Weston Awards: Max Mellman
This is the latest in our series spotlighting the 2026 winners of the Judy Weston Awards for Inspired Teaching. Follow along each week to learn more about the impact these educators are making in the Montclair Public Schools.
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Music day with Max Mellman is hands down the best day of the week. That’s what the parents of an Edgemont Montessori School student wrote in their Weston Award nomination letter.
“[My third grader] loves the days when they have music, and I have witnessed his interest and enthusiasm for music grow significantly,” they said.
That’s a sentiment shared by many families at Edgemont.
One parent put it this way: “Mr. Mellman is one of those teachers who makes Edgemont feel like a family.”
Another wrote: “Mr. Mellman is not just a teacher—he is a light in the lives of these children. Every single morning, he stands at the school doors, greeting each student with joy, warmth, and genuine care. In those small but powerful moments, he makes every child feel seen, valued, and loved. That kind of presence cannot be taught—it comes from the heart, and Mr. Mellman gives it freely every day.”
Parents also praised the heartwarming winter and spring concerts, as well as the fourth and fifth grade band program. They said Mr. Mellman finds ways to help students reach higher or grow their confidence through the skills they learn in music.
One example: A student who previously required speech therapy and struggled to express themselves is thriving in Mr. Mellman’s class. “She has found her voice,” the parent shared. “She now sings constantly at home—songs from class, songs she remembers from watching him, songs that clearly bring her pride and happiness. Her speech has improved, her confidence has grown, and her love for music has blossomed so much that she asked for and received her very own recorder so she could continue learning at home. As a parent, there are few things more moving than watching your child discover confidence and joy in this way, and I truly believe Mr. Mellman has been a guiding force in that transformation.”
For being a gifted music teacher whose warmth and ability to build confidence and a lifelong love of music have profoundly impacted Edgemont school, the Montclair community is happy to honor Mr. Mellman as an inspired teacher. Congratulations.
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