ARTS NEWSLETTER #7- 1 MAY 2007
GREETINGS FROM ARGY’S CUBBY with a view of the STATE HOUSE DOME at the Department of Education HAPPY MAY!!!
ARTS NEWS
- I had a wonderful visit to USM during your spring vacation week touring the art, music and theatre facility. I had lunch with the Dean and Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and several of the arts professors. We had an interesting conversation around arts education topics. I look forward to working with them.
- I enjoyed a visit to Washington County for two days where I visited with 12 arts teachers at an after school meeting and two school districts arts programs. Once again I saw wonderful instruction taking place.
BUDGET SEASON
As you know school districts are in the process of putting together budgets. I often hear the statement: “the arts are not in the EPS formula”. Attached is the link to Title 20-A, Chapter 606-B: Essential programs and services which is where you can find “Essential programs and services are those educational resources that are identified in this chapter for all students to meet the standards in the 8 content standard subject areas of the system of learning results established in chapter 222”. http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Asec15671.html Please feel free to print this out and distribute to help folks understand. Thank you!
SUGGESTION
At this time of year when many of you are having student performances and art exhibits, I strongly suggest that you invite each of your district’s administrators, school board members, and legislators to attend. It is a wonderful way to include them in “seeing and hearing” a part of what happens in the visual and performing arts education programs. And by all means, invite them to your classroom and give them a taste of the important work you do.
WINE, CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE
This Friday, May 4th, Maine Alliance for Arts Education is sponsoring their third annual Maine Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Extravaganza. It will be held at One Longfellow Square in Portland from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet other arts folks while supporting the important work of the Maine Alliance. For tickets contact Elizabeth at MAAE, 232-2203 or ewatson@maineartseducation.org
ARTS NEWSLETTER
Thirty-five MORE people are receiving this arts newsletter than had been two weeks ago. The number jumped from 363 to 398. At this rate I am certain to exceed my goal of 400 by June 1st. Thank you to those of you who checked with colleagues and sent me email addresses to help increase the number. If you know of anyone who wishes to receive the newsletter, please email me argy.nestor@maine.gov
ARTS CONFERENCE-Oct. 5,6, 2007
A state-wide arts conference sponsored by our professional arts organizations, Maine Alliance for Arts Education, Maine Arts Commission, Maine Music Educators Association, Maine Art Education Association, Maine Drama Council, Dance Education in Maine Schools and Very Special Arts in partnership with the Department of Education will take place at the Samoset in Rockport. THANK YOU for letting us know your plans. We have about 200 arts educators tentatively planning to attend. We are working on the details (including a budget and keynote speaker) and will keep you informed in the next month. You will have plenty of time to register when the information becomes available.
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
If you are interested, please check out the following two websites for grant opportunities http://www.paper-clip.com/edu-funds/
http://www.grantsalert.com/grants.cfm?id=4&gid=4348
WONDERFUL WEBSITES
This link is for a website I have used for about 10 years. It is filled with great resources and it is updated and changed periodically. I hope you find it useful! http://www.free.ed.gov/
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Offered this summer from the Dept of Art at UM. Five more students are needed to run the Sculptural Fibers course taught by Andy Mauery. This is a wonderful opportunity to check out the possibilities in fibers, and expand your 3D offerings (low-cost, low tech and perfect for the classroom) but haven't had the time for a workshop! This course can be taken at the 400 level, so it is possible that you could include it in your graduate program. Or at the 200 level, it might be appropriate for some of your senior or advanced students who want to get a good start on college. For more information, you can contact Andy at andy.mauery@umit.maine.edu or by calling 581-3249
- The Maine Humanities Council is offering an interdisciplinary institute for Maine teachers to strengthen teaching about East Asia. For more information please read the attachment about this wonderful opportunity.
Argy’s Arts Blog
A new topic has been added to the blog: What do YOU do to promote your visual and/or performing arts programs to insure that they will continue to grow? If you are interested in adding your ideas or to reading others, please go to the Arts education blog at http://mearts.edublogs.org/
NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR
The National Teacher of the Year has just been announced and she is a music educator from Washington state. This is great news for the field. You can read more about Andrea Peterson in the attached article.
IN THE NEWS
Illinois arts program named country's best. Illinois' Niles Township High School District offers the best arts education in the country and offers a model that should be broadly implemented, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts officials say. A fine-arts director helps integrate arts across the curriculum, studying art mosaics in geometry class and honoring arts students alongside athletes. Read more about it by clicking on the first line “Illinois…
QUOTE OF THE NEWSLETTER
You cannot solve the problem with the same kind of thinking that created the problem.
Albert Einstein
