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. The Sonoma County Arts Education Alliance is pleased to share Poetry Out Loud winner, Chelle Servais for March 2022. Chelle is a junior at Santa Rosa High School Earlier this year, seven talented high school students, representing seven different schools, competed virtually in the Sonoma County Poetry Out Loud Showcase. High school participants offered pre-recorded recitations of well-known poems in two rounds. It was an inspiring and fun evening with over 40 audience members in attendance. Chelle represents Sonoma County at the Poetry Out Loud state finals in March. Congratulations, Chelle!

Learn about the Student Arts Spotlight and share your students’ accomplishments HERE.

March is Arts Education Month!

During the month of March, communities across the state are spotlighting the importance of dance, theatre, music, visual and media arts for all students. Our own Arts Education Alliance Advocacy Team is out in the community, sharing the opportunities through arts education. Advocacy Team member and musician/arts integration specialist, Jane Shelly created an arts education advocacy video that was shared at the Summit for the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM with over 2,000 attendees nationally and internationally. Member Yuliana Camarena, Early Childhood Manager of La Luz, spoke with almost 100 attendees at the Sonoma County Migrant Parent Institute about the opportunities available in learning through the arts. Celebrate and Advocate for every child to have access to equitable arts education! Learn more about arts education in Sonoma County HERE.

Ballot Measure Would More Fund Arts Education in California

The proposed ballot measure would provide substantial ongoing funding to public schools’ arts programs without raising taxes. The measure would increase arts educators by 50%, ensure arts during the school day, provide equitable access with additional funding for low-income communities, and includes robust accountability and requirements for effective spending. The initiative’s deadline is April 15. Learn about the Ballot Measure HERE.

Literacy Opportunities for Families

Libros y Raíces is a 10-session bilingual reading program from Corazón Healdsburg to instill the family value of reading, create a love for bilingual reading, and foster each child’s reading literacy towards school readiness and academic success provided to all families in Northeast Sonoma County. An essential part of the program is the sensory activities aligned with the readings, as these provide families access to arts, music, and cultural activities. For the last five months of the program, Corazón Healdsburg has been meeting with families in person or via Zoom. Each reading event has provided all with a beautiful memory of reading and creating, together.

PepToc Gets National Attention

Dubbed the “Peptoc Hotline,” the public art project from students at West Side Elementary School is designed to offer positive and encouraging messages to help everyone get through this trying time. Healdsburg Artist, Jessica Martin, created this project for her students, and the project has gone viral, with up to 5,000 calls per day.

Read the Press Democrat article HERE. CNN article HERE. New York Times article HERE.

Listen to the NPR piece HERE.

GENERAL RESOURCES AND NEWS

Creating Joy During Uncertain Times

Listen to K12 Art Chat The Podcast to hear the inspirational story about elementary art teacher, Daniel Bryant. Bryant ensure each class is an experience for his students. FInd this this joyful conversation HERE.

Meeting the Need of Middle School Students Through STEAM

S.T.E.A.M activities can provide opportunities to meet the needs of early adolescents and provide “choice, challenge, cheer.” This article in Edutopia “Using STEAM Activities Across the Curriculum to Boost Engagement” can found HERE.

Components of an Arts Education and Student Wellness Ecosystem

A new resource is available from Arts Education Parntership. It is designed to be a conversation starter by presenting policies and actions at the federal, state, and local level, and includes 10 Questions for Reflection and Action. Read more HERE.

Visit the Creative Sonoma Arts Education page to learn more about arts education projects and opportunities in Sonoma County.