About Our Music Teachers
Mrs. Jenson
Hello, I’m Mrs. Jenson. I started working as a music teacher in Worthington in 1996. I direct fifth grade band and teach 4th grade and 5th grade General Music. I earned my Music Degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Southwest State in Marshall. Teaching music is rewarding and it is exciting to watch students grow in their musicality from year to year.
Mrs. Loy
Melanie Loy currently teaches 4th grade Orchestra at Intermediate School and directs Varsity Strings and the WHS Orchestra at Worthington High School. Since coming to Worthington in 2006, Mrs. Loy has guided the 4th-12th grade string program to grow from 90 students to over 300 students now playing orchestra instruments in School District 518.
Mrs. Loy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. In 1983, she attended the Suzuki International Teachers Conference & Summer School Workshop in Matsumoto, Japan. In 2008 and 2010, she attended the Ohio State University String Teacher Summer Workshop in Columbus, OH.
Melanie is the proud parent of three children and blessed with four grandchildren. Phillip earned an Electrical Engineering degree from NDSU. His wife Maari is a Pharmacist and they have three children – Mabel, Jalen & Toby. Eric completed a PhD in English from the University of Rochester, New York and works for a company in New York City. Heather earned a Business and Communications degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Heather is married to Jonah Oberloh from Worthington who earned his Computer Science degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. They have one son named Hudson.
In addition to orchestral teaching experiences, Mrs. Loy taught private lessons for ages 4 to adult (violin, viola, cello and bass), directed and choreographed children’s choirs for churches in North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon and Florida and also performed on violin with several community orchestras in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon and Florida. Worthington Area Symphony Orchestra was founded in 2010 through leadership from Melanie Loy, Beth Habicht, Karen Pfeifer and Sue Simonson.
Ms. Moe
Debra Moe has been a music educator for the past 16 years teaching at all levels from K-12 grade in Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesota. She received her degree in Music education from the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minnesota with an emphasis in piano, choral, and voice. Besides teaching Debra enjoys playing and singing in church and community ensembles. Throughout her years of teaching Debra has conducted and directed a variety of school and community choral groups as well as several school and community theater groups. When not teaching or performing, Debra can be found cooking, traveling, and enjoying time with her family.
