Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®)

 

Each March, music educators across the nation celebrate Music In Our Schools Month®, a national observance established more than 40 years ago by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). MIOSM highlights the essential role of music education in the academic, social, and emotional development of students and affirms that every child deserves access to high-quality music instruction.

The Indiana Music Educators Association proudly supports MIOSM by providing ready-to-use resources to help educators celebrate, advocate, and inspire throughout the month.

 

 2026 Daily MIOSM Activity Calendar

Bring MIOSM to life in your classroom with one engaging activity for every day of March.

This ready-to-use slide deck includes quick prompts, creative challenges, musical games, discussion starters, and celebration ideas that can be projected and used immediately.

Whether you use one slide or all thirty-one, this resource makes it easy to spark conversation, creativity, and musical curiosity all month long.

Download the 2026 Daily MIOSM Activity Calendar (PowerPoint)

 

 MIOSM Toolkit for Educators

The MIOSM Toolkit provides practical, optional resources to support your celebration and advocacy efforts.

Included in the Toolkit:

  • School Board Proclamation template
  • Guidance for submitting a proclamation
  • Teacher Spotlight ideas
  • Curated NAfME K–6 curriculum and lesson planning resources

Designed with busy educators in mind, the Toolkit allows you to select one or two ideas that fit your local context.

Download the MIOSM Toolkit (PDF)

 

 School Board Proclamation Template

Looking to formally recognize Music In Our Schools Month in your district?

A ready-to-use proclamation template is included in the Toolkit and can be submitted to your local school board with minimal edits.

 

Teacher Spotlight

Music In Our Schools Month is also an opportunity to celebrate the impact of music educators across Indiana.

Consider participating in a MIOSM Teacher Spotlight by sharing:

  • Why music matters in your school
  • What music gives your students
  • A short reflection on your teaching

Share your celebrations with IMEA and help highlight music education across the state.

 

 Share Your Celebration

We encourage schools and educators to share their MIOSM activities, classroom celebrations, and advocacy efforts on social media.

Use the hashtag #MIOSMIndiana so we can amplify and celebrate your work statewide.

 

For Preservice Teachers & Teacher Preparation Programs

Music In Our Schools Month is also an opportunity for future educators to observe advocacy and celebration in action.

University students and teacher candidates are encouraged to:

  • Participate in MIOSM classroom activities during field experiences
  • Assist with a local School Board Proclamation effort
  • Reflect on the role of advocacy in music education
  • Share their experiences using #MIOSMIndiana

MIOSM provides a meaningful connection between teacher preparation and professional practice.

 

About Music In Our Schools Month®

Music In Our Schools Month began in 1973 in New York State as a state-level advocacy initiative designed to ensure that music education remained a visible and valued part of public education. In 1985, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) expanded the effort nationally, officially designating March as Music In Our Schools Month across the United States.

For more than four decades, MIOSM has provided a unified opportunity for educators, administrators, students, and communities to recognize the value of music programs and the professionals who lead them. What began as a focused advocacy effort has grown into a nationwide celebration of music education’s impact.

Research consistently demonstrates that music education supports cognitive development, creativity, collaboration, discipline, and emotional well-being. MIOSM serves as both a celebration and a reminder that music education is not an extracurricular luxury –  it is fundamental to student growth.

 

Contact

Dr. Oksana Komarenko
MIOSM Chair
Indiana Music Educators Association
[email protected]