Ringgold music teacher recognized for dedication
Thalia Juarez | Herald-Standard
Music teacher Melanie Sandrock has taught at Finley Middle School in the Ringgold School District for over 40 years. Sandrock says her favorite part is watching the students grow and accomplish things they thought could never do in music.
Thalia Juarez | Herald-Standard
Music teacher Melanie Sandrock teaches students how to play the Celtic harp at Finley Middle School in the Ringgold School District. Sandrock has taught music for over 40 years and says her favorite part is watching the students grow and accomplish things they thought could never do in music.
Editor’s note: The article has been changed to reflect accurate employment information for Evan Harger.
Music was Melanie Sandrock’s first love, nurtured in a loving and faithful home growing up in Monongahela.
Sandrock has dedicated her career in the Ringgold School District to sharing that passion for music with middle school students. For her efforts, Sandrock was awarded the Dr. Howard Jack Outstanding Educator Award from the Washington County Community Foundation. The award recognizes a public educator who has displayed the ability to inspire children from all backgrounds and abilities.
“We always had music in the house,” Sandrock said. “My mom (Faye) was a pianist and organist at the First Christian Church and also played at the First Baptist Church for awhile.
“On Sunday afternoons, my mom would get to the piano and we’d all sing. One of my favorites was ‘Light a Rose’ from The Music Man. My dad (Frank) and mom sang it in two parts.”
Sandrock admits she was surprised and humbled when Ringgold Middle School Principal Mark Alberta told her of the award.
“I thought he was kidding,” Sandrock said.
“That never, ever crossed my mind because there’s so many great teachers in Washington County. I could name one after another.”
She missed the awards luncheon because she was leading her school show choir in a performance at Disney World. Alberta accepted the award in her honor.
Gwen Simmons of Monongahela, her mom’s best friend, was also awarded The Richard L. White Excellence Award for Board Service by the Washington County Community Foundation at the same time.
“I’ve always looked up to Gwen,” Sandrock said. “I always told her it was a great loss that she did not teach in our district.”
A 1971 graduate of Monongahela High School, Sandrock graduated from Bethany College in 1975 and was hired by the Ringgold School District.
“It was like being in heaven,” Sandrock said. “It was wonderful.
“I always wanted to be a high school music teacher; then I was hired as an elementary teacher. It was not my specialty, but it wound up being the best thing.”
After a year at the elementary level, she was moved to the middle school to teach music.
“Forty years later, I’m still at Finley Middle, now Ringgold Middle, School,” Sandrock said. “God knew this was where He wanted me to be, so it was good.”
Sandrock said her passion for music and teaching are parallel.
“You really share your music when you teach,” Sandrock said.
Her continuing passion is being with the students and seeing them grow.
“The neatest part is when they realize they can do something they thought they couldn’t,” Sandrock said.
She has been married 41 years to her husband, Brad, a professor at Community College of Allegheny County South Campus and Sunday School teacher. The couple have two sons, Brett, in Boston and Ben, who lives in Tiffin, Ohio.
Recently, her students held “A Night of Musical Memories.” It featured the best of each musical her students had performed over 18 years of at the school, including cameo performances from some returning students.
“I love to tell you about my kids,” Sandrock says.
Many of her students have gone on to success.
Michelle Weisgerber toured with the national touring company of “Mama Mia.” Sandrock saw the show when it made a stop in Wheeling.
Disney performers Josh Holets and Michelle Rudar both have come back to do workshops at the middle school.
Evan Harger is an orchestral conductor and educator. Craig Curdie did lights and sound at Cedar Point, then Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus.
Sandrock plays piano, bagpipes, guitar, banjo, dulcimer and mountain dulcimer.
Her favorite music is praise music, followed by Celtic music.
Shortly after she bought a Celtic harp in 2002, her students asked her to teach them, which she began doing after school.
In the summer of the 2007, Ringgold Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jeff Matty asked Sandrock, “Do you think we could teach Celtic harps in school?”
That was the formation of Rustic Rhythms, which is currently in its ninth year.
She now has 40 students between the middle and high schools playing the harp. They perform at the Highland Games in Ligonier.
At the encouragement of Alberta, she has since started a string band.
“Where other districts seem to be losing their arts, our school board is encouraging the arts,” Sandrock said.
Sandrock said she has been successful because of the support of school administration, from former principals Tom Rapp and Alan Velicky to Alberta and current Superintendent Dr. Karen Polkabla to the school board.
She advised new, young teachers, “You gotta love what you do.
“Enjoy it because it goes by so fast,” Sandrock said. “And don’t let all of the paper work bog you down.”
Sandrock said she will continue to teach “As long as God wants me to stay here.”