Major promotion for QCSD orchestra director

Megan K. Edinger, direc­tor of orches­tras at sev­en schools in the Quakertown Community School District, has been pro­mot­ed to the rank of Major (MAJ) in the Army National Guard.

MAJ Edinger offi­cial­ly received her pro­mo­tion Friday, November 6 at the National Guard Armory in Allentown. Army Lieutenant Colonel. Angelo Catalano and QCSD Superintendent Dr. Bill Harner each placed an epaulette on the Major’s shoul­ders dur­ing Friday’s cer­e­mo­ny.

The event took place in front of the Soldiers of 213th Regional Support Group, MAJ Edinger’s par­ents, chil­dren, fam­i­ly mem­bers and friends, QCSD edu­ca­tors and state Sen. Bob Mensch.

MAJ Edinger became emo­tion­al when speak­ing of her par­ents. Her father is a for­mer Philadelphia police offi­cer whose voca­tion inspired her to mil­i­tary ser­vice. Her mom, she said, has always been “the fire in my heart and the wind beneath my wings.”

Dr. Harner, who enjoyed a 20-year Army career after grad­u­at­ing from the United States Military Academy, praised MAJ Edinger for begin­ning the district’s strings pro­gram two years ago and direct­ing the orches­tras of five ele­men­tary schools, the Sixth Grade Center and Strayer Middle School.

“I’ve watched Megan Edinger close­ly as she start­ed the strings pro­gram,” Dr. Harner said. “Obviously, the work lev­el she has in Quakertown has been remark­able. Everyone says she’s great to work with. She’s been spec­tac­u­lar, and I’m proud of her.”

Erin Oleksa-Carter, Supervisor of Literacy, ELD, Fine Arts and Director of Federal Programs for the dis­trict, and Todd Silvius, Music Content Specialist and Sixth Grade Center Band Director, also attend­ed the cer­e­mo­ny to sup­port MAJ Edinger.

Sen. Mensch gushed about his East Greenville con­stituent. “It amazes me how she’s bal­anced her life,” he said. “She teach­es in sev­en schools. Her com­mit­ment to the mil­i­tary and our nation­al defense. But most espe­cial­ly to rais­ing two young, won­der­ful chil­dren. That’s incred­i­ble. It shows her com­mit­ment as an edu­ca­tor, mil­i­tary offi­cer and as a par­ent. She’s an extra­or­di­nary per­son.”

A grad­u­ate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, MAJ Edinger earned both a Master of Arts Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education. She received her com­mis­sion in 2010 through the IUP ROTC pro­gram. She has since earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Holy Family University.

MAJ Edinger joined the Maryland Army National Guard in June 2006 as a Specialist in the 229th Army Band in Nottingham, Md. She has served as Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Operations Officer at the 213 Personnel Company in Fort Indiantown Gap, PA. Her next assign­ment was as the Human Resources Officer for the 728th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB), Spring City, PA. She lat­er served as the Company Commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 728th CSSB.

After more than two years of com­mand, MAJ Edinger was trans­ferred to the 213th Regional Support Group to serve as the Brigade Human Resources Officer in Allentown. Her mil­i­tary edu­ca­tion includes Basic Officer Leadership Course, Human Resources Plans and Operations Course, and Human Resources Captain Career Course in Ft. Jackson, S.C.

MAJ Edinger’s awards and badges include: Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon.

Before com­ing to Quakertown, she taught in the Norristown Area and Upper Darby school dis­tricts.

“Quakertown has been a dream job,” she said. “It’s not with­out its chal­lenges, but between the fac­ul­ty, the staff and the admin­is­tra­tion, every­one tries to come up with ways to make things work.”