Wayne Splettstoeszer, Director of Instrumental Music/Music Technology of Torrington High School, has received the 2009 Mike Kovins TI:ME Teacher of the Year award.
Wayne Splettstoeszer received his BS-ED and Master’s Degree in music education from Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut. As a music teacher at Saint Bernard High School in Uncasville, Connecticut from 1994-1996 he was in charge of all aspects of the music program. Since 1996 Wayne has been Director of Bands/Music Technology at Torrington High School, Torrington, Connecticut. Under his direction the Torrington High School Symphonic, Jazz and Marching Bands have grown and received numerous first place awards. In 2006 the THS “Pride of Torrington” Marching Band was selected to represent the State of Connecticut in the National Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C. In 2007 the Torrington High School String Orchestra received 1st Place Best Appearing High School Orchestra at the Festivals of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. In 2008 the Torrington High School Symphonic Band and Jazz Ensemble both received 1st Place Superior Ratings and Adjudicator’s Awards as the highest scoring ensembles at the Heritage Music Festival in Philadelphia, PA. Torrington High School also received Instrumental and Festival Sweepstakes Awards as well. The Torrington High School Jazz Ensemble was selected to perform with the United States Air Force Airmen of Note Jazz Ensemble on their 2008 Connecticut Tour.
The music technology program has expanded from one class offering in 1996 and now offers two levels of classes. In 2000 a new 20-station music technology lab was completed offering students at Torrington High School the opportunity to work with the latest technology. The Music Technology Program at Torrington High School is the only school from New England to be a featured school on the Music Technology Learning Center Website, was the cover story of the April 2001 issue of School Band and Orchestra magazine, and was selected by the Roland Corporation of Los Angeles, California as one of four schools in the country to be a part of their educational booth graphics. Wayne has presented technology sessions at the Connecticut and Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Conferences, 2003 MENC Eastern Division Conference in Providence, Rhode Island, numerous school districts throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts. He has served on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Lowell Summer Program and is presently Adjunct Professor of Music Technology at Fairfield University, Fairfield, Conn.
Wayne is an active member of Connecticut Music Educators Association, MENC, Technology Institute for Music Educators, and Connecticut Chapter of American School Band Directors Association, was included in the 2000,2002,2004 2005 and 2006 editions of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, was an advisor for the Roland Corporation’s Instruments of Change Educational Newsletter, nominated for the 2001 Disney American Teachers Award and 2003 Disney Creative Teaching Award and was selected as the Torrington Wal-Mart 2003 Teacher of the Year and the Torrington Public Schools 2003-2004 Teacher of the Year. In 2004 Wayne was selected as one of 50 Directors Who Make a Difference by School Band and Orchestra Magazine. In 2006 Wayne was selected as the Connecticut Music Educators Association Secondary Music Educator of the Year and was inducted as a member of the Phi Beta Mu International Band Master’s Fraternity. In 2007 Wayne was inducted as an Honorary member of the University of Connecticut Chapter Tau Beta Sigma Band Fraternity. In 2009 Wayne was selected to receive the Technology Institute for Music Educators National Teacher of the Year Award.
Wayne has a blog for his school at http://torringtonmusic.blogspot.com/.
