Angela Woo is Director of Instrumental Music and Chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at John Adams Middle School in Santa Monica, California where over 400 students are enrolled in one of four concert bands or four string orchestras. The John Adams ensembles have consistently earned the highest possible ratings at performance festivals, and in 2011, the John Adams Middle School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the California All-State Music Education Convention as the only middle school concert band in the state to be so honored.

An alumna of the University of California, Los Angeles, Ms. Woo holds the degrees Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Piano Performance, the Master of Education, and the Master of Fine Arts in Conducting. She also holds the Master of Arts in Educational Administration from California State University, Northridge. Prior to her appointment to John Adams in 1995, Ms. Woo was Director of Music at Corona del Mar High School and served as Director of Bands at Santa Monica College.

Ms. Woo enjoys an active schedule as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator with numerous honor groups, conducting symposia, and music festivals throughout the country. Her guest conducting invitations have included the 2004 Kentucky All-State High School Concert Band, the 2007 Oregon All-State Middle School Band, and most recently, Ms. Woo conducted the 2014 California All-State Jr. High Concert Band. In 2005, Ms. Woo was honored with the special invitation to be the inaugural conductor of the University of Colorado’s first Middle School Honor Band. In addition, she served as a conducting clinician with the Florida International University Conducting Symposium from 2003 – 2007. She has been invited by local universities as well as those around the country to lead professional development workshops for music educators at both the middle school and high school levels.

In 2005, Ms. Woo was recognized by the Santa Monica Rotary Club as the Santa Monica-Malibu District Teacher of the Year. She was honored at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic as a 2012 Legion of Honor Laureate by the John Philip Sousa National Foundation.
Email Ms. Woo at awoo@smmusd.org

Sean Garnreiter is Assistant Director of Instrumental Music at John Adams Middle School where he has been on staff since 2011. He is also Director of the JAMS Jazz Band. Mr. Garnreiter earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from UCLA where he was Drum Major of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band. He served as a student teacher at JAMS in 2008, and was an elementary music teacher at four different schools with the Los Angeles Unified School District. He also created an instrumental music program at a middle school in South Central Los Angeles. After teaching in the LAUSD for three years, Mr. Garnreiter returned to JAMS as an Instructional Assistant and faculty member with the instrumental music program. He is a former member of the Pacific Crest and Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, and has been on staff with the UCLA Bruin Marching Band as a brass, woodwind, and marching clinician.
Email Mr. Garnreiter at sgarnreiter@smmusd.org

Cecile Blanchard graduated from UCLA with a B.M.Ed. in Vocal Performance. She is also a product of the fine music program in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, having attended Madison Elementary School, John Adams Middle School, and Santa Monica High School. Cecile has performed with UCLA, Loyola Marymount University, and St. Charles Borromeo choirs. She is currently enjoying performing in the Santa Monica College Concert Chorale. She is an active member of the American Choral Directors' Association, and served on the board of the Southern California Vocal Association from 1994-1996, as vice-president of the Junior High School Honor Choir. She has presented workshops on middle school vocal music pedagogy and literacy for California ACDA and the Bakersfield School District. She has conducted middle school and adult church choirs. Cecile taught at Lincoln Middle School from 1990-1997, is currently in her 18th year at John Adams Middle School, where she is very pleased to be teaching at her Alma mater.
Email Mrs. Blanchard at cblanchard@smmusd.org
Mrs. Blanchard's Home Page - https://blanchardwebpage.weebly.com/ >

Chloe Hawkins is the Instructional Assistant for the Instrumental Music program at John Adams Middle School. Ms. Hawkins is an alumna of Illinois State University where she earned her Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Science in Music Business. While attending Illinois State, she worked for a string teaching program, started a student-run record label, and participated in many music organizations. The teaching program at Illinois State offered multiple opportunities in instrumental and vocal instruction for all ages at several different schools, allowing Ms. Hawkins to earn a total of over 100 hours of clinical teaching.

Ms. Hawkins served as a student teacher in the Chicago public school system at Mather High School and Peterson Elementary where she learned the importance of music in every child's life. Upon graduating, Ms. Hawkins held the position of Contracts Manager of the Bridges: Partners of Music program at the Merit School of Music in Chicago, IL, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing music to children in underrepresented communities. Ms. Hawkins was responsible for collaborating with administrators and representatives of all 23 off-site music programs to ensure music was accessible for every child.

Ms. Hawkins is a new Los Angeles resident, having moved from Chicago this past May. She holds a K-12 Professional Educators License in Music from the state of Illinois and looks forward to receiving her California teaching license in the next year.
Email Ms. Hawkins at chawkins@smmusd.org

Jennifer Joyce is in her fifth year as the Visual Arts teacher at John Adams Middle School. A graduate of DePaul University, Ms. Joyce earned her Master’s degree at the Chicago campus in 2000. Her bachelor of art degree from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. concentrated in graphic arts and photography, but there are numerous specialized mediums in which she enjoys working including, ceramics, illustration, painting, sculpture, and fiber arts. Before coming to JAMS, Ms. Joyce worked in many public and private schools within Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Northern suburbs of Chicago. She has also worked in the field of graphic design at several prominent Chicago advertising agencies and as a photographic assistant and stylist to a Chicago celebrity print photographer. Ms. Joyce is a member of the California Arts Education Association and actively participates in a variety of art education professional development forums.
Email Ms. West at jjoyce@smmusd.org
Ms. Joyce's Home Page >

Jeanette Asher teaches Dance and Physical Education at John Adams Middle School. She earned the degree Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from San Diego State University where she also received the California Teaching Credential. She was nominated for the SDSU Phil Halfaker Memorial Award for Outstanding Student Teacher. She has worked as a professional DJ and her interests include multicultural dance and music, teaching children and learning from them.
Email Ms Asher at jasher@smmusd.org

Staff

Galina Baskina, accompanist, has been with the John Adams Middle School since 1998. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music from College of Gnesins in Moscow, Russia, and her Master's degree in Music Education and Piano Performance from the Conservatory of Music in Kazan, also in Russia. Mrs. Baskina has taught music at all levels, elementary through high school in Moscow, and also worked as an accompanist for choirs and instrumentalists.
Email Ms. Baskina at gbaskina@smmusd.org