Central Carolina Chapter of AOSA Board Members
Christine Eason -- President
Christine has a degree in Music Therapy from MSU and her Master's Degree in Music Education from U-M which makes her both Spartan and Wolverine. She has her Orff Level 1 Certification from UNC Wilmington, and recently completed Level II in the same, beautiful location. Christine has been teaching elementary music for 20 years, starting in Orange County Schools NC, and then Wake County Schools NC. She loves all things Orff and enjoys singing, playing guitar, piano, and learning the ukulele. She also loves her family, God, and leading worship at Durham Presbyterian Church and Ekklesia Church at Raleigh. If you ever want to go see a musical, a play, an opera, a ballet, a jazz show, or just about any other live performance, please invite me and I'll go!
Christine has a degree in Music Therapy from MSU and her Master's Degree in Music Education from U-M which makes her both Spartan and Wolverine. She has her Orff Level 1 Certification from UNC Wilmington, and recently completed Level II in the same, beautiful location. Christine has been teaching elementary music for 20 years, starting in Orange County Schools NC, and then Wake County Schools NC. She loves all things Orff and enjoys singing, playing guitar, piano, and learning the ukulele. She also loves her family, God, and leading worship at Durham Presbyterian Church and Ekklesia Church at Raleigh. If you ever want to go see a musical, a play, an opera, a ballet, a jazz show, or just about any other live performance, please invite me and I'll go!
Laura Black -- Vice President
Laura is an Orff-Schulwerk certified educator who has been teaching since 2007, working in southeastern North Carolina. She currently teaches at Rocky Point Elementary School, where she teaches PK-5th grade. She has graduated from UNCG with both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education. As a presenter, Laura has presented at the district, state, and national levels on elementary orchestra, recorder curriculums, and improvisation. As a published author, her most recent writing can be found in "The Music Teacher's Guide to Recruitment and Retention" (GIA). Laura lives in SENC with her husband, Casey, and their four beautiful children: Hunter, Elliot, Arthur, and Lucy...and their cat, Colonel Whiskers.
Laura is an Orff-Schulwerk certified educator who has been teaching since 2007, working in southeastern North Carolina. She currently teaches at Rocky Point Elementary School, where she teaches PK-5th grade. She has graduated from UNCG with both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education. As a presenter, Laura has presented at the district, state, and national levels on elementary orchestra, recorder curriculums, and improvisation. As a published author, her most recent writing can be found in "The Music Teacher's Guide to Recruitment and Retention" (GIA). Laura lives in SENC with her husband, Casey, and their four beautiful children: Hunter, Elliot, Arthur, and Lucy...and their cat, Colonel Whiskers.
Ann Wells -- Treasurer
Ann has been teaching elementary music for over 20 years, currently working in Cumberland County. She attended Wake Forest University and Georgia State University, and in addition to teaching in North Carolina since 2012, she has also taught in Georgia and South Carolina. Ann has completed Orff-Schulwerk levels in Atlanta, UNC Wilmington, and Appalachian State University. Outside of school, she enjoys singing in the Cumberland Choral Arts and Cross Creek Chorale community choruses, being active in her church and hanging with her fur babies Merlin and Aaron Purr.
Ann has been teaching elementary music for over 20 years, currently working in Cumberland County. She attended Wake Forest University and Georgia State University, and in addition to teaching in North Carolina since 2012, she has also taught in Georgia and South Carolina. Ann has completed Orff-Schulwerk levels in Atlanta, UNC Wilmington, and Appalachian State University. Outside of school, she enjoys singing in the Cumberland Choral Arts and Cross Creek Chorale community choruses, being active in her church and hanging with her fur babies Merlin and Aaron Purr.
Lois Jarrell -- Secretary and Librarian
Lois Jarrell has been a music educator for nearly 20 years. She received her Bachelors in Music Education from Appalachian State University in 2004. She also earned her M.M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2010. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Childhood Music. She has attended Orff workshops and conferences throughout her teaching career and appreciates how all of the knowledge she has gained impacts her approach to music instruction in her classroom, helping her to create a space where students are free to explore, create, take risks, and feel affirmed in their musical journey. She taught for two years in Winston-Salem and currently teaches at Morris Grove Elementary School, in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District, where she has been the music specialist for 17 years. In addition to teaching K-5 general music, she also directs two drumming ensembles and an Orff Ensemble. Outside of the music classroom, she teaches private saxophone and piano lessons, working with students whose ages range from elementary school to high school. When she is not doing all things music, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, playing games, listening to podcasts, baking, and being outdoors to take in the beauty of nature.
Lois Jarrell has been a music educator for nearly 20 years. She received her Bachelors in Music Education from Appalachian State University in 2004. She also earned her M.M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2010. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Childhood Music. She has attended Orff workshops and conferences throughout her teaching career and appreciates how all of the knowledge she has gained impacts her approach to music instruction in her classroom, helping her to create a space where students are free to explore, create, take risks, and feel affirmed in their musical journey. She taught for two years in Winston-Salem and currently teaches at Morris Grove Elementary School, in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District, where she has been the music specialist for 17 years. In addition to teaching K-5 general music, she also directs two drumming ensembles and an Orff Ensemble. Outside of the music classroom, she teaches private saxophone and piano lessons, working with students whose ages range from elementary school to high school. When she is not doing all things music, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, playing games, listening to podcasts, baking, and being outdoors to take in the beauty of nature.
John Pollock -- Communications Director
John Pollock is a music educator who has been teaching music for over 10 years. He received his B.A. in Music Education from Muskingum University (New Concord,OH) and has earned his Orff-Schulwerk certification through Kent State University. John has taught music both in public and private schools in the states of Ohio, Georgia, and North Carolina. Between teaching jobs, John spent 3 years working in children's programming for the Live Oak Public Library System in Savannah, GA where he started the Music and Movement Storytime for toddlers. John currently teaches K-5 general music at Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary in Raleigh, NC (Wake County Public Schools) where he also leads the Brooks Chorus and Brooks Orffestra.
John Pollock is a music educator who has been teaching music for over 10 years. He received his B.A. in Music Education from Muskingum University (New Concord,OH) and has earned his Orff-Schulwerk certification through Kent State University. John has taught music both in public and private schools in the states of Ohio, Georgia, and North Carolina. Between teaching jobs, John spent 3 years working in children's programming for the Live Oak Public Library System in Savannah, GA where he started the Music and Movement Storytime for toddlers. John currently teaches K-5 general music at Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary in Raleigh, NC (Wake County Public Schools) where he also leads the Brooks Chorus and Brooks Orffestra.
Lacey McWatters -- Website Director
Lacey grew up near Dayton, Ohio playing piano, bassoon, and marimba. She attended West Virginia University then taught elementary music for three years at three different schools in Hampshire County, West Virginia. She regularly attended Orff-Schulwerk workshops in West Virginia and now here in North Carolina as well. In the summer of 2014 she took the Orff-Schulwerk Level I course in Cincinnati, OH. She and her husband moved to the area in 2013 when she started teaching at the then new Falls Lake Academy in Granville County.
Lacey grew up near Dayton, Ohio playing piano, bassoon, and marimba. She attended West Virginia University then taught elementary music for three years at three different schools in Hampshire County, West Virginia. She regularly attended Orff-Schulwerk workshops in West Virginia and now here in North Carolina as well. In the summer of 2014 she took the Orff-Schulwerk Level I course in Cincinnati, OH. She and her husband moved to the area in 2013 when she started teaching at the then new Falls Lake Academy in Granville County.
Melissa Germann -- Hospitality
Melissa Germann was born and raised in Durham, NC where she lives with her two sons, Jase and Kingston and little maltipoo, Maizie. She graduated with a degree in music education in 2006 from Elon University. She has worked in Wake County Schools, Alamance-Burlington School System and now Durham Public Schools. She is nationally board certified and has Orff Levels I and II. In her free time, she likes to watch movies and go to the beach.
Melissa Germann was born and raised in Durham, NC where she lives with her two sons, Jase and Kingston and little maltipoo, Maizie. She graduated with a degree in music education in 2006 from Elon University. She has worked in Wake County Schools, Alamance-Burlington School System and now Durham Public Schools. She is nationally board certified and has Orff Levels I and II. In her free time, she likes to watch movies and go to the beach.
Kelly Poquette -- Past President
Kelly A. Poquette Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Music Education at Greensboro College, is a veteran educator with certifications from the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and the Feierabend Association for Music Education. She has received district, regional, and state levels accolades, including being named the 2021 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Piedmont-Triad Region Teacher of the Year. Over her career, she has taught all grades pre-kindertarten through graduate students, both virtually and in person. Dr. Poquette also serves on the editorial board of The Orff Echo, the professional journal of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.
Kelly A. Poquette Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Music Education at Greensboro College, is a veteran educator with certifications from the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and the Feierabend Association for Music Education. She has received district, regional, and state levels accolades, including being named the 2021 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Piedmont-Triad Region Teacher of the Year. Over her career, she has taught all grades pre-kindertarten through graduate students, both virtually and in person. Dr. Poquette also serves on the editorial board of The Orff Echo, the professional journal of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.