The Nevada Music Educators Association this week named Depoali Middle School’s Daniel Barthel as the state’s music teacher of the year.
Barthel began working in the Washoe County School District in 2004 and helped open Depoali Middle School in 2009. During his tenure at the school, the band program has grown in size and in participation levels among the 300 students who take classes in jazz band, concert band, winter guard, percussion ensemble, and other chamber ensembles.
“I am honored to receive this recognition from my peers,” Barthel said in a statement. “I enjoy teaching music and am grateful to work with so many excellent music educators from all different parts of the state.”
Barthel is also personally active in the band community, serving as the district’s honor band coordinator, the music educators association’s past president and advocacy chair, and middle school all-state band coordinator. He also co-directs the Lake Tahoe Music Camp each summer.
“Dan is one of the most amazing educators who I have ever had the pleasure to work with in my 20 years,” said Joye Ancina, Depoali prinicpal. “The impact that he has on students reaches further than his classroom. He is a teacher leader within our school who helps to develop the master schedule so that we can genuinely teach the whole child.”
Barthel graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in music education. He is a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Men’s Music Fraternity and the National Association for Music Education.
