The purpose of the Art Partnership Program is to bring quality art education to the elementary schools in the Silver Falls School District through direct classroom instruction provided by Silverton Arts Association (SAA). Using Oregon certified teachers, local artists and community member/parent volunteers, SAA will provide professional development for teachers related to embedding art education w
ithin their existing curriculum, on-going consultation support and the use of the ArtSense multi-media curriculum on a free loan basis. In view of the severe budget cuts facing local schools, outcomes from this program will prove that art education in the elementary curriculum is still possible despite constraints of time and resources and more importantly, imperative. The ART partnership Program will bring meaningful, hands-on experiences in art to all 2,126 students through 414 hours of classroom instruction, 7 free hands-on art events, on-going teacher support and a shared multi-media, art –embedded curriculum named ArtSense. The schools will be divided into 2 groups: a Focus Group and a Development Group. All schools, in both groups, will have access to the ArtSense Curriculum on a free loan basis from Silverton Arts Association. ArtSense, is an all-inclusive curriculum using dvds, art posters, children’s literature and easily accessible supplies to embed art education within existing content. Therefore, meaningful art instruction is integrated with existing science, math, literacy and social studies curriculum. Adequate time for core content instruction is an issue for teachers. The ArtSense will not add to those time requirements. Studies consistently prove the importance and value of art education. If students are to fully embrace the rich and diverse cultures of the world; if they are to live up to their full cognitive potential; if they are to be prepared for living and working in a technologically driven world; and if they are to live a life alive and wide-awake to the possibilities yet to come, this promise of the arts as basic education must be realized.” Dee Dickinson, New Horizons for Learning, John Hopkins University School of Education. (http://education.jhu.edu/newhorizons) . The Marion County Development Corporation recently awarded SAA $2000 for the purchase of the ArtSense multi-media curriculum. The Focus Group will be comprised of 4 area schools with1132 total students combined in 46 classrooms. These are schools in which SAA has an established relationship with administration and teaching staff by bringing free art events and instruction through previous funds awarded by Spirit Mountain and our pilot program, Art Masters. The schools in the Focus Group are:
• Eugene Field Elementary serving 483 children in 21 classrooms. Grades K-3.
• Robert Frost Elementary serving 403 children in 15 classrooms. Grades 4-6.
• Pratum Elementary serving 90 children in 3 classrooms. Grades K-8.
• Silver Crest Elementary serving 156 children in 7 classrooms. Using the ArtSense multi-media curriculum, Silverton Arts Association will supply a teacher, supported by community member/parent volunteers, and all art supplies necessary to instruct one art lesson per month, in each classroom for 9 months. The teacher will either be an Oregon state certified teacher or a local professional artist. Local artist, Ann Altman will be a teacher and will be promoting this to other area artists. Once the 9 budgeted classroom lessons are complete, schools will have the option of purchasing additional classes. SAA will provide on-going consultation to each school with recommendations of the use of the ArtSense curriculum to embed art into other existing core content. With the cuts of positions at local schools, classroom teachers are being asked to teach more with reduced (or eliminated) planning time. An additional benefit of this program will be to provide the school’s classroom teachers with a planning period while SAA’s instructors teach the art lesson. A Steering Committee will be created at each of the 4 Focus Group Schools. The committee will be comprised of representatives from: the school teaching staff & administration, SAA teaching staff, artist teacher representative, volunteer representative and school counselor (if applicable). On-going communication through this group will enable: feedback for program adjustment; tracking of goals & outcomes; etc. The Development Group will be comprised of the remaining 7 area elementary schools with 994 total students. The schools in the Development Group are:
• Bethany Charter School serving 140 students. Grades K-8.
• Butte Creek Elementary serving 306 students. Grades K-8.
• Central Howell serving 148 students. Grades K-8.
• Community Roots Charter School serving 45 students. Grades 1-4.
• Evergreen Elementary School serving 83 students. Grades K-8.
• Scotts Mills Elementary School serving 109 students. Grades K-8.
• Victor Point Elementary School serving 163 students. Silverton Arts Association teachers, supported by parent and community volunteers, will provide one free art event to each school. The event will take place during the school day or in the evening, at the school’s preference. The event will feature 10 different hands-on art projects for the children to experience. These projects will be taken directly from the ArtSense curriculum and allow the teachers and students to see the curriculum in action. Additionally, SAA will host an informational meeting on-site at each of the 7 Development Schools for the school administration and staff in which SAA will explain the ArtSense curriculum; how it can be embedded into existing instruction and the free loan system in place for borrowing the curriculum from SAA. The ArtSense curriculum will be available for loan to all schools in the district, including the Development Group. The goal is that the Development Group this year will become the Focus Group in the 2012/2013 school year. However, schools in the Development Group will have the option of purchasing art instruction by SAA teachers/local artists. Sustainability
Program Sustainability
The long-term sustainable benefits will derive from the professional development of the teachers specifically in the skill of embedding the arts in their existing curriculum. Teachers understand the value and importance of art education and the happiness, positive self-esteem and myriad other educational and behavioral benefits that it brings their students. What they don’t always understand is that art can be embedded within existing content areas of: math, science, social studies and literacy without requiring additional time. Teachers can make art fit and this program will give teachers the guidance and resources necessary to successfully embed art in their curriculum. Finally, during 414 hours of classroom instruction, parent and community member volunteers will witness firsthand the powerful, positive effects of art education. In turn, we hope these experiences will foster advocacy and support for quality art programming in elementary education as budgetary and programmatic issues arise now and in the future. Outcomes
Outcomes will be developed and tracked by the Steering Committee of each school. Student feedback, performance evaluations, teacher & counselor observations will all be used to discern program outcomes. These outcomes will enable SAA to adjust the program as necessary to best fit the needs of each school. Funding
Community Level Fundraising
The community of Silverton understands the value and importance of art. As such, SAA is launching a “Bridge the Gap” local fundraising campaign in which community members and businesses can sponsor an art lesson for a child for $5 or an entire classroom for $100. SAA anticipates tremendous support of this campaign as school budget cuts and the quality of the children’s education are in the forefront of the community members’ minds. The “Bridge the Gap” campaign will also be featured at SAA’s upcoming Fine Arts Festival in August. Partnering with area artists, SAA is developing a plan for a temporary sculpture based on the drive. For each $5 donated, the donor will be given a paper child cut-out to decorate, paint & embellish. The decorated child cut-outs will be added to a large sculptural base on display at the event. Additionally, SAA will be partnering with the Parent Teacher Clubs of each Focus School to develop and implement fundraising events. In-kind donations of services and products prove the community’s support of the project. Well-respected local artist Ann Altman has donated artwork to be used to promote the “Bridge the Gap” campaign. Abiqua Tech & Design has donated web design services to add information about the Art Partnership program and online donation capabilities for the Bridge the Gap fund. No request has been rejected thus far in relation to this project. Grants
The Marion County Development Corporation recently awarded SAA with $2000 for the purpose of purchasing the ArtSense Curriculum and hosting information events to promote with area teachers. Why Silverton Arts Association? Because it is our mission! The primary purpose of the Association shall be to nurture, exhibit, inform, and promote appreciation and practice of the arts in the greater Silverton area. Through education, the Association will increase public understanding and practice of the arts for present and future generations. The Board of Directors and staff of SAA are comprised of educators, artists, parents, grandparents. This program represents our organizational purpose and our individual passion. This program is being embraced by teachers, administrators, parents, local artists and community members alike! The Art Partnership represents the hope put into action that all of Silverton has been searching for since the recent announcement of drastic school budget cuts. Teacher morale is low, parents are concerned with few options to enable change and children’s educational needs are in jeopardy. The Art Partnership is already improving all of the above and we’ve only just begun.
