A monthly spotlight on ideas, strategies, and resources to support and advocate for arts education in Sonoma County.
This newsletter includes:
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. The Sonoma County Arts Education Alliance is pleased to share the accomplishments of art teacher, Josey Richter, and her students from Casa Grande High School. These visual art students are excited for the rest of the student body to return to school to enjoy their creation!
The students created the mural pieces at home during distance learning, then assembled the 30 foot long mural last week. Funding and support was made possible through ArtStart and Casa Grande Boosters Club. Congratulations, Casa Grande!
Learn about the Student Arts Spotlight and share your students’ accomplishments HERE.
2020 Arts Education Framework Planning Grantees
Several Sonoma County schools and districts are leading the way in innovative and substantive arts education work. McNear Elementary, Santa Rosa City Schools, and West Side Union were awarded Arts Education Framework Planning Grants in 2020. Grantees created and completed an arts education plan based on the Arts Education Framework with education consultant, Karen McGahey. These grantees have continued to implement ideas and strategies from their plans to serve their students, particularly in a time of need for more arts education. Learn more about the 2020 Grantees work HERE.
2021 Arts Education Framework Consultancy Awards – Now OPEN!
Sonoma County public elementary school districts are eligible to apply for an Arts Education Framework Consultancy Award. With priority given to rural districts, this award provides customized consultation in the development of a strategic arts plan to increase access and equity in arts education. Apply by April 30, 2021. Learn more HERE.
GENERAL RESOURCES AND NEWS
Opinion Piece: Arts Education Is a Student Right
Read the Opinion: Arts Education Is a Student Right, Especially During a Pandemic from California Health Report HERE. After the start of the pandemic, 80% of students reported a mental health decline. The arts provide the power to heal students’ trauma and rebuild our economy. Arts education is necessary and remains essential.
New Resource About Formative Assessment and Arts-Based Strategies
Learn about Teacher as Curator, a book written by Lisa Donovan and Sarah Anderberg HERE. Teacher As Curator provides a roadmap for using creative strategies to engage both educators and students in the learning process. For K-college educators, this resource provides a theoretical base for building artistic literacy into the curriculum and for developing multimodal opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of content.
Visit the Creative Sonoma Arts Education page to learn more about arts education projects and opportunities in Sonoma County.