‘Note-able experience’: Homemade music kits allow JCPS students to play instruments safely

Jefferson County Public Schools music teachers are bringing innovation to life to allow students to safely play instruments in the classroom.

Zachary Taylor Elementary School K-5 music teacher Anna Gillion said Tuesday pre-COVID-19, music class typically involved singing aloud and sharing instruments like recorders. But during the pandemic, Gillion said those practices aren’t safe.

“There’s just no way to pass them all out, pick them all up, wipe them all down, and then have that be safe for each class,” Gillion said. Wanting to continue to give students a “note-able” experience while staying safe, Gillion and other JCPS music teachers got creative.

With donations from Louisville Public Media and Metro Councilwoman Nicole George of household items, such as popcorn kernels, cups, and pool noodles, teachers transformed those items into instruments to go into individual music kits for students.

“We got, like, pool noodles and then we had a session set up where they had to chop them up and cut them up and put them in here,” Gillion said.

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