Bravo!
Noteworthy News from the WPS Fine Arts Department
A note from our Executive Coordinator
Please join me in welcoming Kimberly Wenger as our new Fine Arts Office Administrative Assistant! Kim is replacing Janelle Bell, who recently retired after 9.5 years of excellent Fine Arts Office service and 27.5 years total with WPS. Janelle was awarded with an AMAC Good Apple on her last day of work and we wish her the very best!
As many know, Kim comes to us from WPS PTR Support where she was nominated for Excellence in Customer Service in 2018. In addition to her professional service, Kim is a Yoga Instructor @ Rose Hill Rec. Center, former PTO President & current Vice-President @ CMA, Boy Scout & Girl Scout leader and much more! Kim is also a SEHS Fine Arts Graduate so she is happy to be home in her “old digs”. Welcome, Kim, and thank you for also serving as our Fine Arts Newsletter Editor.
I also want to acknowledge Amy Brown, Eric Crawford, Maranda Wilson, Marcia Scurfield and Martha Gates for their nonstop work to support our WPS Fine Arts Programs. Last but not least, a special thanks goes out to WPS Fine Arts Faculty for engaging and enriching district students through the artistry of Dance, Music, Visual Arts and Theatre!
ACT I from Martha Gates
The past two semesters have been an eye-opening experience into remote learning. I have had the opportunity to use forms, assignments, nearpods, kahoots and flipgrids in theatre classes. The students have been wonderful and inspiring as they are learning to navigate this new way of learning. We laugh at our wifi issues and when we all get knocked out of digital classrooms. Sometimes students get stuck in breakout rooms or cannot get their cameras or microphones to work. All of these situations are a part of distance learning. Many positive connections have also been made. My Drama 2,3,4 class produced a digital show in October and my Stagecraft class has been creating costumes, masks and set designs out of duct tape and cardboard. The flexibility and resilience of these students has been wonderful. As we transition to a return to the classes, the knowledge we have learned this year will forever change the high school classroom.
Visual Arts Viewpoint from Marcia Scurfield
With the Covid pandemic it was a strange year for the Scholastics Art and Writing Awards, but with much perseverance our teachers and students submitted Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention winners! We even had an American Vision nominee, which is a huge honor as only five are selected from the pool of Gold Key winners! Alphabetically by school name:
East High School—5 Gold Keys, 9 Silver Keys, 14 Honorable Mentions
Northeast Magnet High School—6 Gold Keys, 4 Silver Keys, 5 Honorable Mentions
West High School—1 Gold Key (and American Visions nominee), 1 Silver Key
Of the total of 45 selected artworks, the 12 Gold Key and 14 Silver Key will be on display at The Eastern Kansas Scholastic Art Awards will be on view at Mark Arts Friday, February 12 - Saturday, March 27, 2021.
Congratulations to all!
American Vision Nominee and Gold Key Winner
Gold Key Winner
Silver Key Winner
Scholastic Art Award Winners of Northeast Magnet
More Scholastics awards winners in the next issue!
Do you have student art we could display at AMAC? email kwenger@usd259.net
Student art work on display at AMAC
Exploration in collaboration, Texture, & form
Student art work on loan to AMAC
...and the bands played on this fall!
south high pep band night and senior recognition
Congratulations to students selected to represent WPS in the KMEA & SCKMEA honor bands
Just Fiddlin' Around with the East High Strings during the holidays!
South High's Virtual Orchestra Concert!
Congratulations to selected students for the KMEA & SCKMEA Honor Orchestras
Star Spangled Singing!
Congratulations to the SCKMEA, KMEA & NAFME Honor Choir members!
SCKMEA 3rd-6th Grade
SCKMEA 6th-8th Grade
SCKMEA 9th-12th Grade
NAFME Honor Choir
KMEA All-State High School Mixed Honor Choir
KMEA All-State High School Treble Honor Choir
Dr. Thompson narrates 2021 virtual YPC
New Keeper of the Plains at NEM
Keeping the excitement!
Take note!
About us
Amy Brown, Vocal Music Curriculum Coach
Marcia Scurfield, Visual Art Curriculum Coach
Maranda Wilson, Band Curriculum Coach
Eric Crawford, Orchestra Curriculum Coach
Martha Gates, Theatre Curriculum Coach
Kim Wenger, Fine Arts Administrative Assistant and Newsletter editor
Website: https://www.usd259.org/Page/2146
Location: 903 South Edgemoor Street, Wichita, KS, USA
Phone: (316)973-4440
Twitter: @FineArtsUSD259