me arts ed

Article from the San Francisco Chronicle 7/31/09

Many decisions are being made in California due to the budget issues. This article by Ted Barone, principal of Albany High School, located in Albany, CA, addresses why music education must be funded.

Tides Institute and Museum of Art, Eastport, ME

Jude Valentine, Project Director, from the Tides Institute and Museum of Art recently emailed and let me know of an opportunity that might be of particular interest to educators as it involves a cross-disciplinary approach to the environment involving the arts, history, science, geography, literatures and any number of other subjects.

Fernhurst Parish map

Tides Institute is hosting Common Ground co-founder, Sue Clifford in Eastport, August 9-14, 2009 to present Parish Maps – England to America. You might be wondering so what is a Parish Map? It is a visual depiction of what a community values most about itself – its history, character, traditions, institutions, culture, daily life, natural resources, work & play – allthe things that make a particular city, town or village unique.

Who decides what goes on a Parish Map of a town? The people who live there and want to participate. I can imagine an interdisplinary unit designed by students and teachers that creates a Parish Map of a school community.

Sue Clifford will be presenting the work of the Parish Maps Project and will take part in a panel discussion with Lucy Lippard, art critic and activist, Hamish Fulton, internationally known British walking artist and Ron Shuebrook, Canadian artist and arts educator on Public Art and Sense of Space.

The public is invited to attend free community workshops scheduled for:

• Lubec: August 9, 2:00PM, Lubec Memorial Library, 55 Water St.
• Calais: August 10, 7:00PM, The Holmestead, 527 Main St.
• St. Andrews, New Brunswick, August 11, 7:00PM, Kingsbrae Gardens, 220 King St.
• Pembroke: August 12, 1:00PM, Pembroke Elementary Sch, Rte. 1
• Dennysville, August 14, 7:00PM, Lincoln Memorial Library, King St

For more information and to learn more please visit the Tides Institute website. Funding has been provided by the Maine Arts Commission.

YOU’RE INVITED! October 8, 9, 2009-Point Lookout, Northport, ME

Thursday night, preconference celebration… Friday, conference: 7:30-4:30 Cost: $75.00. Limited number of $25.00 scholarships available.

For more details please click here. Registration starts September 1, 2009. Don’t miss this opportunity to make CONNECTIONS!

The Arts Connect! Conference will provide high-level professional development for educators in K-12, higher-ed, and arts organizations, as well as artist-educators. The conference will enable these educators to support school improvement initiatives and to make meaningful connections to strengthen education in all of the arts for all Maine students.

The Arts Connect! Conference participants will:

• learn skills to improve teaching and learning in the arts;
• make connections among the arts disciplines: dance, music, theater, visual arts,and creative writing
• make new connections with other educators and reconnect with old friends;
• make connections between school and community, including arts organizations, artists, and other arts education supporters;
• learn about common issues facing educators in Maine.

Participants will be awarded 7 contact hours.

Music Educator, Andrea Peterson, 2007 National Teacher of the Year-Keynote speaker

Finalist for Maine Teacher of the Year!

Hall Elementary School in Portland is very proud of their music teacher Jayne Sawtelle. She is one of three finalists for the 2010 Maine Teacher of the Year! Thank you Jayne, not only for representing your school and community, but the community of arts educators in Maine! During the last several months Jayne has gone through the many steps of the Teacher of the Year process.

Facts about Jayne:

• Teaches K-5 classroom music
• Assists with elementary band
• Responsible for grades 6-8 jazz band
• Conducts the multi-age chorus that includes students, parents, grandparents and staff members
• Classes include students who speak over 20 different language
• Arranges music
• Plays the baritone saxophone with the Casco Bay Concert Band and the Edith Jones Project
• Plays in the community steel drum band
• Taking guitar lessons
• Believes it is so much more about the process and not the product

Jayne is a life-long learner and is very proud to be a teacher! Jayne musically enhances the rich multi-culturism of her school community. The other two finalists for Maine Teacher of the Year are Bill Thompson, a high school physics teacher from Guilford and Kevin Grover, a second grade teacher from Falmouth. The announcement of the 2010 Maine Teacher of the Year will take place at a surprise assembly at the teachers school in the fall.