Meet Ms. MacDonald
Welcome to 2023-2024! This is going to be such an exciting year full of amazing growth in our programs of performing arts in our middle schools, and I'm looking forward to sharing this time with you! We now offer Choir and Drama classes at ALL THREE OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, currently serving over 250 students across the Choir and Drama programs. As the program developer of these classes, I am very passionate about the success of these programs at all three middle schools.
Here's a little bit about me. My name is Elena MacDonald, and I have three children (17, 19, and 20.) As a 5th grader, I joined the after school honor choir at my elementary school in Irvine, CA, and I've been in choir ever since!
I began my career in music as a choir accompanist at the age of 15. By 16, I was playing the organ for large congregational church services, and at 23 years of age, I transitioned into directing choirs. Since 2002, I've directed choirs of all ages, K-12 and adult, while living in Colorado and then back to California! I spent 8 of those years teaching private piano lessons. I've been working in community theater since 2012 in various roles of production including directing, vocal directing, choreography, stage management, hair and makeup, costumes, lighting, and more! So far, 30+ productions and counting!
I am absolutely thrilled to be working in Fountain Valley as a middle school performing arts teaching Choir at Fulton and Talbert Middle Schools, and I teach the Drama Class at Fulton! I received my Bachelor's Degree from Cal State Fullerton and my Teaching Credential and Master's Degree from National University. Prior to my time here at FVSD, I have worked as an independent contractor at both Edison High School, doing large musical theater productions, and Marina High School doing small black box theater productions. I have directed musical theater productions at Marina Youth Theatre in Huntington Beach, Broadway on Tour in Santa Ana, and Orange County Children's Theater in Huntington Beach. This year will be my 10th year here at FVSD, and I'm so excited for all the exciting performance opportunities happening in Middle School! What an adventure this has been so far, and I'm excited to share this time with you.