Bio
Music is the medium, and helping students feel seen and valued is the goal. This is the fuel behind Maize Elementary School teacher Katie Todd’s music instruction to kindergarten through fourth grade students.
Todd earned her Bachelors of Music Education in 2012 from Kansas State University. She continued her education by pursuing a Masters of Music Education degree at her alma mater, graduating in 2017. Todd is in her eleventh year of teaching and currently teaches in Maize USD 266.
Todd was selected as the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year Nominee for the Maize district and received the national Music for All Advocacy in Action award for Elementary Excellence. Her passions include playing the oboe, supporting the next generation of music educators and collaborations with Kindie music artists. Her door is always open to anyone who would like to observe or collaborate.
Todd finds much of the inspiration for lessons from her time spent with her two young daughters, Olivia and Charlotte, and her husband. Being a mother gives her insight into what families need from their educators to help them connect and bond. Additionally, she teaches private oboe lessons, is a New Teacher Mentor, and collaborates with Kansas universities to support new and future elementary music teachers at the Kansas Music Education Association Workshop.
Todd hopes that the joy and personal confidence gained through music education will be an encouragement to her students, both now and in all their future endeavors.
