2007-08 TVUSD High School Teacher of the Year
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PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Jerry Burdick-Rutz is currently in his eighth year as Director of The Spirit of Great Oak Performing Ensembles: www.spiritofgreatoak.com : He previously was Director of the Platinum Sound Ensembles: www.platinumsound.org at Temecula-Chaparral High School from 1997-2004.
Mr. Burdick-Rutz was selected as “Visual and Performing Arts Chair,” when opening Great Oak High School, the third and newest comprehensive high school in the Temecula Valley Unified School District. It was during the planning stages of the school that he suggested SPIRIT as the acronym for Great Oak High School, which outlines the school's “Branches of Excellence.” Scholarship, Passion, Integrity, Reflection, Involvement and Teamwork.
Mr. Burdick-Rutz Directs several performing ensembles at Great Oak High School. As many as five ensembles are active in performances and competitions at the same time throughout the school year:
1. The Award Winning Spirit of Great Oak Marching Band & Color Guard
2. The Award Winning Great Oak High School Jazz Ensemble
3. The Popular Jazz Combo Group "Soul Tree"
4. The Award Winning Symphonic Wind Ensemble
5. The Newly Formed Great Oak Jazz Band
6. The Award Winning Spirit Winter Color Guard
7. The Award Winning Great Oak Winter Drum Line
8. The Spirit Chamber Ensembles: Woodwind Ensemble & Brass Quintet
Mr. Burdick-Rutz has incorporated academic courses in music including:
1. Music Appreciation
2. Advanced Placement Music Theory
3. International Baccalaureate Music: Standard Level & Higher Level
Mr. Burdick-Rutz has received several teaching honors including:
1. The Who's Who of Teachers in 2001 and 2004 and 2006.
2. 2006-2010 Crystal Apple Awards Nominee
3. 2008 Great Oak High School Teacher of the Year
4. 2008 Temecula Valley Unified School District Teacher of the Year
5. 2010-11 Inland Valley Top Ten Teacher Award
Mr. Burdick-Rutz grew up in Michigan where he attended middle school at Hayes Middle School and was a member of the Int. & Adv. Band Program under the Direction of Eileen Houston. He then attended and graduated from the award winning Grand Ledge High School Band: http://scnc.glps.k12.mi.us/~hsband under the Direction of Michael Kaufman. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Music Ed. Degree from Michigan State University: http://www.SpartanBand.net where he participated in:
1. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble
2. The Symphonic Band
3. Percussion Ensemble; Winter Drum Line
4. The Spartan Marching Band: Drum Line: 1990-1993; Drum Major 1994-1995
Mr. Burdick-Rutz performed in The Nine-Time World Champion Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps: www.yea.org from Bergenfield, NJ:
1. Drum Line: 1992;
2. Drum Major: 1993
1993 Drum Corps International World Championships, Jackson MS (World Champions)
While with the Cadets of Bergen County, he earned two distinguished titles from Drum Corps International (totaling 100+ Ensembles; and 10,000+ performers):
1. Zildgian Cymbal Player of the Year: 1992
2. World Champion Drum Major: 1993
In 1995 Mr. Burdick-Rutz served as a Graduate Assistant of Bands at the University of New Mexico: http://www.unm.edu/~bands/ while earning A Master of Music Ed. (with a conducting emphasis) Degree in 1997.
RECOGNITION
From Beautiful Temecula California, The Spirit of Great Oak Band & Guard!
Great Oak High School and the Spirit Band & Guard is currently completing it's eighth comprehensive year. While the school is young, the program has grown significantly and been recognized as an outstanding program, having earned superior ratings at concert festivals and hosting several events including guest composers and clinicians. The 2007-08 year also marked the ensemble hosting guest composer, Richard Saucedo. Other awards include... Recent Awards include:
GROUP ACHIEVEMENT
The Spirit of Great Oak Ensembles continuously test through many high caliber performances and competitions. The performances place a high level of expectations on the students. The list that follows represents only some of the achievements the ensembles have achieved over the four year school history at the local, regional, state, and national level. The list represents a small percentage of the events the students participate in annually.
2011 Winter Guard Association of Southern California Regional AA Silver Medalists
2011 Winter Drum Line Southern California Percussion Alliance State Finalists
2011 Fiesta Bowl National Band Championships Finalist; Drum Line (Second Place Overall)
2010 Winter Drum Line Southern California Percussion Alliance State Finalists
2010 Marching Band Open Series Finalists (9th Place overall)
2009 Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association Superior Ratings
2009 Representative to the State of California in The National Memorial Day Parade (Washington D.C.)
2009 Winter Drum Line Southern California Percussion Alliance State Finalists
2009 Winter Guard International Drum Line Western Regional Hosts
2008 Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association Unanimous Superior Ratings
2008 Winter Guard International Drum Line Western Regional Hosts
2008 Winter Guard State Championships: Bronze Medalists
2008 Winter Drum Line State Championships: Bronze Medalists
2007 Music in the Parks: 1st Place Concert Band
2007 Concert Band Festival: Unanimous Superior Rating
2007 Fiesta Bowl National Band Championships: 2nd Place Parade Band
2006 US Scholastic Band Association Western Regional Champions
2006 Music in the Parks: Best Overall High School Bands; & Best Jazz Soloist
2006 Winter Guard Championships: State Silver Medalists
2006 Winter Guard Assoc. of So Cal Riverside County Regional Champs
2005 South Coast Invitational: AA 2nd Place, Best Visual & Percussion
2005 Music in the Park’s: Best Overall High School Band
2005 Concert Band Festival: Unanimous Superior Rating
2004 Sharp International Valley View H.S.: Overall 2nd Place
2004 Western Band Association; 1st Place AA; “Best in all Categories
Mr. Burdick-Rutz is especially proud of particular achievements awarded to The Spirit of Great Oak Ensembles. In 2006 The Spirit Marching Band was one of 16 Ensembles selected nationally to participate in the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championships. There they earned 2nd Place in the Parade Band Competition. Later that spring, the Winter Guard would earn the Silver Medal at State Championships in the Regional AA Division. In 2007 the Winter Drum Line was selected as a State Finalist for the first time in the school’s history and would return as a State Finalist to earn the Bronze Medal in 2008 (both feats usually take several years to accomplish). The Winter Color Guard would continue the tradition by earning a Bronze medal at State Championships the same year. In the Spring of 2008 The Spirit of Great Oak Ensembles were selected as the Representative to the State of California to participate in the 2009 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. In 2010 The Spirit of Great Oak earned their first Finalist Position in a regional Championship with the Marching Band Open Series. Later that winter the Spirit Band & Guard would continue their upward trend with their second appearance in the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championships and Parades. While there in Phoenix, the Spirit Drum Line earned 2nd Place overall in the Field Championships. The Booster Group also earned the top spot for the most supportive parent support group! In the Spring of 2011 The Winter Drum Line continued to flex their Muscle with their 5th straight appearance in the SCPA State Finals. The Color Guard had another significant turn-around by earning their top award in the school's young History with the Silver Medal in the Regional AA Division. Perhaps our greatest achievement? Earning an invitation to perform for Her Majesty the Queen of England's Diamond Jubilee New Year's Day Parade Celebration on Jan. 1st, 2013 in London, England.