National Arts in Education Week
PTSA Education Spotlight! Special Edition
National Arts in Education Week:
September 13 – 19, 2020
This week is a national celebration recognizing the transformative power of the arts in education.
A comprehensive education must include the arts-- they relieve stress, make learning engaging, bring fun, and allow us to use our time creatively! Whether you are a student, educator, parent, or caregiver -- let's celebrate the arts in education together!
Celebrating the Arts @ Reed!
We are fortunate that our students are provided with many opportunities to engage their creative minds and explore the arts.
- Arts in the classroom: Reed teachers integrate the arts throughout the curriculum and in projects across all our SLCs and programs.
- Electives: Students can select elective courses like orchestra, band, art, choir, and creative writing. Other electives like video production and yearbook also give students opportunities to express their creativity!
- Extra-curricular: Beyond the Bell provides dance team, while Reed's annual Talent Show and the PTSA Reflections Arts Program give our Reed students a forum to showcase their talents!
- Enrichment: Since COVID, LAUSD has provided middle school students with additional arts enrichment opportunities like Fender Guitar, Animation with Illumination, Digital Art for a Sustainable Future, and Playwriting & Acting with The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company!
PTSA continues to advocate for full funding of the arts in CA and locally because our students deserve robust arts education!
How can you help ensure Reed's programs thrive? We've got some ideas! LEARN about arts education at our school, district and state, DISCOVER how to ensure our arts curriculum and access are diverse, inclusive, and equitable, CREATE opportunities for students to express themselves creatively, and EXPLORE available resources to help bring the arts into our school, homes, and community! Last but not least, we need to ADVOCATE on behalf of our students by voting in the upcoming election for representatives that value public education and arts education! !
Learn!
Learn about CA Visual and Performing Arts Standards and LAUSD opportunities for students to engage in the arts!
- CA Department of Education Visual & Performing Arts: content standards and framework.
- LAUSD arts branch
- CreateCA - Learn about how Arts Education in CA is a student right!
- Ed100 - The Coronavirus vs. Arts Education - The arts during COVID
- Parents' Guide to the Visual and Performing Arts in CA Public Schools (see .pdf below)- California State PTA in partnership with CREATE CA, put together a simple, easy-to-read guide of the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Standards by grade level. CA State PTA recognizes that "all students, not just the 'talented', should have opportunity to express their unique individuality through creating and learning in and through the arts." This guide provides a "snapshot of how a full arts curriculum advances student success socially, emotionally and academically."
Discover!
Discover how the arts can work towards removing biases, stereotypes, and false narratives! See yourself in the arts and see through a different perspective.
- Explore art and artists from diverse backgrounds and perspectives!
- Anti-Racist Middle School Art Lessons
#CreateCA:
FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH:
- Latino Heritage Month Calendar & Cultural Guide with online events, music, artwork celebrating our local Latinx artists and community (presented by City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs)
- Check out these Latinx artists in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
- Celebrate with the Los Angeles Public Library
Create!
Reflections Arts Program is underway!
Wolfpack students! Do you enjoy art, music, or dance or have an interest in writing, producing films, or taking photos? If so, you are invited to have fun unleashing your inner artist by participating in this year’s PTSA Reflections Art Program! This year’s theme is: “I MATTER BECAUSE…” Use your own unique interpretation of this theme to share your special artistic talents!
All WRMS Student Artists of all levels are invited to participate!
Artists can begin working on their original piece now!
All entry forms and virtual submissions will be due by Sunday, November 1st.
Categories include:
● Dance Choreography
● Film Production
● Literature
● Music Composition
● Photography
● Visual Arts
● Special Artist Division
Students may submit in multiple categories, but only submission per category.
Entries will be submitted digitally. Interested? Find more details, entry forms, digital submission information, and guidelines here.
Explore!
Explore arts resources for students!
- #CreateAtHome Resource Guide - Split into six categories, this curated guide is the best resource out there to begin creating and exploring the arts at home!
- The Kennedy Center - Couch Concerts - Watch free Kennedy Center concerts!
- The Kennedy Center - Arts Education @ Home Resources
- Arts Distance Learning Resources/Opportunities (From the San Diego County Offices of Education)
- Arts Education Partnership Resources for educators, parents/caregivers, and artists
A free and accessible online platform designed to support ongoing art education. This site offers videos made by our Teaching Artists, along with Study Guides designed to deepen student engagement. There are videos related to visual arts, dance, theatre, music, photography, storytelling, and film. Here's an example:
Advocate!
PTSA Votes!
In November's election you will be electing a school board member, other local, state, and national representatives, and considering a number of propositions related to education funding! As you consider candidates and initiatives, we urge you examine whether they support public education, funding, and equitable arts education! PTSA urges our members to be informed, register, and vote to ensure our students and school get the support they need!
Connect with Us!
Email: wrmsptsapres@gmail.com
Website: reedms.my-ptsa.org
Location: Walter Reed Middle School, Irvine Avenue, North Hollywood, CA, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRMSPTSA