By Khalida Sarwari
The accolades keep on coming for Saratoga High School’s Michael Boitz, who recently was named the music educator of the year by the California Music Educators Association.
Boitz, who chairs the high school’s performing arts department, was honored at ceremonies earlier this year in San Jose and Fresno. He said he was “blown away” and honored by the recognition.
“This one is really special, because it comes from so many people in our profession that I’ve learned a lot from,” Boitz said.
The plaque will join others Boitz has won. He received the CMEA state band educator of the year award last year, and in 2010 he was the CMEA state orchestra educator of the year.
The awards reflect Boitz’s accomplishments throughout his 15-year tenure at Saratoga High. Many credit him with transforming the school’s program, which was nearly nonexistent when he arrived at the school. Boitz called the process a “labor of love.”
“I’ve had a lot of opportunities to do something else, but I just kept gravitating back because I love the school, and I love the community I live in,” he said. “I’m really excited still about the work, excited about making things better and about teaching and being able to do great work with the kids.”
Jason Shiuan, a former student in Boitz’s wind ensemble class who is now a second-year student at Northwestern University, said he keeps in touch with Boitz via email and phone and visits him every time he returns home. He praised his former teacher’s dedication to the school and the community.
“He’s made this program grow to what it is now,” Shiuan said. “I’m studying music education now, and I wouldn’t have done it if it weren’t for someone like him who inspired me to pursue music.”
Shiuan recounted a day when Boitz placed him in charge of conducting the freshman band in the absence of the music staff. The decision made him realize how much Boitz trusts his students and cares about their input. Running the rehearsal session, Shiuan said, was “one of the coolest things I’ve done in high school.”
Boitz said one of the best parts of his job is working with students over four years, because it gives him a chance to track their progress and see them “blossom and grow in confidence.”
On his bucket list for the music program, he has a trip planned to Spain next year and Japan three or four years from now. He said he’d also like to begin commissioning new pieces for the program.
“I’m just really excited about getting better at the same gig that I’ve been doing,” he said.
Boitz credits his achievements to the support he’s received over the years from the Saratoga Music Booster Club, a group of parents that funds music education in grades 5-12.
“I think the school really needs performing arts and the kids need music,” he said. “I’m really, really grateful to our parents and our music boosters for their unyielding support to make sure that performing arts is an important part of education for their kids.”
