Maryland for almost thirty years, where Blaine and I have raised our twin sons, Ben and Nate. Ben is now the instrumental music teacher at Oswayo Valley MS-HS in Shinglehouse, PA. Nate has a degree in computer science and lives and works in Boston. Blaine is also a musician and has a band called The Newports.
I began teaching in Montgomery County schools in 1989, and have been at Fox Chapel since 1995. I'm thrilled to be teaching full time at a school where the students have such varied backgrounds and abilities. I am so greatful for the support and encouragement of our Principal, Diana Zabetakis and our Principal Interm, Stephanie Brant. Other elementary schools where I've taught in Montgomery County include Strawberry Knoll, Clopper Mill, Bannockburn, Clearspring, Westover, Cedar Grove and Judith Resnick.
I think it is important to keep learning so that's why I attend every music educator's conference I possibly can. Of the main tips I've been privileged to make, my favorite one was a three-week vistit to Ghana, West Africa in summer 1999 to study Afircan percussion music, dance and drumming. Here I am on a footbridge 1,000 feet above the ground, above the tree line, scarred out my mind. I thought one was enough, but there were seven of them!