In the music room of Eagle Creek Elementary School, 16 kindergarteners in a semicircle try their best to sing and dance along to the Jackson 5 classic “ABC.” The school’s teacher of the year, Darlene Grande, is at the piano as she guides them through the lyrics. As any student of American music would know, the lyrics to “ABC” aren’t complicated – and the kids seem to have a handle on the song.
It’s with The Supremes that problems start to arise. All the lyrics after “Stop! In the Name of Love” seem to confound the kids. Mrs. Grande’s co-teacher, Murphy Sullivan, stands in the middle of the kindergarteners, trying to keep them engaged by guiding them through the dance.
As one can expect, complete synchronization isn’t quite there yet for the five- and six-year-olds; but they have plenty of time to perfect the lyrics and dance before their performance in January.
Grande grins from across the room. “They have a few more months to get the hang of it.”
A celebration of Motown Music to coincide with Black History Month, the kids’ performance was the brain-child of Grande, who plans out the yearly performances for her classes and her before-school Chorus Club during the summer.
Grande has been teaching music for 17 years, each of the schools in Orange County. It was her high school choral director who encouraged her to be an educator.
“He had a belief in me and my talent, and he’s still a mentor of mine and one of the reasons why I continue to be a musician,” Grande said.
She started her education at Syracuse University and then Long Island University. She moved to Florida and began her career in 2003 at Frangus Elementary.
“Frangus was interesting,” Grande says. “It was a Title I school, so when I first started out, there were a limited number of instruments, and I had to start the program from the bottom up.”
A Title I school is one that receives federal funds for a high number of low-income students. At Frangus, Grande had a Chorus Club that she took to perform at places like Disney and Orlando Magic games.
In 2012, she moved to Three Points Elementary – where she re-opened their music department. She stayed there for three years until Eagle Creek brought her on.
Grande feels that she has a lot more support now to build a music program than when she first started out.
“It’s easier now, especially with the help from the community,” Grande says. “The community has been great at Eagle Creek. PTA has been wonderful with assisting me as well as the administrator, Mr. McCloe.”
Robert McCloe, Eagle Creek’s principal, is this year’s recipient of the county’s Fine Arts Principal of the Year.
“Without his support, I wouldn’t be able to do the things that I’m doing,” Grande says.
According to Grande, the already lauded music programs at Lake Nona Middle School and Lake Nona High School play a huge role in the support she receives. Despite that, she says she’d never move to teach higher grades.
“Always kids, K through 5,” Grande says. “My heart is with the elementary, especially in 4th and 5th. Through my experience, the talent is there. They’re ready to perform; they’re ready to be molded into that performer.”
In the past, her students have performed The Lion King, a springtime musical called Bugs, an underwater-themed performance based on The Little Mermaid, and a show for Hispanic Heritage Month.
“We have a high Venezuelan population and a high [English-language learner] population, so the parents loved it,” Grande says.
Grande’s dream is to teach her students to perform Hamilton, but she admits that it’s a little far fetched for those in primary school. She loves Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work, and she tries to make it up to New York to catch Broadway shows when she can. Grande also tries to stay caught up in the Orlando musical scene, attending performances at venues like Orlando Shakes.
Grande was also this year’s recipient of the annual OCPS and Kessler Grand Bohemian Hotel Scholarship for excellence in elementary music. She received a two-night stay at the Grand Bohemian Hotel, a $1,500 scholarship, and a trip to Europe.
