P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School (Gainsville, FL)
Instructors: Jamie Burg, Robert Edmondson
School Name: P.K. Yonge
School Profile: Public Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade; developmental research school; 1,450 total enrollment
Class Title(s):
As a part of the CTE Pathway Program in Modern Music and Entrepreneurship:
Music Ensemble 1- Performance fundamentals
Music Ensemble 2- Songwriting focus
Music Ensemble 3- Recording, performance, and production
Music Ensemble 4- Music industry
Structure of Your NTM Class(es): Year-round courses, and 90 minutes of music class every day. Modern music classes are available for students grades 6-12.
Describe Class Activities: Individual instrument learning, student-led rehearsing in small bands of 5-6 people, student selected music, playing by ear and from lead sheets, independent work, and mini structured lessons.
Software Used: GarageBand and Logic Pro
Hardware Used: Five new silent setups that allow students to run their sound digitally through mixing boards, headphone amps, digital drum pads, and guitar/bass amps. A recording lab is also currently in the works.
History: P.K. Yonge’s first modern music class was offered in 2006 as a single-period course with approximately 20 students enrolled. In 2023, the program was transformed into the CTE Pathway Program that exists today and continues to grow each year.
Key Success Stories to Share:
Students write and play music outside of school, regularly creating their own albums, releasing records, and performing paid gigs. The school recently was recognized by FMEA for high enrollment in music classes for both the middle and high school, but that includes the traditional band and musical theater programs as well as the music technology programs.
Advice to Others Starting NTM Project:
Do not be afraid to implement an NTM program out of concern that it will negatively impact traditional ensemble enrollment. The traditional band ensembles at P.K. Yonge have maintained consistent enrollment both before and after the modern music program was implemented. Also, do not be afraid to learn with your students. You do not have to be an expert at every instrument, nor do you need to be perfect at everything. There are many different accessible entry points into popular music.
Key Metrics/Data % of Students in Music Tech Classes:
There are about 120 high school students enrolled in the high school program. Then there are about 25 students in both the 6th grade and the 7th grade class.
Date Submitted: February 2026 by Cara Standard (2026 MTLA Intern) from an interview with Jamie Burg.