Mount Sophia Academy is excited to announce that a 4th to 8th grade choir will start up in the fall. It will meet Monday nights at Evangelical Presbyterian Church (308 Possum Park Road, Newark) from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. starting the Monday after Labor Day. Our new director is Debra Arnold (see her biography below) and we are thrilled to be able to have someone with her talent and experience as director. Detailed information about sign-ups will be coming soon but we wanted to make the announcement so everyone can plan ahead for the fall.
Debra Arnold holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music education from West Chester University. Ms. Arnold taught middle school general music and choir for two years in the Christina School District in Newark, Delaware before moving to the Owen J. Roberts School District in Pottstown, Pennsylvania as an elementary music specialist. In addition to her teaching duties, Ms. Arnold served as the OJR Elementary Music Chairperson, developed and initiated the OJR Elementary District Chorus program, directed the OJR High School musical and was the director of the OJR High School show choir. After 14 years of teaching in the district, Ms. Arnold moved with her young family to Southern Chester County, PA where they still live today. She was most recently the supervising director of the University of Delaware Children’s Choir program through the UD Community Music School and she directed the UD Singin’ Hens which served singers in the community in grades 7-12. While not in the classroom or on the conductor’s podium, Ms. Arnold continues to pursue her love of singing and musical theater. She is also the very proud mom of Madison (age 15) and Megan (age 12) and loves supporting them as they discover and develop their own talents and passions.