me arts ed

Visiting the alewives

Years ago while visiting the Farnsworth Art Museum, the Director of Education welcomed my middle school students with a message I have always remembered. She said “think of the artwork that you see today as friends. Some of them you are meeting  for the first time and some of them will become old friends that you will want to come visit over and over.”

Part of the Mother’s Day tradition at my home is to go to Damariscotta Mills and see the alewives on their annual trip up river to spawn. Going there is similar to visiting artwork or listening to “Sweet Caroine”. Memories come rushing in, tears come to my eyes, and I am removed from the present moment in time and back there in the special moment.

It was great to have my younger son home this year to spend Mother’s Day with me. The alewife tradition consists of walking down on the landing and looking in the water for the fish. On Sunday seagulls overhead indicated that there were some and sure enough after walking around the small building that is in need of repair we saw some in the dark water. Up onto the wooden walkway to the bridge to the first of many small pools, we site more. It’s great to see the fish, we’re always rooting for them to make it up to the next level. After walking up the road to see the changes they’ve made to the fish ladder we headed back towards to the car but not before my favorite part. Pooh sticks on the bridge. Three sticks for each of us. We drop the first ones on the count of three, run to the other side of the road, hanging over the edge, waiting patiently for our sticks to come out the other side. One for Nicholas, 0 for me. Stick number 2 is dropped, same routine, three times. We end with a score of Nicholas 2, the mom 1.

As we walk back to the car I watch families with small children. I have to wonder if they are meeting new friends and making new traditions as they walk along hand in hand. Blue sky, sunshine, no bugs, saw some fish and ice cream for lunch… mmmmmm and more memories are made.

First community visit

G/T students w/ books, art and G/T teachers

Recently we announced the identified Imagination Intensive Communities (IIC). They are Arundel, York, Stonington/Deer Isle, Blue Hill, North Haven, and Camden-Rockport. Each community is being visited by a team during a four week time period.

The purposes of the site visits are to:

• celebrate what a specific community has achieved on behalf of its young people
• to identify the unique strategies each community has developed and
• to share that information with other communities throughout the state

Volunteer who works with gr 1 students teaching French Impressionists

Our goal is to share these strategies and reflections widely and in ways that change the experience of young people across the state.

I had the privilege of participating in the visit to York last week. It was a marvelous day, over and over I was WOWED but the incredible work they are doing to insure the success of each student. I had a chance to visit with the high school and learn more about the art, music and drama offerings. Rob Westerberg was actually moving into the new music wing that day where classes happened this week for the first time. Very exciting!

York identified four pathways as part of the IIC identification:

• The Arts, Literacy and Technology
• Career Exploration
• Service Learning
• Volunteer and Mentor Opportunity

Gary Phipps and Beth Nowers, YHS art teachers

Each area provides numerous opportunities for students in York to be successful. It was a delight to hear the stories from community members and the impact not only they make on students but the ways in which students impact their lives and programs.

You can learn more about York’s pathways and outstanding programs by clicking here.

The project is being conducted by the Maine Alliance for Arts Education and the Maine Department of Education. The project is supported in part by a grant from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Betterment Foundation and the Maine Arts Commission supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.