After eight years, choir teacher Megan Magnus decided to settle at Pascack Valley High School for her ninth year of teaching. Along with New Jersey, she has previously taught in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. 

“I’m from New Jersey, and it is good to be back home,” Magnus said.

In addition to her musical education path, she has spent her time singing in a professional choir for the past ten summers. The choir has traveled to many countries such as France, Croatia, and England. 

Magnus said she got the travel bug from music and the professional choir. 

Despite her time in the professional choir, Magnus took the past summer off from music and “stayed close to home.”

This past summer, Magnus spent much of her time working and training her dog.  

She and her dog practiced dog agility courses and went to training lessons. 

“We haven’t entered a competition yet, but we are kind of preparing to do that,” Magnus said. 

While she enjoys time with her dog, Magnus primarily focuses on choir and vocals during the school year. However, her musical journey began with band instruments like the piano.

“I started [with] piano lessons,” Magnus said. “In fourth grade, I started in a band, and I was a band kid through and through until a scheduling error in high school put me in choir, which was a wonderful mistake because I’m not very good at my band instrument.”

Eventually, this scheduling conflict led her to become a choir teacher. Magnus felt that this career path was a “no-brainer.”

In a post-pandemic world, she hopes to “keep the community alive in the music department” at PV. 

The Music Department is planning a music trip to New Orleans that Magnus is looking forward to. Additionally, she plans on “bring[ing] some clinicians” to the choir students to expand their knowledge.