Svoboda wins Music Teacher of the Year

John Svoboda holds the "Music Teacher of the Year" plaque he was awarded by NRCSA.

Falls City High School and Middle School instrumental music teacher John Svoboda was awarded the Gary Fisher Outstanding Music Teacher of the Year at the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association Annual Spring Conference. John's wife Connie and several family members were part of the "surprise" presentation. The NRCSA Conference was held on March 12-13 in Kearney.

In announcing the award, the following was said:

"The recipient of this year’s Gary Fisher Outstanding Music Teacher Award is cited for a high level of commitment to the school’s instrumental music department, serving as the director of all middle school and high school bands for almost 30 years.  The high school band maintains a membership of close to 100 each year.  Part of this strength lies in the outstanding music booster organization that has been built as a result of this teacher’s work and relationship building.

The Superintendent stated that they count on this person to be a strong model for students as an adult, a professional, and a music influence.  All of this is accomplished each day. 

One of the students remarked, 'I have heard it said that a good teacher allows his students to take knowledge with them, but a great teacher allows his students to send knowledge with him as well.  Our teacher is a great teacher.  He is always taking as much with him from the class as he is giving to us.'

It gives me a great deal of pleasure to introduce NRCSA’s Gary Fisher Outstanding Music Teacher Award recipient for 2008:  Mr. John Svoboda of Falls City Public Schools."

Each year NRCSA, an organization of 200 K-12 districts and educational service units, makes two presentations in honor of one of the organization’s founding fathers.  Gary Fisher, who served as Superintendent at Hildreth and Crawford,  was also the driving force behind NRCSA, serving as the Executive Secretary for many years until his untimely death a few years ago.  Gary was at one time a music teacher and NRCSA recognized his love of music though a Fine Arts Scholarship and an Outstanding Music Teacher Award, both named in his honor.