This newsletter includes:
- Sonoma County Resources and News
- General Resources and News
SONOMA COUNTY RESOURCES AND NEWS
Student Arts Spotlight
Student Arts Spotlight shares the good news of the arts making a difference in students’ lives in a monthly feature. Tech High School Band, 45 members strong, shared their school spirit with 8th graders who were touring the campus. Way to share the spirit, Tech High School!
Learn about the Student Arts Spotlight and share your students’ accomplishments HERE, or browse the archive of past Spotlights HERE.
VAPA Representation at Our County Office of Education!
The Sonoma County Office of Education again has a Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Coordinator! Meet Nzinga Woods! Before joining SCOE, Nzinga held a diverse range of experiences in the field of education and the arts. She worked internationally, in special education, early childhood and arts education. For over 11 years, she worked as a classroom teacher, and director for the ArtQuest Program at Santa Rosa High School. As a seasoned administrator, Nzinga previously served as an administrator in the Peninsula region at an arts elementary school and continues to work as an associate faculty member in the arts at the Santa Rosa Junior College. She earned an M.A. in Educational Leadership from CSU Fullerton, an M.F.A. from Mills College, credentialed in Single Subject, CTE- (Career Technical Education), and Administrative Services. In her role, she is dedicated to supporting VAPA educators by providing valuable resources and comprehensive training sessions.
Sonoma County Arts Educator of the Year Award
The Sonoma County Arts Educator of the Year Award, presented by Luther Burbank Center for the Arts and Creative Sonoma, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of arts education over an extended period of time. The award seeks to honor professional arts educators working with the K-12 population including, but not limited to, arts and classroom teachers who teach visual art, music, drama, dance, or multimedia arts. Deadline for nominations is January 12, 2024. Learn more HERE
A Festive Thought: Art Thru the Minds of Young Children
Join a county-wide early childhood art project that supports preschool, TK, and Kindergarten educators with integrating visual art across the curriculum.
Kick off: Feb 6, 4:00-6:30pm at SCOE
Zoom Session: Feb 21, 3:30-4:30pm
Zoom Session: March 27, 3:30-4:30pm
Art Open House: April 4, 4:00-6:30pm at SCOE
Learn more HERE
AEA Mixer at Mitote with a Jobs and Career Focus!
A new year, a new opportunity to meet folks and reconnect with acquaintances! Join the AEA for a Mix and Mingle! Learn what’s going on in Sonoma County and make connections. Arts education and arts advocates welcome! Bring a friend!
If you would like to learn a bit about careers in education, we’ll have special guests from the North Coast School of Education credentialing department attending for brief conversations! Prop 28 will bring more arts education jobs to Sonoma County.
Wednesday, January 24, 2024 from 5:30-7:00, Mitote Food Park, 665 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa. More information HERE
Poetry Out Loud – Mark Your Calendar for the County Finals Event!
Sonoma County high school students compete for county representative for the Poetry Out Loud program on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 2pm in Stevenson Hall at Sonoma State University. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Plan to attend this exciting event to see students shine through poetry! Learn more HERE
This Month’s New Resources About Prop 28
In the past month, these resources have become available:
Allocations for Schools and Districts These funds will be allocated in February 2024.
Prop 28 and Teacher Education – A webinar by Dr. Eric Engdahl of CSU-East Bay including many hiring pathways
California Arts Education Data Project with Full-Time Equivalent Teachers Districts and Schools! Learn about Your Baseline for Planning Prop 28
General Resources and News
- Read this EdSource article entitled “Teacher Uses Jazz to Teacher California History, Race, and Culture” sharing the work of an educator who uses the LA Jazz Scene and music in general to connect students with the past and spark joy and connection.
Visit the Creative Sonoma Arts Education page to learn more about arts education projects and opportunities in Sonoma County.