Washington Elementary uses grant to purchase resonator bells

The Cloquet Educational Foundation awarded the Washington Elementary School Music Department money to purchase resonator bell sets for its classrooms.

With help from the school's Partners in Education, both music classrooms are now fully equipped with classroom sets, said Katy Buytaert, music teacher, in an email to the Pine Journal.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, elementary music as we know it could not exist — no singing, no recorders and no dancing!" she said. "We were able to rush shipment on these instruments and the kids in all grade levels were able to learn so much — playing songs, practicing rhythmic and melodic notation, solfege, and many other skills."

Buytaert said teachers sanitized the instruments between classes and will be used at the school "for years to come."

RELATED: Cloquet student writer takes home award for essay on grandmother's life Each year, the "Listen to a Life" contest accepts submissions for 300-word essays written by youth that focus on a story from the life of an elder.

RELATED: Washington Elementary celebrates school of excellence validation The Cloquet school is determined to spend the remainder of the academic year recognizing school and student success.