[Members] Fwd: Arts Education Newsletter

[Rick Dapprich, Editor]

>
>
> Issue No. 6	A publication of the Michigan Youth Arts Leadership  
> Roundtable	December 2009
> In this issue
> Tools and Resources
> 2010 Policy agenda, Toolkit, E-alerts	Reform and Transform
> An article from Principal Leadership	National News
> USArtists & Coming Up Taller grants, Princeton report
>
> The Michigan Youth Arts Leadership Roundtable has come together  
> during some of the most difficult times in recent history for  
> education in our state.  In August of this year, we convened several  
> statewide arts education organizations at our Policy Forum to begin  
> speaking with a unified voice across the arts disciplines.  This  
> unity has also opened up channels for action in arts education  
> advocacy to preserve, retain and grow arts education in Michigan.
>
> As you know, the economic challenges facing our state are daunting.  
> Michigan's schools are facing significant budget cuts in the current  
> fiscal year with districts looking at a decrease of at least $292 in  
> per pupil funding. In the coming months, districts will be forced to  
> make challenging decisions based on reduced budget figures.
>
> As leaders in the arts, the Michigan Youth Arts Leadership  
> Roundtable leveraged our combined resources to provide advocacy  
> assistance for arts education programs statewide.  We know that it  
> is important for advocates of arts education to stay in close  
> communication with their local district superintendents, schools  
> boards and principals to ensure that arts education not only  
> survives, but thrives with a foundation of innovation and creativity.
>
> Given the immediate threat schools are facing due to the per pupil  
> cuts, we have identified a few important steps for every arts  
> education advocate to take:
> Sign up for ArtServe Michigan's Public Policy E-Alerts to  
> participate in the Local Arts Action Network. This service is aimed  
> at connecting YOU with other arts and culture supporters in your  
> community and will serve as the primary communication tool to inform  
> advocates as issues arise.
> Become familiar with Michigan's Arts Education 2010 Policy Agenda.   
> The Michigan Youth Arts Leadership Roundtable is working on a common  
> agenda to advance arts education for all Michigan students.  For  
> more information on joining in this effort, please contact Kim Dabbs  
> at director at michiganyoutharts.org.
> Keep Us Informed. In order to best position our advocacy efforts and  
> messaging we need to know what is going on in your district. Send a  
> brief or detailed email to mike at artservemichigan.org.
> Download ArtServe Michigan's Arts Education Action Toolkit. This kit  
> includes tools that will aid in your efforts to preempt funding cuts  
> to arts education as well as provide reactionary assistance when  
> cuts are being considered in your district.
> On behalf of the Michigan Youth Arts Leadership Roundtable, we thank  
> you for your dedication and commitment to the education of our  
> students.
> Kim Dabbs
> Executive Director
> Michigan Youth Arts	Drew Buchholz
> Advocacy Chair, Michigan Youth Arts
> Director of External Relations,
> Interlochen Center for the Arts	Mike Latvis
> Director of Public Policy
> ArtServe Michigan
> Reform and Transform with the Arts
> The following article appears in the November 2009 edition of  
> Principal Leadership
>
>
> When school leaders think of reform, their first thought is rarely  
> "the arts," but perhaps they've been missing a vehicle that can  
> inspire the adoption of best practices on a schoolwide basis.
>
> School leaders across Georgia are using the arts in the core reform  
> areas that were recommended in Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for  
> High School Reform as their instrument to develop collaboration,  
> personalize their schools with unique opportunities for all  
> students, and develop systems of academic success in all courses.
>
> "A robust arts education benefits our students and our state in many  
> ways. Not only does it help us create well-rounded, culturally  
> literate students, but I've seen firsthand how the arts can help  
> students learn in core academic classes, like mathematics, science,  
> social studies and English/Language Arts," said Georgia State  
> Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "The research clearly shows  
> that students have an easier time mastering complex ideas and  
> concepts when they are being creative and expressive."
>
> The Georgia Department of Education is leading an effort, featuring  
> art educators from across the state, to rewrite the arts curriculum  
> into a clear set of standards
>
> Collaboration
> Collaboration exists at a state level as the framework for future  
> arts education is built, but even more significantly, the  
> collaboration at the school level has an impact on individuals and  
> communities.
>
> At Kennesaw Mountain High School in Cobb County, GA, Principal Kevin  
> Daniel and his staff bring many entities together in support of the  
> arts and art programs. "Community support is demonstrated by the  
> number of parents and community members who traveled with the  
> different programs across the state and nation as they perform at  
> competitions," he said. This level of support enables Daniel to  
> encourage other collaborations at the school. "We often combine  
> curriculum initiatives with the fine arts. For example, our art  
> classes completed art work relating to drama productions, and we  
> also developed a Holocaust unit in collaboration with Kennesaw State  
> University where students created an art piece that captured the  
> essence of the Holocaust. These art pieces were on display during a  
> program with the chorus performing music related to the Holocaust."
>
> The "One Morgan" concert at Morgan County High School in Madison,  
> GA, emphasizes student collaboration. Each year, student government  
> officials designate a philanthropic cause for the funds raised by  
> the concert, which features student performers of all varieties. The  
> entire event (including planning, performance, and production) is  
> student operated and brings together business, marketing, and  
> technology students with visual artists, singers, and other  
> performers. A high level of collaboration is necessary to produce a  
> show that resembles a professional concert. Like many similar  
> efforts at schools across the United States, the talents and skills  
> of individual students combine in a project-driven environment that  
> allows students to apply their knowledge and skills at a high level.
>
> Becky Barden, the principal of Lincoln County (GA) High School, uses  
> the arts to collaborate with her community. "Art is a way for many  
> of our students to express themselves in positive ways. As a class  
> service project, the art club (made [up] of members of the art  
> class) restored a Coca-Cola sign in downtown Lincolnton. Coca-Cola  
> believes this is the oldest surviving Coke sign. It was originally  
> done in 1939. An article about the restoration should be in a  
> Bottles and Extras winter edition. I read over the responses from  
> the students about the project. Students were amazed at the people  
> who stopped and questioned them about their work and the students  
> were able to share the history of the sign. My favorite comment was,  
> 'The most interesting thing I learned is that no matter how small of  
> a part you have in a big project, your part is just as important,  
> and if you do your best, it'll make the end result beautiful.'"
>
> continue reading...
>
>  National News
>
> Coming Up Taller nominations due January 29
> The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities is  
> accepting nominations for the 2010 awards, which recognize and  
> reward excellence in after-school and out-of-school arts and  
> humanities programs. Award recipients receive $10,000 each, an  
> individualized plaque and an invitation to attend the annual Coming  
> Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference. The President's  
> Committee encourages programs initiated by museums, libraries,  
> performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts centers,  
> community service organizations, schools, businesses, and eligible  
> government entities to send in a nomination.
>
> Funding for international festivals from USArtists
> USArtists International, a project funded by the National Endowment  
> for the Arts and administered by the MidAtlantic Arts Foundation, is  
> committed to ensuring that the impressive range of expression and  
> creativity of the performing arts in the United States is  
> represented at international festivals abroad. Grants are available  
> to American dance, music, and theater ensembles and solo artists  
> that have been invited to participate in international festivals  
> outside of the United States.  Deadline: January 8, 2010.
>
> Princeton's Arts and the Econonomic Crisis Symposium
> The University hosted the forum in mid-November.  A summary report  
> is available here.
>
>
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