DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

 

Fritz Benz

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

North Smithfield, RI


Fritz Benz is Chair of the Cultural Arts Department and has been Band Director at North Smithfield High School in Rhode Island since 1992. His teaching duties there include directing the school's HS Band and Jazz Ensembles while teaching guitar and music technology courses.

 

In addition to his teaching duties at North Smithfield, he serves as part-time music education faculty at Providence College, where he teaches Instrumental Music Methods and Practicum for seniors in PC's music department. He serves on the RI State Council on the Arts Arts Learning Network, chairing the state-wide music team in support of arts performance-based graduation requirements for all RI High School students. He also supports RI teachers state-wide as an educational technology trainer in the RI Technology Training Initiative, teacher summer sessions and periodic workshops in technology applications for all students in all disciplines.

 

In December of 2009, Fritz Benz and the N. Smithfield High School music department were recently awarded a competitive grant from the Champlin Foundations for $79,500.00 to create a music and media lab at the high school. Money is being spent on state-of-the-art computers and software, MIDI workstations and multimedia equipment to facilitate greater hands-on creating, performing, and responding activities in music for the entire school population. We are very excited about this opportunity and have begun assembling our brand-new lab. We hope to be able to offer professional development to teachers throughout the state in the future.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.