Bourne High School Music Educator Lisa Fournier-Donley Named Quarterfinalist for 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Award

 Bourne High School Music Educator Lisa Fournier-Donley. (Photo Courtesy Lisa Fournier-Donley)

BOURNE — Superintendent Dr. Kerri Anne Quinlan-Zhou and Principal Dr. Lisa Maguire are proud to share that Bourne High School Music Educator Lisa Fournier-Donley was named a quarterfinalist for the 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Award.

Fournier-Donley was among 200 quarterfinalists announced on Tuesday, May 6, by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, out of a total of 2,000 nominations that were submitted for the annual award. The GRAMMY Music Educator Award honors current music educators in the U.S., from kindergarten through college, including public and private schools, who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education.

The semifinalists for the award will be announced in September. The final recipient of the 2026 Music Educator Award will be honored during GRAMMY Week 2026, days ahead of the 2026 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

“To be honest, I’m overwhelmed by this,” said Fournier-Donley, who has been a music educator for 37 years. “I have taught everything from kindergarten through the 12th grade — general music, chorus, strings, piano, music theory and band. It has been an incredible career.”

In addition to being a teacher, Fournier-Donley has previously served as president of the Cape Cod and Islands Music Educators, and she has been involved with local and state music festivals. On top of her work as an educator, Fournier-Donley plays in the Cape Cod Concert Band and is a freelance musician.

“I feel like I’ve done it all and I’ve got the T-shirt to prove it,” Fournier-Donley said.

When she first arrived at Bourne High School to teach music in 2002, there was no music education offered in the school, since it had been eliminated for a year. The school district looked to Fournier-Donley to build the music program from the ground up.

“I asked students about their interests, and what they wanted to learn about that was music-related,” she said. “I now teach band, chorus, guitar, piano and music theory. We also have a recording studio now, thanks to the Grace Swift Nye Grant, and I am pretty busy trying to keep up with the students.”

The Music Educator Award program is made possible through financial support provided by the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation and National Education Association support the program through outreach to their constituencies.

Next year’s annual award will be the 12th time the GRAMMY Music Educator Award has been presented.

Each year, one recipient is selected from among 10 finalists. The ultimate winner of the award will then be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 2026 GRAMMYs and get to participate in several GRAMMY Week 2026 events. The finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semifinalists will also receive a $500 honorarium, with matching school grants.

“I think the recognition is incredible,” Fournier-Donley said. “Being a music teacher is the best job in the world. But to do the job the way it should be done, it consists of countless hours working with students in multiple ensembles to achieve a high level of performance. It requires not only a love of music but also the ability to share that love with students and to invest in students so they feel safe to take risks and make music. Making music and putting yourself out there is scary, and students must feel safe in order to take those risks.”

Fournier-Donley said that each day and every student are different, requiring adaptation as a music educator to best help them learn and realize their potential.

“What works for one may not work for another. It’s a balancing act,” Fournier-Donley said. “I guess I’ve always thrived on the challenge of helping someone achieve their dreams. Over the years, there have been lots of tears, hugs and love. That love of music and sharing it with students is No. 1 for me.”

Fournier-Donley thanked her supportive family for helping to make her music education career possible.

“I’m the luckiest person. I had the support of two parents who, although not musicians themselves, have always supported my musical journey,” Fournier-Donley said. “They have attended all of my concerts. And after 37 years, that’s a lot of concerts. This job has required lots of sacrifices. There are many 12-hour days involved. And my husband was always there for our son, to bring him to and from school, or bring him to baseball practice. There were many days that I spent more time with other people’s children than my own. Thankfully, my family understood my commitment to the students of Bourne.”

Superintendent Dr. Quinlan-Zhou and Principal Dr. Maguire both congratulated Fournier-Donley on being named a quarterfinalist for the 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Award and thanked her for providing a quality music education to the students of Bourne High School.

“There isn’t a teacher who is a more deserving recipient of this distinction,” said Principal Dr. Maguire. “Mrs. Fournier-Donley is an exceptional educator who has cultivated a love of music in countless students over the years. She has helped so many music students reach their potential. We are so proud to see her receive this recognition and be honored in this way.”

“Mrs. Fournier-Donley’s dedication to music education and her impact on student musicians at Bourne High School have been profound. Her hard work is highly valued, respected and appreciated by all of us at Bourne Public Schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Quinlan-Zhou. “I started my career in education as a music teacher, so I have an especially deep respect for the work that Mrs. Fournier-Donley has done for us.”

Fournier-Donley’s recognition through the GRAMMY Music Educator Award program comes as she reaches retirement at the end of this school year, leaving “very big shoes to fill,” said Superintendent Dr. Quinlan-Zhou. Everyone from the community is invited to give Fournier-Donley a proper sendoff by supporting her and her students at this year’s Spring Concert at Bourne High School at 7 p.m. on May 13.

“Being named a quarterfinalist for the 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Award is a most well-deserved and fitting recognition of her professionalism, ability and commitment to fostering a love of music among our Bourne High School students,” said Superintendent Dr. Quinlan-Zhou. “Every band and choral student will always remember the impact on their adult lives that a great music teacher makes, and I know that countless Bourne alumni are grateful for Mrs. Fournier-Donley’s impact on their lives.”

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