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MJ McKean

Strings/Band

mmckean@novaschool.org

"Being a musician is satisfying, challenging, and enlightening. Being able to play an instrument is a lifelong skill that gives people belonging, identity, personal satisfaction, and a means of self-expression. It takes years of practice and dedication to develop these skills. I love seeing my students improve and grow their confidence over time, increasing their ability to learn, problem solve, and be expressive."

Fun Fact #1 — I am the concert master of the Olympia Chamber Orchestra and a violinist in the Olympia Symphony.

Fun Fact #2 — I have 8 chickens who live in a chicken palace in my backyard that my husband built. I also have 3 children: a 6th grader, a 5th grader, and a preschooler. We have a busy home!

Fun Fact #3 — A few of my favorite movies are: Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, Waking Ned Divine, So I Married an Axe Murderer, and The Princess Bride.

I choose to work at NOVA because I love middle school, my students, and music!

Land Acknowledgement

NOVA is located on the ancestral lands of the Steh-Chass band of the Squaxin Island Tribe and Nisqually Indian Tribe, who have long been stewards of the region’s waters, plants, and animals. The southernmost point of the Salish Sea, these lands were—and still are—a place of gathering, trade, and community for many Coast Salish peoples. We recognize that all who are not Salish peoples are visitors here. We commit to join these peoples to share their history, build relationships, increase representation, and restore the living world around us.