ABOUT MYSELF

Background and Interests I grew up in Minnesota in a family of two sisters and three brothers. My dad taught each of us to play an instrument.  When I was 12 years old, our family relocated to South Dakota. I was very much involved with music activities during my high school years. I played trumpet in the band, sang in the chorus, and performed as soloist on the marimba. I received a B. A. Degree, with a major in music and a minor in art, from Dakota Wesleyan University, after which I attended Arizona State Universtiy, receiving a Master's Degree. in Music. My first teaching position was in Commack, New York, where I taught music, K - 6, producing many innovative Music/Art productions. These productions featured choral and instrumental music performances, along with exhibitions, slide shows, and light shows of children's art creations.   After movimng to San Francisco, I attended Lone Mountain College (U.S.F.) where I earned certification for Early Childhood Teaching Specialist. While living in San Francisco, I taught Music K-6 at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, producting musicals and holiday celebrations; and taught kindergarten at Live Oak School.  I continued my teaching career in Las Vegas, where I taught, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade classes. After a first grade unit, studying dinosaurs, another first grade teacher and I collaborated, creating a Music/Dance/Art Production about dinosaurs, with stage sets of volcanoes erupting and steam rising! While in Las Vegas, I was the General Director of a non-profit organization, American Music Festival, organizing music/dance productions for the Las Vegas public.  I played trumpet in the UNLV Orchestra. Currently I am living in the Los Angeles area with my husband, Peter de Caprio (vocal artist/composer).  Our  daughter recently graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno. I am teaching third grade, with an emphasis on Art and Music, at South Shores Magnet School for the Performing and Visual Arts (LAUSD).  This year my third graders will be exhibiting their art creations in the Third Grade Art Show, "From Reality to Fantasy".  Currently we are preparing art for our up-coming Art Show!  One of our exciting projects is designing and constructing a 26 foot-long firey and fierce DRAGON!  Another project, which is in progress, is creating native shields: Such as Indian, Oceanic, and African.  The students are designing their individual shields by looking within themselves to discover their own unique, inner strengths, and then representing these realizations through develpimg artistic designs, figures, and images. An additional most magnificant project is our 20 foot by 25 foot projection of a "LIVING ART" Exhibition of Imagination.  Our background will be a huge mural of an impressionistic garden.  In front of this mural will be a 20 foot by 25 foot huge frame (on stage).  The students, who will be dressed in creative, fantasy costumes (Elves, Gnomes, Fairies), will be the imagninary characters within the picture.  Thus, it is called "LIVING ART".  My interests include traveling, playing trumpet, exercising, and directing music, and artistic events.

Education

B.A. in Education, Music and Art - Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota

M.M. - Arizona State Universtiy, Tempe, Arizona

Certification in Early Childhood Education - Lone Mountain College, San Francisco, California

TESL endorsed - Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, Nevada

Teaching Experience

SOUTH SHORES MAGNET SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS, Los Angeles Unified School District: Presently teaching third grade, with empahsis on art and music - 6 1/2 years. 

SUNRISE ACRES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Clark County School District, Las Vegas, NV:  Taught Pre-School, Kindergarten and First Grade - 18 years.

LIVE OAK SCHOOL, San Francisco, CA: Taught Kindergarten - 4 years

CONVENT OF THE SACRED HEART, San Francisco, CA: Taught Elementary Classroom Music K-6 - 4 years

SKYLINE COLLEGE, San Bruno, CA: Taught Music Appreciation - 1 semester substitute, while professor was on a leave of absence

WOOD PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Commack, NY: Taught Elementary School Music K-6 - 4 years

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, Tempe, AZ: Taught Music Appreciation, Teaching Assistantship - 2 years

Sabrinah Muyskens sitting on Stage, Scenery for "Commotion in the Ocean". South Shores Magnet School for the Performing and Visual Arts Los Angeles Unified School District, California