(Photo by Shelley Hanson) Kathleen Fox, general music and vocal music teacher at Glen Dale Elementary School, stands with students Zuri Alford, left, and Ember Wooley, while directing the class to play the scales on Friday. Fox was recently inducted into the West Virginia Music Educators Hall of Fame.
GLEN DALE – Glen Dale Elementary School teacher Kathleen Fox enjoys teaching students how to make beautiful music and her efforts to do so have garnered her a spot in the West Virginia Music Education Hall of Fame.
Fox, the general music and vocal music teacher at Glen Dale, said Friday that she is honored to receive the accolade.
“The best moments in teaching are the ones that happen when you least expect them,” she said. “Teachers hold important positions with the opportunity to encourage and support students every day. We make the most of it not to win awards, not to be noticed, just because that’s what we’re taught to do.
The induction recognizes teachers who have outstanding music programs and have contributed significantly to music education in the state. One must also have at least 15 years of music education service in West Virginia.
“Sometimes it’s easy to forget that small actions can make a huge impact, but I can honestly say that those are moments that I find the most rewarding as an educator,” she said.
Fox said she shares the honor with other music teachers “who dedicate their time and talents” to music education in West Virginia. She also thanked the administrators who support music teachers’ work.
“Most educators would agree that the best part of our job is that we get to make connections with people,” she said. “These connections go beyond the walls of our classrooms, reaching families, neighbors and businesses within our communities.
“I have been fortunate to work within a school system that values these connections and supports the work that I do.”
Fox said she grew up in Marshall County and is a John Marshall High School graduate. She said she had several influential music teachers including Sue Pettit, Dennis Fisher, Harry Sacco, Ed Parshall, Dave Dayton and Ron Rose.
“Marshall County provided top notch educators who taught me the importance of discipline, effort and commitment,” she said. “These lessons have carried me throughout my career, and I am proud that our music programs and current music staff are reflective of these core values.”
Fox believes it is important for schools to offer music because it reaches many children in different ways.
“We’re able to teach history through music. We’re able to teach physical education through music, science through music,” she said. “For a lot of people, this is their hub. This is the way they show their intelligence and so I think it would be detrimental to our society to strip the arts from students in their regular lives.”
Some of Fox’s other accolades include being named West Virginia Society for General Music Teacher of the Year, Marshall County Schools Teacher of the Year, and finalist for West Virginia Teacher of the Year.
Fox has been a West Virginia Music Educators Association board member for 14 years and served as its president from 2015-17. She has also served as co-chairwoman of the All-State Children’s Chorus, Society for General Music president, and is chairwoman of Music in Our Schools chairwoman. Her work garnered her a certificate of recognition from then-Gov. Jim Justice in 2022. Fox is also a Strand Theatre board member and served on the Moundsville Arts and Culture Commission from 2019-24.
Fox is also a member of the professional steel drum band Steel Cassa. She lives in Moundsville with her husband, Brad.