Rock Stars!

Great stuff happening with Arts educators and Arts education!

Sue Barre’s colleagues on the first workshop day: Strings Teacher Ciara Hargrove, Digital Arts Teacher and MALI Teacher Leader and Leadership Team member Suzanne Goulet, Strings Teacher Sam Lyons, and art teacher Dave Matteson

Everyday I hear about the focus and commitment that Maine Arts Educators have about teaching and to their students. The following all happened on the same day. YES, these made my day – I am so proud of the work that Arts educators do for the sake of their PK-12 students! These teachers are all making a difference and carry the sign ROCK STAR! in my book!

• Sue Barre sent this early one morning… “In the opening school assembly today the Superintendent told everyone to look to the music document for guidance… kinda cool!” CONGRATULATIONS to Sue who teaches music in Waterville Schools and is a Teacher Leader with the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI). In addition, Waterville High School VPA teachers (seen in the photo to the right) established this goal: “We made a VPA goal to have all students in our Waterville High School VPA classes do at least one reflective writing assignment and then share those at a faculty meeting this year.”  Awesome work team!
• Jen Nash was on WERU morning show called Arts Alive and was a ROCK STAR! Jen was articulate and represented arts educators across the state…. Jen teaches music at Sebasticook Middle School and is an MALI Teacher Leader.
• Theresa Cerceo is a MALI Teacher Leader who teaches K-12 Visual Art in Dr. Levesque Elementary School, Wisdom Middle/High School, MSAD 33 (all the way up in the County). Her Logic Model plan for her work as a Teacher Leader this year, involves advocacy work with students. In her own words: “I started working with my students today on advocacy work. I had K – 12 come up with possible blog titles and the high school art club created the, “Student Leaders in the Arts Movement” or S.L.A.M.!  We will have a meeting at the start of every art club meeting (once a week).  We had a great talk about the importance of messaging why the arts are essential. They had a lot of great ideas and really took ownership of the project. We have a board going for all the different activities we will work on. They are excited!” (There will be more information about this in the near future. Theresa is piloting this idea and will gladly share more with you about this in the months to come!)

Students (l to r): Daley Pedersen, grade 11, Elizabeth Raymond, Grade 12, Adam Weyneth, Grade 12, Jasmine DeMoranville, Grade 11, Sarah Harris, Grade 12, Dorothy Harris, Grade 10, Cassandra Boucher, Grade 10, Celine “Ce Ce” Young, grade 12

• Joshua Bosse is the PK-12 Music Teacher in Madawaska and a new Phase 5 MALI Teacher Leader and put this message on the MALI community wiki: “I would like to take the time to just say that I appreciate what each and every one of you have been doing for MALI and for your school districts. With school already starting for me, I can say that I have already seen a dramatic change in my teaching (for the better). I feel that MALI has done great things for me, and I am more excited than ever to be teaching students what I love most! Again, thank you so much for all that you have done, and I hope you all have a wonderful school year, and that all of your workshops go well! I saw a lot of great plans! I will definitely be keeping in touch throughout the school year, and I am so overjoyed about being able to be part of this wonderful organization!”

When you find yourself asking yourself the hard questions about your chosen career field, know that you are not alone! I suggest that you “get off your island” and attend a MALI event to connect with spirited Teacher Leaders. And, join us at the fall biennial arts conference, Arts Education: The Measure of Success, October 9, Point Lookout Conference Center. Information and registration (early-bird through September 9) is located at http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/Biennial-Statewide. MALI resources located at http://www.maineartsassessment.com/.