me arts ed

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.