Marie Butler is a familiar face to many music students in Napa, but this fall she steps into a new role as director of the prep choir for Napa's After School Music program.

Butler taught classroom music at Phillips-Edison School before she opted to stay home with her son Jacob, 18 months. She's also the wife of Jamie Butler, a director of the immensely popular choir programs at Napa High. She not only generously shares her husband in the many hours he devotes to the program, but she has also taken the stage to lend her own talents as a percussionist during choral concerts.

But her new job as a choir director is an endeavor close to her heart, she said: Bringing music to the youngest students in the system.

Sharon Olson, who has directed the Napa Valley Youth Choir, launched the prep choir last year for students in the second grade and up, and this summer drafted Butler to take it over.

"I was thrilled that she would take the job," Olson said. "She will bring so much to the program."

"It's been the area that I've enjoyed working with and wanted to do more with," said Butler, "I've been a real advocate for music to start in kindergarten and up."

Performing in a choir can be intimidating, Butler said. The prep choir is a way "to introduce them to music so they learn the basics and to be comfortable with music and then their voice. It's a preparation to move onto the Napa Valley Youth Choir, a performance choir for students in grades four through 12."

Registration for the After School Music programs is Thursday.

Butler studied organizational communication in college and spent time "doing benefits and (human resources) communications. I learned a lot being in the business world, but it wasn't for me," she said. "I didn't like sitting in front of a desk for eight hours and I missed being with kids."

Her first teaching job, in the Sacramento area, was as a traveling music teacher. "I was teaching grade four through six music at seven schools," she said. "I had 60 kids in some classes. It was a nightmare."

She found a mentor, however, who directed her to a course called Education through Music. "I've been doing it for seven years now," she said. "I'm now training to be a master teacher for this program. It's where my philosophy for teaching music to kids comes from."

She described the program as "language-based and rich in tradition," drawing on the folk song heritage of this country and using innovative play-based approach to engage children's interest.

"It's really fabulous. Instead of 'I sing and you copy me,' we do a lot of games where children are learning the music from the game."

She plans to use this method for the prep choir. "I've done it with children and they just love it," she said.

She's also coordinating a course on the method for other teachers and parents in Napa. "It helps get parents comfortable doing music with their children. Even if they don't play an instrument, they can sing."

"Since I've been home with my son and not teaching in a classroom, I'm looking forward to working with the choir," said Butler who also works with California Virtual Academy, a charter school program that works with families who are home-schooling children.

The Butlers moved to Napa six years ago when Jamie was offered the job at Napa High, working with Travis Rogers, directing the choral program, which involves more than 300 students. "It's amazing the hours they put in but they reap the rewards," Butler said. "It's neat how much they connect."

The Butler home is often filled with students, many of whom drop by after they've left Napa High, to stay in touch. In addition to his work at Napa High, her husband is also the music minister at their church, Napa Valley Baptist, where she plays the drums.

As for 18-month-old Jacob? "He probably won't want to do music at all," Butler said with a laugh.

For information about the parent-teaching music education class, contact Butler at 253-1702 or by e-mail at mbutler2000@msn.com.