In the four years since Michael Loffredo became band director at Kanapaha Middle School, the number of students in the program has more than doubled from about 130 to 300. That’s no small feat for the teacher of an elective course, but recruiting is easier when students feel they are getting something they can’t find anywhere else.
Loffredo says the most dedicated students—the “bandlings,” who are often the first to arrive and the last to leave—see the band room as a safe space.
Loffredo has worked to cultivate a supportive, positive environment. The band’s student leadership team reinforces those values, sometimes by handing out anonymous notes complimenting their peers on strong performances or simply for being “a great human.”
“We have one rule in the classroom, it’s be a good human, that’s it. If you do that, you are going places,” said Loffredo, who has been chosen as The Sun/Florida Credit Union Amazing Teacher of the Month for January.
Throughout his time in school, Loffredo had teachers who made him feel like he mattered. He idolized his fifth-grade teacher and planned to follow in his footsteps before he was later inspired by his high school band director’s passion for music and skill as an educator to pursue music education.
He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Florida. He taught at Queen of Peace Catholic Academy in Gainesville after graduating and taught in three other counties across Florida before making his way back to Alachua County for the band director job at Kanapaha.
As a music teacher, he sees his role as helping students discover their creativity, encouraging them to interact with and experience music in new ways while also making learning exciting.
“Our job is to take the greatness that already exists inside of these kids and to nurture it and to let it grow and allow the students to build confidence in our discipline,” he said.
It’s also his job to weave all that creativity into something that feels both unique and cohesive. It’s helpful for students to see what they can achieve, so Loffredo provides students with opportunities to attend professional performances throughout the year.
His students have watched performances by the University of Florida’s band, traveled to Jacksonville to hear the Jacksonville Symphony, and even journeyed to New York City to see the New York Philharmonic. They can also take part in Disney Instrumental Workshops at the end of every year to talk with professional musicians about what it’s like to build a career in the industry.
On top of teaching, Loffredo spends a lot of time outside of the classroom fundraising to acquire new instruments and equipment for the school’s growing program, and leading afterschool activities and programs, including summer band camp.
Loffredo feels a strong sense of responsibility for his students. Being a part of band “allows them to be in touch with the humanities, in touch with themselves and their feelings,” he said. “At a time in middle school, it’s like so important for them to talk about those things and understand those things.”
Band programs across the state, including at Kanapaha, were decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The school’s principal, Sherry Estes, was hoping to rebuild its program when she hired Loffredo. She knew the job would require someone with a lot of dedication and said she’d won the jackpot with Loffredo.
“[He’s] one of a kind,” she said, “I’ve never met anybody like him, so he’s definitely one of a kind, and somebody that puts students first, always.”
Six Kanapaha Middle School students made the Florida All State Band this year, double the number of students who made the cut last year. Forty-three students were accepted into the Alachua County Middle School Honor Band, which includes the top 90 performers across the county.
The Amazing Teacher program, sponsored by Florida Credit Union in partnership with The Gainesville Sun, is a celebration of educators whose compassion, creativity and dedication inspire us all. Local teachers are selected monthly. They are recognized locally and are eligible for national level recognition and prizes. These stories are produced by the newsroom. Do you know an amazing teacher? Nominating one is easy. Just visit gainesville.gannettcontests.com/Florida-Credit-Union-Amazing-Teachers
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Meet Florida Credit Union/Sun Amazing Teacher of Month: Michael Loffredo
Reporting by Chelsea Long, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chelsea Long, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
