Jackson Area students perform winter concerts at Jackson Middle School

On December 11, music programs from the Jackson Area held winter concerts at Jackson Middle School. The event featured performances by Intermediate Band and Orchestra, Wired Up!, and Jazz Lab. Musicians from Ardmore, Westmore, York Center, and Jackson schools played seasonal music for an audience of families and friends.

The concerts were led by Orchestra Director Allison Vickers and Band Director Joe Koppel. At the end of the event, organizers acknowledged both directors for their dedication. "Great performances everyone! Congratulations to all our student musicians and their families. Special thanks to our dedicated music directors Mr. Koppel and Ms. Vickers."

All participating schools are part of Villa Park School District 45 in DuPage County, which also includes Jefferson Middle School, North Elementary School, Schafer Elementary School, and Stevenson School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, the district employs 224 teachers with an average salary of $74,159; about 83 percent are women and there are no teachers with more than ten absences per year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Demographic information shows that Villa Park School District 45 is made up of approximately 43 percent White students, 8 percent Black students, 35 percent Hispanic students, and just over 8 percent Asian students (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, spending per student in the district was $23,216 for a total expenditure of nearly $77 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).