Joseph Reo enters the Terrill Middle School auditorium on June 11th as he usually does for the Coles Elementary year-end band concert. He is dressed in all black, a departure from the tropical floral patterns he typically dons. He is followed by one hundred plus excited 4th graders, eager to show their parents how much they’ve improved over the last year. The kids are all dressed in Hawaiian prints, a homage to the band teacher they have come to love. A man who has introduced them to their chosen instrument; a man that has taught them to read music and play the notes on the page. A man who has practiced patience and kindness to thousands of students for over forty years. They wear Hawaiian shirts for their teacher: Scotch Plains Fanwood’s very own Music Man.
The path to this day started when Mr. Reo himself was a Middle School student in nearby Springfield, NJ. There he spent many hours and days in the Band Room with a teacher he came to idolize. He knew then, in 7th grade, that he too wanted to teach music; to share the same passion he saw from his mentor. While he personally gravitated to all things percussion, Mr. Reo would come to learn every instrument - EVERY instrument – to be the best teacher he could be for his students. As a young man, Joseph Reo’s life centered around music. He played at school, in worship bands, and then for work when he earned money playing wedding gigs at the age of 16. After studying music at The College of New Jersey, Mr. Reo got his dream job of teaching music to Elementary School kids at School One in Scotch Plains. That was 1985. And while many things have changed in our school system over the last 40 years, one thing has stayed the same: the strong band program that consistently wins awards in nationwide competitions. Success like this can only come with a strong foundation: the one built by Mr. Reo. When asked about his four decades of teaching, Joe Reo says, “It went by fast.” That is the response of someone who has loved their profession. He credits the kids for his tenure: “It’s all about the kids, only about the kids.” And he has certainly taught a lot of them.
Having worked across all the schools in the district it is hard to calculate how many lives he has touched. If you consider that Charlie Jackson, his counterpart at three SPF Elementary Schools, was also his student, it gets even harder. And when you learn that his son is also an elementary school band teacher, it becomes impossible. Mr. Jackson says, “He has been my mentor since 6th grade. First as a teacher, private drum instructor, through college, now friend. He is STILL my mentor”. Early on in his career, Mr. Reo created an all-percussion ensemble called Rhythm Sense, specifically for drummers and mallet players at SPF High School. They meet after school where Mr. Reo has worked to elevate their skills allowing them to participate in different bands and performances. SPFHS Junior, James Gardella, has been receiving private drum lessons from Mr. Reo since he started high school and is now a part of Rhythm Sense. “[Reo] has taught me so much about drumming… that you can go down so many different paths with one instrument … there are endless possibilities,” Gardella said.
Back at Terrill Middle School, as the June 11th concert winds down, parents hold their iPhones up in the air to record their “baby” playing actual music for the first time. Toes are tapping and hands are clapping as “Boot Scoot Boogie” features a strong group of young percussionists. The last song is played, and by his own request, the closing comments from Principal Fahee acknowledge his retirement without fanfare. This humble man, however, does not get off that easily. The auditorium fills with a standing ovation of parents and families, applauding his life’s work. The exiting children have broken into a repetitive chant of “Mis-ter REE-o, Mis-ter Ree-o,” and if you look closely enough, you can see him taking it all in. One. Last. Time.
Insert content from GA