Thompson ready to make music at SCCC

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader and time

Claire Thompson graduated from Michigan State University in 2012, and after teaching music at two USD 480 elementary schools for a time, she will now teach at another school known for the color green.

Thompson was recently hired as an instrumental music instructor at Seward County Community College. She came to Liberal in 2012 after a friend connected her with a local director.

“I interviewed and accepted the job, then moved here a week later and started right away,” she said.

Thompson said her initial dream was to become a band director, but she chose to start as an elementary school teacher, starting at McDermott Elementary School in Liberal before moving to Prairie View Elementary School.

“I’ve been here for 12 years in total,” she said.

Thompson is a flutist by trade, having played the instrument since she was 12, and she said she knew she wanted to become a middle school teacher.

“My middle school band director was amazing and such a positive influence that I knew I wanted to be like her,” she said.

With his new position at SCCC, Thompson’s dream of becoming a conductor has finally come true.

The landscapes of Michigan and Kansas are a stark contrast, and while it was a big change, Thompson said she now considers southwest Kansas home and enjoys being in the area.

In addition to his role as a college bandleader, Thompson said his love of music is tied to his love of playing and performing on stage.

“I love what music can do for everyone,” she said. “I really feel like it’s a universal language. I feel like through music, through artists, through film scores, through any type of music, I can really connect with people and we can find common ground. It’s something that I absolutely fell in love with and felt like it was my place to belong. I wasn’t a sporty kid at all. Music was my home.”

During her time at USD 480, Thompson received several honors, including two District Teacher of the Month awards, Elementary Teacher of the Year, a local Masonic Lodge award and a VFW Teacher award.

When it comes to what motivates her as a teacher, Thompson said her students definitely play the most important role.

“My love and passion for music drives me, but it’s my students,” she said. “It’s always the students. I want to give them the best music education possible and use every resource I have to give them the best experience possible. It’s the students and building positive connections and relationships with them so they can grow their love of music as well.”

At McDermott, Thompson taught music to students in kindergarten through third grade, and although performances were limited to a Christmas concert, she loved the experience.

“It was a school-wide event,” she said. “It was great to have the whole school perform at the high school, but I also really wanted to build better relationships with the parents.”

When McDermott closed and Thompson moved to Prairie View, a school that serves grades kindergarten through fifth, each grade level now had its own concert with a different theme for each grade.

“The fourth year, it was always Veterans Day,” she said. “The first year, it was always Christmas. The other years, we played with it, but it was so much fun to see the kids light up and enjoy what they were doing and not only singing, but playing an instrument.”

Thompson’s older students continued to do musicals, and she would eventually direct an honor choir with her fifth-graders at Prairie View.

“We had a small number of students from each elementary in USD 480, and we would meet once a week to prepare them for our USD 480 District Choir Festival,” she said. “I was able to help put that together in 2018. It was also very positive for my older students. I’m definitely going to miss my grandkids.”

Thompson has also been an assistant professor at SCCC for three years and, enjoying working with older students, felt she was ready for a change.

“I taught the general music elementary course for future teachers, and I love teaching future educators and being able to talk to adults and help them get started on the direction they were going to take in teaching,” she said. “That’s what really motivated me to apply for this position, and I really miss the band. I love the Seward community, even as an assistant instructor. I felt like this was going to be a great fit. I’m really excited about this new position.”

With her experience as an assistant instructor and the help of her former conductor, Thompson said she is well prepared for her new role at SCCC.

“There are certain things that make me nervous, like anyone starting a new job, but I think this experience as an intern is really going to help make that transition pretty smooth,” she said.

Thompson said some students have already signed up for the fall semester, and she added that some of them come from her background as an elementary school teacher.

“It will be really cool to come full circle and see them throughout their musical careers,” she said.

Thompson said she hopes that by tapping some of her former students, she can help recruit more students.

“I have stayed in touch with a lot of them and I hope that if they decide to come here, they will join a group or a cheer group so I can host them and teach them again,” she said.

Thompson said she envisions a band that can bring excitement to Saints sporting events and partner with local and regional bands, and she said there’s nothing like the experience of playing in that environment.

“I was a huge music fan,” she said. “That sense of community is amazing, the connection with the athletes and the crowd. The students and the people in the city add an extra dimension to the music itself.”

Thompson is currently recruiting members for the Saints Pep Band. A limited number of scholarships, which cover the cost of textbooks for all courses, are available.

Students can arrange a meeting by sending an email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Registration for the fall semester is open and classes are scheduled to begin August 21.

Moving from elementary school to higher education can seem like more than just a transition, and Thompson said the level of education and thinking is definitely higher at the university level.

“They want to be here,” she said. “They’re motivated to finish their education and start their careers. They want help, and I like that adult energy.”

Thompson said she will always appreciate the young students she taught at McDermott and Prairie View.

“They have always felt very comfortable in my class and have always wanted to try new things. If something doesn’t work out, it’s okay,” she said. “We learn from our mistakes and move on. I’ve seen this in my adult students as well. Although there is a big age difference, I see a lot of similarities, which is surprising.”

Being new to her role, Thompson said she is currently looking forward to getting to know her students better and becoming more known in the community. All with the goal of bringing local high school students to SCCC and pursuing careers in music, whether as a music major or simply as a member of a band.

“My goal is to bring in anybody who wants to play, whether it’s in a band or a chamber group,” she said. “Come, have fun and keep playing. I want this community to stay strong here.”

Although the SCCC campus is relatively quiet during the summer months, Thompson has settled into her office, checked instrument inventory and teaching space, and is definitely ready for the start of the new semester.

“I’m excited to start this new chapter,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to starting here. I’ve already met some of my colleagues and I’m extremely excited to be a part of Seward County, to meet the students and get to know them better, and to see some of my former students again. It’s going to be great.”