Each year the Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) recognizes and celebrates outstanding educators during their annual spring conference. This year is no exception. Now, perhaps more than ever, taking the time to consider who does what to promote quality art education, is critical. We know that art teachers dedicate their lives to teaching. A career as an art teacher is forever woven into the fabric of dedicated teachers. YOU have the opportunity to nominate a colleague for their contributions. The deadline for nominations is January 5, 2024. CLICK HERE to nominate or email aeforme.awards@gmail.com for more detailed information.
The categories include the following:
Elementary Art Educator of the Year
Middle School Art Educator of the Year
High School Art Educator of the Year
Higher Ed Art Educator of the Year
New to the Profession Art Educator of the Year
Retired Art Educator of the Year
Museum Art Educator of the Year
Community Art Educator of the Year
Supervision/Administration Art Educator of the Year
Preservice Art Educator of the Year (nominations due April 5)
It is not a surprise that the arts are playing a part in helping to heal and supporting Mainers during this time to make sense of the tragedy in Lewiston. As we learn more details we are also learning the ways that the arts are a vehicle for helping us to ease the pain and process the event. Below I’ve included some that have come to me through multiple avenues. I invite you to share some of what you are involved with or are aware of by “leaving a comment” at the bottom of this blog post or by emailing me at meartsed@gmail.com. I have been making cards and sending them to those who I know personally that have been impacted by the event. If you know of someone who could benefit from a handmade card please email me. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the victims and to all the educators who are there for students. Please remember that whatever you’re doing is enough and the right thing.
Turner Art Teacher
Miia Zellner, an art teacher from Turner, Maine, attaches a heart cut-out with a message of positivity to a tree in downtown Lewiston, Maine, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Zellner wanted to show her love and support for the community in the wake of Wednesday’s mass shootings. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro
James Taylor
Known as the Battle of the Bridge, last weeks football game featured cross-river rivals Lewiston High School and Edward Little High School of Auburn. James Taylor was there to sing an acoustic version of the National Anthem before the kick-off of the game.
L/A Arts – the Arts agency for the cities of Lewiston and Auburn
An open call for artworks to individuals and organizations at the local, state and national level to express your thoughts in the form of a postcard. We call upon all mothers, fathers, and children; teachers and their students at all levels; artists, whether novice or seasoned; wordsmiths; dreamers, thinkers, feelers and doers of all ages and backgrounds. Share your hopes and your fears, your remembrances and your well-wishes.
These postcards can be addressed directly to the victims and/or their families, the immediate community of Lewiston impacted by the tragedy, or more broadly address growing concerns over the horrific frequency of gun violence across the nation.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Educate Maine have partnered to develop the Teach Maine Center to support and advance a vibrant educator workforce in Maine that enables all students to thrive.
The Teach Maine Center will engage, empower, and unite educators across the state to incubate and develop strategies, supports, and professional learning connected to the Teach Maine Plan.
It is encouraging to learn that the Maine DOE and Educate Maine are taking action to face the teacher shortage problem in Maine. This is a critical time since educators and schools are faced with increased student and community needs.
“Maine is a place that values and respects our educators and we are turbocharging that with the Teach Maine Center. The vision is to create a hub by teachers and for teachers that allows them to collaborate, innovate, and lead our profession and public education forward in Maine,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.
“We are excited to announce this groundbreaking partnership with the Maine Department of Education to create the Teach Maine Center. This partnership represents our shared commitment to strengthen, grow and diversify Maine’s educator workforce. We look forward to this important work and the positive impact it will have on students, teachers, the teaching profession, and the future of education in Maine,” said Educate Maine Executive Director Jason Judd.
Through December 2024, partners will identify and meet with stakeholders around teacher workforce issues, conduct 16 in-person and virtual county-level forums with educators to get input on teacher recruitment and retention, complete a landscape analysis of the educator workforce, solicit statewide educator input on ongoing professional development needs, and launch a marketing campaign focused on encouraging people to join Maine’s educator workforce. In collaboration with key education organizations and the Maine DOE, Educate Maine will assemble an advisory committee to provide input throughout the initial phases of the Center.
This information is taken from a more comprehensive pieces found on the ‘news page’ on the Educate Maine website at THIS LINK.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is opening applications for the 2023/2024 Student Cabinet, a group of students that meet regularly with the Maine DOE and each other to discuss educational opportunities, improvements, and policy.
Facilitated by student representatives from the Maine State Board of Education, the purpose of the Student Cabinet is to provide a forum for Maine students’ voices to be heard. This is the fourth year the Maine DOE has appointed students to a Student Cabinet with the goal of integrating student voices into decision-making on education issues that impact their journey through Maine’s education system.
The Maine DOE is especially interested in having perspectives from students with diverse experiences, interests, cultures, and backgrounds represented on the Student Cabinet. It is important that the student cabinet include members from all geographical locations across Maine, and who are able to represent and advocate for underrepresented groups of students throughout Maine.
There are 12-24 seats that are open for students in grades 4 – 12 and the first year of college. The newly appointed members will serve for a term of two years starting this November. All 16 counties in Maine will be represented on the Student Cabinet.
Selected cabinet members will be expected to attend scheduled meetings, prepare for each meeting as needed, work in a collaborative manner with one another and with Department staff as needed, and express views and opinions openly, constructively, and respectfully.
Scheduled meetings: There will be two in-person, all-day meetings scheduled in Augusta in December 2023 and Spring 2024, accompanied by monthly virtual meetings held on the fourth Thursday of the month from December 2023 through the spring of 2024 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm via Zoom. For in-person meetings, travel reimbursement will be provided and travel arrangements can also be made for students if needed.
Instructions for applying: Students interested in serving on the Maine DOE Student Cabinet will need to submit the electronic application by November 15, 2023.Applications can be submitted electronically here.
For more information contact Rachel Paling, Communications & Outreach Manager, Maine Department of Education at rachel.paling@maine.gov.
During a surprise ceremony Thursday, 700 students and staff members learned Waterville Senior High School (WSHS) has received the Performing Arts School of Excellence award given by the National Federation of State High School Associations. The award was introduced in 2016 and only the eighth one presented. WSHS is the smallest school to have received the award.
Principal Brian Laramee said: The award “is truly a testament to the many students and staff of Waterville Senior High School that have worked long and hard to expand and improve their craft.”
WSHS music department visual and performing arts department chair Sue Barre said: The award “was not just representative of the hard work and dedication of current and past department members, but also a celebration of the transformative power of the arts in society.”
Chorus Director Ciara Hargrove, VPA Department Chair Sue Barre, string and Orchestra Director Colin Wheatley, former Drama Director Gayle Pelligrini and current Drama Director Dana Bushee. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
Performing as first violinist in the orchestra Thursday, senior Sophie Scheck, 17, said she was surprised and happy about the award, but was not sure everyone realized its magnitude. “This is really big,” Scheck said. “I think we definitely deserve it. The teachers are amazing, and I don’t think we would have gotten it without them.”
Waterville Schools superintendent Peter Hallen emailed: “To me, our performing arts program is an example to all of us in education about how to engage and inspire students. It’s the unique place where students of all ages, interests, backgrounds and abilities come together and learn with, from and about each other. Lots of credit was thrown around today, but make no mistake, those teachers are what drive that program.”
We (arts educators) have first hand knowledge of the work that goes into a dynamic arts education program! I know all of my colleagues reading this blog post join me in offering a huge congratulations to the students, educators, and all those who support arts education in Waterville school district!
Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
The information for this blog post taken from an article in the Morning Sentinel and written by Amy Calder. Read the entire article at THIS LINK.
Four Maine teachers were selected as the State Finalists for the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year program. Second-grade teacher Joshua Chard from Cumberland County, sixth-grade writing and social studies teacher Edith Berger from Lincoln County, fifth-grade science teacher Lacey Todd from Oxford County, and high school science teacher Colleen Maker from Washington County were all selected to move forward in the Teacher of the Year process and were chosen from the 2023 Maine County Teachers of the Year.
“Colleen, Edith, Joshua, and Lacey are all extraordinary educators who care deeply about their students, schools, and communities. They lift up everyone around them, are passionate about their profession, and are true champions of all students and schools in Maine. These four finalists represent the best qualities of Maine’s amazing educators, and I congratulate them on this very well-deserved honor,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.
One of the four State Finalists will be named the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year, an honor awarded each year to one teacher in Maine. The announcement will be in October after the final stages of the selection process are complete. During the last two weeks the schools and classrooms of all four finalists were visited. Maine’s Teacher of the Year serves as an advocate for the teaching profession, Maine schools, and students, and represents Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program.
“Maine is fortunate to have so many outstanding educators working to ensure that every learner has what they need to be successful,” said Dr. Jason Judd, Executive Director of Educate Maine. “These state finalists are great examples of all the dynamic and versatile teaching that happens each day in our Maine classrooms. Congratulations to them and their districts. We look forward to working with them as they continue their journey as teacher leaders and ambassadors for the profession.”
“Congratulations to these four wonderful teachers! The hard work, dedication, and love they put into all they do and the commitment they show to their communities, schools, and students is inspiring,” said Matt Bernstein, 2023 Maine Teacher of the Year. “I am grateful to these four educators for representing the incredible work that happens in classrooms and schools all over Maine. I am tremendously proud of them. It is an honor to know them and learn from them.”
“Maine educators support their students, families, and communities with professionalism, compassion, and commitment,” said Heather Whitaker, 2020 Maine Teacher of the Year and President of the Maine County and State Teacher of the Year Association (MCSTOYA). “Our finalists, who come from all across the state, are leaders in this work. We look forward to learning from their expertise as we work together in our shared commitment to Maine public education.”
More information on the State Finalists and the Maine Teacher of the Year program:
Joshua Chard East End Community School, Portland 2023 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year
“Teachers across our state do amazing things in their classrooms every day. Being a finalist for Maine Teacher of the Year provides me with a platform to share and celebrate the incredible work happening in Portland Public Schools and in schools all across Maine. I am humbled and proud to stand among such amazing professionals.”
2023 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard is a second and third-grade looping teacher at East End Community School and the drama director at Deering High School in Portland, Maine. His approach to designing and implementing curriculum for young learners always starts through a culturally responsive lens. Joyful relationships are at the heart of everything Chard does in his classroom and he is inspired every day by the honor of lifting up and celebrating his diverse learners. Chard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in theater from the University of Southern Maine, a Master of Science degree in Education with a K-6 Literacy focus from the University of New England, and a Certificate in K-6 Standards Based Mathematics from The American College of Education. He is also certified as a K-12 teacher of English to speakers of other languages. During his 31-year career, he has been an educational technician, has taught fourth and fifth grade, and has been an instructional coach with a focus on mathematics. Chard is proud to teach in two of the most culturally diverse schools north of Boston, having passionately dedicated his entire career to working in high-needs, urban schools, and he is excited to have a platform to share the amazing work that is happening there. Outside of school, Chard can be found participating in local theater as an actor and director and exploring Maine’s beaches and lighthouses with his husband and their grandsons.
Edith Berger Miller School, Waldoboro 2023 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year
“Being a part of the Maine County and State Teachers of the Year program is an opportunity to lift the voices and amplify the experiences of all teachers in Maine and beyond. My school, administration, colleagues, and district have supported me in my growth as a teacher leader and I owe the same to others in education no matter where they teach.”
Edith Berger is a teacher of writing and social studies in 6th grade at Miller School in Waldoboro, Maine, RSU 40. Berger has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with concentrations in art and architectural history and psychology from Ithaca College and a Masters of Education in Literacy: Writing and the Teaching of Writing from the University of Maine, Orono. She is the 2023 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year. A 2013 Fellow of the Maine Writing Project, her poetry and essays have been published in several anthologies. Berger considers mentoring her mission in life. She is especially passionate about using mentoring to help other teachers integrate civics into their classrooms. Berger feels that sharing excitement, knowledge and strengths with each other benefits teachers across all grade levels and content areas. By explicitly teaching and embedding the traits of good citizenship across the curriculum, she believes children will grow up to respect the rights and beliefs of others and contribute to a civil society. Whether presenting at an international literacy conference about teachers teaching teachers, mentoring new teachers and graduate students in their craft and leadership, or representing social studies in her district and state, Berger demonstrates her commitment to the profession of teaching as well as to the subject of social studies. When not at school or doing other “teachery” things, Berger can be found writing in a noisy coffee shop, reading history geek nonfiction or baking goodies she shouldn’t eat to satisfy her husband’s sweet tooth.
Lacey Todd Mountain Valley Middle School, Mexico 2023 Oxford County Teacher of the Year
“The Teacher of the Year program has provided me with an opportunity to recognize and honor those who have supported my journey in education. This award represents the hard work and dedication of my teaching team, who support and challenge me every day; my husband, who spends his evenings and weekends working in my classroom; and my parents, who made countless sacrifices to ensure my success as a first-generation college student.”
Lacey Todd is a fifth-grade science teacher at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico, Maine. Todd earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington, Master of Education in Inclusion Education and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Literacy K-12 from the University of New England, Education Specialist degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden University, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Todd grew up in Oxford County, where she continues to live and teach, which is why she takes great pride in being named the 2023 Oxford County Teacher of the Year. Todd is a Maine Science Teachers Association board member, completed a three-year term on the Maine Professional Standards Board, and was selected as a mentor for the national Diversity in STEM Education Summit in 2020 and 2023. She is also a Next Generation Science eXemplar facilitator and advocates for the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards at all grade levels, especially elementary. Todd is a teacher leader in her district, serving on several committees, including Staff Council, Technology, Certification, and Contract Negotiation, and is a mentor for new and pre-service teachers. Todd is especially passionate about making science education engaging and accessible to all students and regularly seeks out professional learning opportunities that promote collaboration, authentic learning experiences, and inclusion. When she’s not teaching or tending to her menagerie of class pets, you can find her camping or exploring the Maine woods with her husband and their golden retriever, Ruby.
Colleen Maker Washington Academy, East Machias 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year
“It’s an honor to represent Washington Academy and Washington County in the Maine Teacher of the Year Program, and I’m thankful to my students, colleagues, administrators, community partners, family, and husband, Joshua, for fueling and nurturing my passion and love for teaching. Being part of a program that celebrates teachers across Maine is truly exciting, especially in a state where incredible things are unfolding in our classrooms and communities.”
Colleen Maker teaches biology and marine biology at Washington Academy in East Machias, Maine. Maker has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Machias. Maker is the 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year. Maker’s pedagogy revolves around experiential learning and emphasizes student engagement through hands-on experiences and community partnerships. She integrates the curriculum with real-world applications, fostering lifelong learners who are productive community members and responsible stewards of their environment. She creates student leadership opportunities by advising homeroom, student council, science club, and sustainability club. As a member of the Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Committee, she collaborates with colleagues to develop and implement initiatives that foster a safe and accepting environment for all. Her commitment to creating a sense of belonging is evident in her efforts to ensure everyone feels welcomed and valued.
Maker seeks opportunities to engage with other science educators and is a member of the Connected Learning Ecosystems cohort sponsored by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. She was the 2022 recipient of the prestigious University of Maine Volunteer Pen Award for her dedication to the Washington Academy Community Garden, which donates all produce to the Machias Food Pantry. Maker is passionate about fighting food insecurity in her community and provides opportunities for students to volunteer by caring for the garden, participating in gleaning initiatives, and supporting personal care share drives. While not teaching, Maker cherishes time with her family camping, playing board games, reading, and exploring beaches.
For more information about the Maine County Teacher of the Year Program and to see a list of County Teachers of the Year, and Maine Teachers of the Year, visit http://www.mainetoy.org.
Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) Interest Group
Origin story… The MAEA LGBTQIA+ Interest Group was birthed out of conversations around supporting Queer students, coworkers, and teachers at the Spring MAEA conference. We had our first meeting in person at the end of the school year in downtown Portland, where we discussed what the group could focus on and enjoyed coloring pages. A major topic of interest at our first meeting was how to be inclusive of MAEA members across the state – not just in the Southern Maine area. An interest in alternating in person meetings with Zoom meetings was established, with a possibility of alternating in-person locations as well to allow for more involvement from rural and Northern educators.
Summer reading… The group decided to host a summer book club with a goal of both entertaining and educating at our own pace. Interest group members collated a list of possible titles, and MAEA membership was polled to choose the top 2 books.
Fall meeting… We had a small but mighty book club Zoom meeting on September 12th where we discussed Elliot Page’s memoir Pageboy and Elvin Mensah’s novel Small Joys. A takeaway we focused on was a greater understanding of the physical and emotional struggles Trans+ youth face, and our desire as educators to have safe spaces for students to figure out who they are. Our other big discussion topic was a desire to balance potentially painful reading/media with uplifting options; two talking points included queer representation in the media used to only end in grief – now that media shows more nuance, let’s include more queer joy and what positive media can we watch/read/listen to include in the classroom, but also to have as recommendations for youth who want something to read?
Looking ahead… Going to Haystack this weekend?
You are invited to keep an ear out for a small mealtime gathering to establish more goals and possible meeting times and to socialize. If you are interested in joining, or curious what we are up to, please join us! You can check in with Cory Bucknam or Philippa Adam for more information. If you won’t be at Haystack but are interested, please email Cory Bucknam or Philippa Adams.
Established at our September meeting
We want to be both a social group and a support group where folks can get creative problem solving support.
We want to share our struggles but also our joys of educating and supporting LGBTQIA+ students.
We are interested in getting nerdy and developing/curating resources for lesson plans and inclusivity in the art room.
We are interested in action and other tangible steps – we just don’t fully know what that might include yet.
We want to be inclusive of MAEA members across the state in how we structure and schedule meetings.
Thanks to Phillippa Adam, visual art teacher, Mount Desert Island High School, for writing this blog post.
In 2010 Congress passed the House Resolution 275 which designates the week beginning with the second Sunday in September as National Arts in Education Week. This is a week to shed extra light on the power of arts education. Young people and adults come together to tell the story of why the arts are essential for all ages and share the benefits of engagement in the arts.
Suggestions on how to PARTNER with others to celebrate.
Come up with a plan to ADVOCATE with your colleagues.
Create a SOCIAL MEDIA campaign to pass the word on about the value of arts education.
This week is an opportunity for you, your students and your community to recognize the importance of arts education. Celebrate in your classroom, your school, and beyond!
I know what you’re doing is amazing! Take a moment to let others know and THANKSSSS for your great work. YOU ROCK!
For years now the teacher shortage has been a problem. In the 1980’s and 90’s it was centered around the number of teachers who would be of retirement age. The statistics were clear; ages of teachers and their years teaching is tracked. Awareness of the problem was at every level; local school districts, the state department of education, higher education institutions, and at the federal department of education. The information was presented to teachers and business leaders at conferences; I heard the message loud and clear in 1995. When the age of STEM education came about the focus was on the shortage of math and science teachers. The shortage of special education teachers has been on the radar for many years. Fast forward to the pandemic and the stresses that teachers were and continue to be facing impacts the number of available teachers and support staff.
As we know this is not a ‘Maine only’ problem but a nation wide issue. A report from National Public Radio in the fall of 2022 combines information collected from 70 educators and experts from across the country surfaced three major contributors to the shortage: low pay, a strong economy, bitter politics and pandemic burnout. In addition to these three major findings the plans needed to positively impact this problem must coincide with the specific and unique needs in each school districts. In rural Maine the problems are different than in the areas of Maine where the population is greater.
In the Maine Sunday Telegram this past weekend a piece written by Lana Cohen focuses on the shortage as Maine teachers and learners return to school. Some positions are more difficult to fill than others. This has always been the case. Everyone agrees that the shortage is a huge problem and leaders from our state education organizations are quoted in the article. READ the ARTICLE
The conversations continue (talk, talk, talk,) and I understand that our higher ed institutions and the department of education are ‘working’ on the problem. These organizations and others like them seem to do an outstanding job of collecting information, identifying needs, and name who they’re working with on the problem. Sometimes money is being thrown at ‘programs’ but I don’t see much evidence of the impact.
I found one new program being launched on September 14 by Eastern Maine Community College. It is available for support staff only, not full teaching staff. There is no cost to the program and allows trainees to work as supervised support staff in PreK-12 classrooms this year. This program has space for 180 people. LEARN MORE. I see mention of ‘Teach Maine’ and ‘Live and Work in Maine’ that lead me to believe they are addressing the teacher shortage in Maine but when I try to find specific information to learn how they’re helping I don’t see any evidence. If anyone knows of programs that are actually focused on the action part of the teacher shortage I’m interested in learning about them. Please email me meartsed@gmail.com.
Colleagues say: “You know Argy, things move slowly through the system, education is always behind”. Many of you know that after teaching for many years I went to work at the state. After seven years at the Maine Department of Education and six years at the Maine Arts Commission I understand perfectly that there are mountains to climb. I believe that it is the responsibility of our leaders to climb the mountains. Some of our best work in Maine arts education was not accomplished by sitting at a table talking about the issues but it was in planning and implementing an initiative which was filled with action, every step of the way. The impact of that program continues to be felt. (Maine Arts Assessment Initiative morphed into the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative).
I’m very concerned about the teacher shortage in Maine when I hear stories. Some school districts are hiring people who are not certified to teach Art or Music. Dance and Theater courses are still unavailable in schools across the state. Last year one school had students attending school every other day to provide instruction to all students. The substitute shortage is causing other teachers to cover multiple classes.
I know what you’re thinking, I’m just talking as well. This is not a problem that can be solved by one person alone, it will take strong commitments and collaborations. My suggestions include:
Commissioner Pender Makin had a conversation during the 2022-23 school year with Maine county and state teachers of the year to brainstorm ideas to help address the problem. Take action on some of the suggestions and enlist teacher leaders to help implement the ideas.
As a follow up to the meeting I had the opportunity to introduce an amazing educator from Kenya to Commissioner Makin. He was visiting the US for a month in the spring and I was very grateful that we had 30 minutes with the commissioner. We proposed bringing teachers from Kenya to help address the teacher shortage. It has been four months and the certification office is creating unnecessary mountains. The idea is not new, there is precedent. For years the Maine DOE has had Memorandums of Education in place with other countries.
My local school district used federal funds to create a new salary scale to address the challenge of finding substitutes. The pay was based on teaching experience and formal education. It was the first time that I have been compensated fairly for my experience and knowledge. The number of substitutes immediately grew. Problem solved! The next school year the pay scale shifted (without Covid funds) but was still greater than other districts. Makes me wonder why other school districts didn’t consider raising the pay for substitutes?
A round table discussion where organizations and Maine leaders leave their egos and politics at the door and are not allowed to exit the conversation until action steps, and whose responsible for those actions steps, are named.
Why is teacher shortage so important to all Maine residents? Our education system contributes greatly to our future and the quality of life for our citizens; all of them, not just some! If we want our young people to receive an excellent education so they can grow into adults who are positive and contributing to their communities in a productive manner, we need to insure that each learner receives the education that they deserve! We need to recognize who each individual is and provide them access to an education that is inclusive of curriculum and programs that address each learners needs in all ways. It’s past time to work together to help alleviate this challenge!
As we know the summer is filled with opportunities around the arts. The Farnsworth Art Museum is no exception; they provide exhibits, classes, lectures and other learning situations. Here is some the latest information from the Farnsworth, even a job opportunity.
ARTS@THEINTERSECTION 2023
In its first year, Arts@theIntersection worked with schools in Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo counties, lifting up the voices of midcoast youth. Museum staff start by building trust with students in their own classrooms. They engage with teachers to understand the relationships at play in each class, then build programs and community connections to best meet both teacher and student goals.
“Arts@theIntersection gives students a voice in their education and a choice about how they can engage with it most effectively.” ~Alexis Saba, School Programs Manager at Farnsworth Art Museum.
The Farnsworth’s education staff are all part of the Learning & Engagement Department. They have a job opening for the Academic and Program coordinator.
The Farnsworth Art Museum seeks a creative and collaborative Academic Programs Coordinator to join the Learning & Engagement department. The core responsibilities of this role include supporting arts integration and K-12 programming at the museum, primarily the Farnsworth’s Arts@theIntersection year-long program. The Farnsworth Art Museum is located in Rockland, Maine and the Academic Programs Coordinator role is an on-site position with some travel required throughout the area.
Reporting to the Senior Manager of Academic Programs, the coordinator will provide support for the implementation of our Arts@theIntersection program, a year-long arts integration program working with midcoast Maine area middle and high school students. This position will also work closely with Learning and Engagement staff members to develop core components of K-12 online learning units to align with current education standards and collections-based learning in museum environments. This position supports department program implementation as needed.
The duties, qualifications and application are located at THIS LINK.
PICTURE BOOK: DANIEL MINTER’S BLUE
Join Coretta Scott King and Caldecott Honor winner Daniel Minter for a reading of Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond’s Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky, which he illustrated. The book addresses the question, ‘where did the color blue come from-and how did it evolve to be the color we know today?’
Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 23, 10:30-11:30, the Farnsworth Library. For more information CLICK HERE.
Argy Nestor
Arts Educator, Blogger, Artist, Connector meartsed@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/view/anestor/
Argy’s Blog
The purpose of this blog is to share stories about people and places; and to celebrate the amazing work (and play) that students, educators, and organizations are doing in and for arts education. In addition, the blog has a plethora of resources and innovative ideas. This forum gives blog readers the opportunity to learn from each other. It is essential that we listen, learn, and collaborate in order to build on teaching practices for the benefit of every learner in Maine and beyond.
me arts ed 