A Joyful Legacy: Joy Lang retires after 40 years of inspiring young musicians

For the past 40 years, students at Lennox Elementary School have walked into their first music class where they were greeted with the same warm smile and infectious laughter of Joy Lang, who opened up the world of music to all students who entered her room.

Growing up and having a love of music, Lennox Elementary Intermediate Vocal instructor, Joy Lang, knew the only career for her would be to teach students one day. 

“I always say that I love music, and I love kids, so to find a career in music education was a no-brainer,” Lang said.

In her first year of teaching, Lang found herself in Nebraska at North Platte Public School in North Platte, Nebraska. Following her first year, an opening became available that caught her eye.

 “A music position opened up in Lennox, and I thought how perfect, this is my hometown, and it almost felt like fate how everything worked out to be at the very right place at the right time,” she said.

Teaching students from Jr. Kindergarten all the way through 8th grade for 40 years has given Lang an opportunity to connect with multiple generations, and she found through the years that all students start their love of music in the same ways. 

“Kids naturally love music, look at toddlers, right when they start moving, they start dancing and moving to a beat, they love it. The only hard part is getting them to continue to love it, and that’s what I’ve always worked at. I want everyone to feel good when they are performing and to love music,” Lang said.

Instruments are another way Lang brings her class to life. 

“I can play just about any instrument, but I use the flute and piano mostly in class, along with a ukulele, which they enjoy so much,” she said. 

Lang has found that instruments are a great way for students to feel the music in their bodies.

“I get so thrilled when the students participate with the different instruments, it lets you know they are absorbing what you are trying to teach them,” she continued.

Spending the majority of her life in one school, Lang has built a family inside and outside the building. 

“We have the best kids with the best parents of anywhere I have seen at Lennox Elementary, the discipline and parental support has made it an easy place to grow as a teacher and a mother myself,” Lang said.

Joy and husband John share two children together, Carl and Emma, who both live just outside Lennox in Sioux Falls and have made the pair grandparents. 

“My two kids are my world, my son is a doctor finishing his residency in Sioux Falls, he will be working as a family practice and emergency medicine doctor in Madison upon completion, and my daughter is married and also lives in Sioux Falls doing data analytics,” she said. 

Spending time with family in retirement is one thing Lang is most looking forward to. 

“My son has already given me one grandbaby, and another is on the way this June, so I know I will always have them to keep me busy,” she said. 

Collecting hobbies is going to be Lang’s new hobby for quite some time. 

“I am finally going to have some time to travel, read the books I always say I’m going to get to, and I’m so looking forward to joining a Bible Study group which I know will keep me very busy,” she continued.

Lang’s last day with students will be May 20 and letting them go has not come easy. 

“I will miss the kids and the staff, I love them all so much, especially the people I work with, Lennox School has so many teachers who are just amazing human beings, I know I won’t be able to just walk away,” she said. 

With plans already made to sneak back into the district, Lang looks forward to her retirement. 

“I am a little nervous and a little apprehensive because I still love going to work every day, but I know it is time for me to retire and enjoy my time, I will be back to help sub some, maybe a little volunteering in the school, but I will always do accompanying on the piano whenever I am needed,” Lang said.