BEATTY — Beatty Principal Steven Sullivan said it was wonderful to hear the inevitable “scratches and squeaks” as he introduced student musicians ahead of the school’s holiday concert.
That’s because music education has been missing in Beatty schools since 2015. It returned this year with the hiring of Pahrump Valley High School graduate and former J.G. Johnson music teacher Eric Kunzi, and the holiday concert showcased the skills music students have been developing this semester.
The concert, under Kunzi’s direction, included groups of Christmas songs sung by age groups Pre-K and kindergarten, first and second grades, third and fourth grades, and fifth grade, followed by “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” sung by all the elementary students combined.
The program concluded with a group of songs played by the combined high school and middle school bands.
The Beatty PTO had oversized gingerbread houses on display that were decorated by each class in the elementary and middle schools. Attendees could vote for the winning house by making donations in containers next to each of them, with the winning class receiving a pizza party.
Richard Stephens is a freelance reporter living in Beatty.