Melissa Ruth

Melissa Ruth is an award-winning music educator having taught music in small, public schools in Douglas County, Oregon since 2006.

She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Humboldt State University in 2005 where she studied Flute Performance and Music Education. In 2023, Melissa earned a Master's of Music in Music Education from Kent State University. 

Throughout the span of her career, Melissa has taught public school students of all ages from kindergarten through college-level. Over the years, her school bands and choirs have earned performance spots at the prestigious Oregon School Activities Association State Band and Choir Championships and her private students have performed at the highest levels of competition in vocal and instrumental categories.

In addition to her duties as a public school music teacher, Ruth is also the chair of her local Oregon Music Education Association (OMEA)'s district and is the OMEA Small Schools Advocacy Chair at the state level. In these positions, she advocates for music education in small schools, urging equity and access to music education for all children–particularly those in rural communities. She also serves on the National Association for Music Education (NAfME)'s Small Schools Advocacy Task Force.   

As an advocate, Ruth has facilitated numerous small schools roundtable discussions and panel discussions, and presented at state conferences on the topics of teaching choir for rural band directors and redefining success in small schools. She has also presented at a NAfME Virtual Town Hall on the topic of redefining success in small schools. 

Melissa has written for Oregon Music Educator and has contributed to various other music education publications. 

Oregon Music Educator (Fall 2021)
The Year We Were All Small Schools Directors

Oregon Music Educator (Spring 2022)
Growing Our Community

Oregon Music Educator (Fall 2022)
Think Big by Thinking Small

Oregon Music Educator (Spring 2023)
A Call to Action: Small Schools

Oregon Music Educator (Fall 2023)
Defying Expectations

Oregon Music Educator (Spring 2024)
Yours in Music

Oregon Music Educator (Fall 2024)
Little Pink Shoes

Oregon Music Educator (Spring 2025)
From the Potter’s Wheel

Featured:
Teaching Music August 2023
Celebrating and Elevating the Small Schools Experience

Teaching Music October 2023
You Are Not Alone! Tips for New Teachers in Small Schools

The Instrumentalist November 2023
Learning to Thrive in Small Schools