Art Teacher Extraordinaire Retiring

Congratulations, Ms. Snider, and thank you!

“LOVE WHAT YOU DO AND NEVER STOP LEARNING ABOUT WAYS YOU CAN ENGAGE STUDENTS!”

While reading Janie Snider’s reflections below you will understand who she is and the impact she has had, not only on her elementary and middle school students, but the adults in her life also. Janie is a gem whom I’m certain will be missed in her daily teaching role. I’m confident that she will continue to make a difference in this world through her interactions with others as she enjoys her retirement. Thank you Janie for your service to the field of education! I know the blog readers join me in wishing you the very best in your retirement.

Last week of school, Hancock Grammar School

IN JANIE’S WORDS…

I have been teaching for 30 years. My first ten years teaching were in SAD#37 including Columbia Falls, Millbridge, Cherryfield, Harrington, and Addison. I started as a long-term art substitute, then as a kindergarten teacher and the following year as the art teacher. In 2002 I started teaching at Hancock Grammar School, where I spent the last 20 years. As a result of consolidation, I also taught art at Lamoine Consolidated for four years from 2011-2015. I received a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education, K-8 from University of Maine, Machias and K-12 Visual Arts Certification.

My favorite part of teaching is building the most wonderful relationships with students that revolve around art making! Painting is my favorite discipline. Guiding students through color exploration and expression is so rewarding.

Cherryfield School – notice all the art styles included?

It has been quite the journey from when I was a young itinerant art teacher. I remember being so overwhelmed in my early years; five schools, 600 students and all the different challenges. In year three I was considering giving it up. I was feeling isolated and unsure of my impact on students. Then one day as I was introducing landscape to third graders I learned that I was! As I explained the horizon line, a little boy who normally didn’t participate suddenly started waving his hand, so I called on him. He was so excited to have made this connection, he said, “I saw it this weekend when I was on the lobster boat with my Dad, there it was and I knew it had something to do with art!!!” From that moment on, I never questioned my ability to connect students with the wonders of art in their world. It was my inspirational moment. Nature is my inspiration for my own work and it easily found it’s way into my lessons!

I have seen many changes in education and art education over the years. I truly believe that being included in the “Maine Learning Results” gave validity to arts education. However, it was challenging to keep up with the interpretation of standards that serve as guidance in developing strong arts programming. I was fortunate to have been an active part of this process, a member of the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI, now MAEPL), a local leader, and advocate for arts education. All of which helped me tremendously with meeting students needs! As a result of my work, I was recognized as the 2014 Maine Middle School Art Teacher by the Maine Art Education Association. This was a very important time in affirming my career. Representing Maine and attending the National Art Education Association conference in New Orleans was a definite highlight!

Another huge change is how technology has developed and changed the art curriculum, this boggles my mind. I started my career without using any technology and in 2020 developed an online art curriculum for remote learning.

Three things that are really key to a successful art program are:

• KNOW your students, develop a relationship with them!! Listen to them!!
• SHOW your passion for your profession!! Be creative in your approach!!
• GO WITH THE FLOW, be flexible, be current with best practices and meet students where they are!

Janie in her classroom at Hancock Grammar School

I am most proud of my ability to guide students and help them understand and appreciate art in education and the world. I recently received a message from a former student who was in Washington DC at the National Gallery and was thinking back to the many lessons she learned in my classes. She thanked me for that. I have many young adults that have reconnected with me and shared their fond memories in art! 

Looking into my crystals ball….My advice to teachers is “LOVE WHAT YOU DO AND NEVER STOP LEARNING ABOUT WAYS YOU CAN ENGAGE STUDENTS!” 

K-8 mural, D.W. Merritt Elementary School, Addison. Kindergarten students started at the bottom and the mural grew as each grade contributed.

Stay curious, involved and be a life long learner. Take classes and reach out to others in your area of expertise, they are a gift!

I have come to realize that I was supposed to be an art teacher. So I guess the innate ability to teach was there, I just needed to become aware of it. I knew early on I had some artistic talent and wanted to be an artist. However, life happened and that dream had to be on hold. So I learned a lot of teaching skills over the years that helped me in my work! I’m still learning more about my work through my reflection. I am hopeful that during retirement I will rediscover that innate “art-self” that will bring my life-long dream into being.

Hancock Grammar School

I plan to make time for me and my art! I plan to take art classes, garden, read, travel with my honey and spend time with family and friends. I have grandkids that I am excited to have more time with!❤️ I know me and I am always busy, so my goal is to slow down just a bit and smell the roses!!

If I was given $500,000….definitely, buy a camper to continue my trips to the national parks. Contribute to my grandkids education fund and invest in my community arts programming! 

I hope to be 94 and looking back!! My mom made it to 93 and we had a conversation about regrets before she passed. No regrets here, I have lived a good life, learned many lessons to carry me into the present! I have listened to my intuition and followed my heart, which is full of love!!❤️

Janie painting, home studio

Call for MALI Teacher Leaders

Deadline – June 1

Interested in taking on a leadership role in education – the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) might be the right match for you. Click on the images below to make them larger! Don’t hesitate, apply today. Deadline: June 1!

 

Call for MALI Teacher Leaders

You’re invited!

Visual, Performing and Literary Arts Teacher/

Teaching Artist Leader SEARCH: MALI – Phase 20-21

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MONDAY, JUNE 1Join us for a GREAT opportunity! The Maine Arts Leadership Initiative invites YOU, with other selected Maine teachers and teaching artists, to be part of a year-long exploration in leading your school communities and the profession in effective teaching and learning in the arts.  If you are selected, you will be expected to attend the 2020 Summer Institute, taking place virtually June 15, July 24, and in-person August 5, pending state policy.   

This year’s Institute will explore Leading with Resilience; Embedding Social and Emotional Learning in our Teaching, Ourselves, and Our Communities; and Arts Advocacy.  

If you are selected, there is no cost to attend the Institute; however the expectation is that you integrate your learnings in your classroom, your school community, and share with other educators in your region of Maine and beyond.  Full participants will receive documentation of up to 35 contact hours.   

If interested, please complete the online application form, linked here and below, by June 1.

Questions? Contact Martha Piscuskas, Director of Arts Education at the Maine Arts Commission, Martha.Piscuskas@maine.gov  207-287-2750

Year-long Expectations for Teaching Artist/Teacher leaders (TA/TAL):

• Attend New Teacher/TA introduction cohort zoom on Monday June 15
• Complete pre-reading/viewing and participate in online discussion (on google classroom) 
• Attend and participate in 2 virtual discussion meetings on Wednesdays – June 24 & July 15 – (w/mixed cohorts and breakout rooms)
• Attend August 5, Wednesday in-person day in Waterville (tbd) if possible
• Commit to two reflection sessions as a MALI TA/TAL one with cohort, one with “thought partner”
• Develop a personalized Growth Plan for the coming year, and practice/learn ways to share it with others
• Engage in Fall “thought partner” one-on-one check in 
• Attend winter retreat – tentatively February 28, 2021.  Will include update on personal goal and/or action plan 
• Author a guest blog post on the Maine Arts Ed daily blog

JOIN US!  Become a Teacher Leader and Change Lives 

APPLY TODAY!

Questions on the Application:

Name/contact information

Administrator Name/contact information (if classroom teacher)

Paragraph of Interest — Selected individuals will be expected to be active leaders in helping to develop and support excellence in teaching and learning in Maine. A full commitment to the Institute timeline is expected as seen in the online information sheet.  Please attach a brief overview of your interest and current/past experience (if any) in Leadership. Include your experience collaborating with other arts educators and experiences relevant to the initiative.  (Please no more than ~ 500 words, about 1 page.) 

Resume/CV —  If you are a Teaching Artist, please also include websites or documentation of your teaching work.  

Letter of Reference – CLASSROOM TEACHERS: This should be from your administrator.  TEACHING ARTISTS: This should be from a school or community  organization with whom you have worked.   Please attach a Letter of Recommendation in which the person includes comments and/or examples reflecting your leadership potential and your ability to work collaboratively.  Selected individuals will be responsible for sharing their newly developed expertise and related classroom experiences with other arts educators.

Maine Arts Leadership Initiative 

Background Information

MALI MISSION

MALI’s OVERALL OBJECTIVES 

• Create and implement a statewide plan for teacher leadership in arts education. This includes professional development opportunities, locally, regionally and statewide, which will expand on the knowledge and skills of teachers to better prepare them to teach in a student-centered and proficiency-based learning environment.
• Develop and implement standards-based high quality teaching and learning statewide for Visual and Performing Arts 
• Continue to build on expanding the team of arts educators and teaching artists representing all regions of Maine
• Provide workshops and other professional development opportunities for educators 
• Founded in 2011
• 108 teacher leaders and teaching artists leaders have attended summer institutes on assessment, leadership, technology, creativity, proficiency-based standards-based and student-centered teaching and learning
• Teacher leaders have presented workshops at three statewide arts education conferences, with over 600 educators attending
• Teacher leaders facilitated regional workshops across Maine and 15 mega-regional sites across Maine
• Maine Arts Ed Blog — 78 teachers profiled in Another Arts Teacher’s Story series 
• Arts assessment graduate courses offered by New England Institute for
  Teacher Education
• Nine arts education assessment webinars for Maine educators facilitated by Rob Westerberg and Catherine Ring – archived
• Video stories of seven teacher leaders that demonstrate a standards-based arts education classroom located on Maine ARTSEducation YouTube channel
• Teacher Leader Resource Team development of items for resource bank
• Maine Arts Assessment Resources website
• Partners have included MDOE, USM, MAEA, MMEA, University of Maine Performing Arts, and New England Institute for Teacher Education, Bates College

For More Information

• MALI information – Maine Arts Commission website https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Programs/MAAI 
• Maine Arts Assessment website http://www.maineartsassessment.com/ 
• MALI Resource Bank http://www.maineartsedresources.org/

APPLY TODAY TO BECOME A MALI TEACHER LEADER

Celebration

Maine Excellence in Arts Education

Last week at the State House students, teachers, parents and other community members came together to celebrate the art of children. There was music, dancing, poetry recitations, and much more. The Maine Arts Commission (MAC) Maine Excellence in Arts Education celebration is an opportunity to recognize students whose art work is on display throughout the State House complex.

Forty students were recognized for their accomplishments and presented a certificate by David Greenham, MAC Chair and Martha Piscuskas, MAC Director of Arts Education. Performances were provided by the Maine Arts Academy Chamber Singers from Sidney, Little Eagles Drumming Group from Pleasant Point, and the Indian Township School Dancers.

Artist Ethan from Sebago Elementary School with his art work and family

Ethan receiving his certificate

Student artists at the State House

Indian Township School dancers

Maine Arts Academy Chamber Singers

Happy Retirement

Maine is fortunate to have such marvelous arts educators!

We know that what a teacher offers can have an enormous impact on student development day to day AND over their lifetime. As educators retire at the close of another school year, 2018-2019, I invite you to join me in THANKING them for their years of service and dedication to students across the state.

I certainly appreciate your commitment and I wish each of you a healthy retirement and many, many years of laughter and love! Yahooooooo!

The following visual and performing educators have contributed a combined 371+ years to teaching visual and/or performing arts education!

• ANGELIKA BLANCHARD, Manchester School and Windham Primary, Visual Arts
• DAWN BODEN, RSU#3 Unity/Thorndike, Elementary Music, 35 years
• JOY DREW, Wentworth School, Scarborough, Music, 27 years
• VICKY MORGAN-FICKETT, York Middle School, Visual Arts, 15 years
• MARY GANNAWAY, Elementary Music, Sanford, 43 years
• SUE NELSON, Elementary Music, 21 years
• NANCY NEUBERT, Sanford Junior High School, General Music and Chorus, 39 years
• WENDY SCHLOTTERBECK, Leavitt Area High School, Visual Arts, 34 years
• CAROL SLADE, SAD #17, Elementary Visual Arts, 20 years
• BONNIE TAYLOR, K-4 Falmouth, Visual Arts, 23 years
• RICK OSANN, Bonny Eagle High School, Theatre and Visual Arts, 15 years
• LISA MARIN, PreK-12 Moosabec Community School District and Union #103, Gifted and Talented Coordinator and Visual Arts, 23 years
• JIM SMALL, Madison High School, Visual Arts, 38 years
• VANESSA WHITE-CAPELLUTI, Wells High School, Visual Arts, 38 years

If you  know of a teacher who is not on this list please be sure and email me at meartsed@gmail.com with the information and I’d be glad to add them. Thanks!

Teaching Artist Professional Development Workshop

Space limited

The Arts Commission is providing a one-day professional development workshop for Maine Teaching Artists.

Monday 17 June 2019

8:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Only 20 spots available – REGISTER TODAY

Viles Mansion/Governor Samuel Cony House, 71 Stone Street, Augusta.

$25.00. Registration is required.

Purpose

The workshop is focused on the role and benefits of a teaching artist. We will address how to structure and market a residency as well as tips for communicating and collaborating teachers,  administrators, and community arts representatives. The workshop will include resources and techniques on applying your expertise as an artist to the structure of your work as a teaching artist including communication tips, connecting standards and assessments in your lessons, promotional information, funding opportunities, messaging and much more.

Outcomes

• Information on applying your expertise as an artist to the structuring of your lessons and residencies.
• Hands-on experience in relating the learning standards and assessments to your work.
• Participation in sessions that are planned to fit your specific needs as a teaching artist.
• Promoting yourself and your work as a teaching artist

Workshop Presenters

• Tom Luther – Teaching Artist, Musician, Maine Arts Leadership Initiative Teaching Artist Leader
• Lindsay Pinchbeck – Arts Educator, Founder and Director Sweetland School, Hope
• Kate Smith – Elementary music educator, Central School, South Berwick

Please note: To be eligible to apply for the Maine Arts Commission Teaching Artist Roster teaching artists must attend the one-day workshop.

High School Diplomas

Proficiency-based or credit-based – DOE update

Governor LePage signed into law PL 2017, Chapter 466 on July 10, 2018, allowing SAUs to award either proficiency-based or credit-based diplomas. This change will take effect on December 13, 2018. The new diploma law, enacted by the 128th Legislature, removes the mandate that a high school diploma be based on a student’s demonstration of proficiency in Maine’s Learning Results and instead makes a proficiency-based diploma one of two options.

To help inform school districts and the public about the new law, the Department is providing a side-by-side comparison of the two diploma options. While the new law provides opportunities for flexibility and innovation in awarding a high school diploma, it also presents challenges. The Maine DOE believes the comparison chart will help districts navigate their different options to ensure that, whatever the local decision is, students are provided a high quality education.

Side-by-side comparison of the two diploma options (PDF)

The chart demonstrates that many details must be worked out both at the state and local level. As school leaders consider the uncertainties presented by the new law, the Commissioner wants districts to know that Maine DOE has an unwavering commitment to the quality of education for all Maine students. In this vein, districts should move forward with diploma requirements that serve students with an understanding that further legislation is likely necessary to reduce the inconsistencies between the two options.

The Commissioner is working collaboratively with stakeholders to establish common goals and seek solutions that ensure Maine’s high school diploma requirements provide a challenging, high quality education for every student in Maine. The Maine DOE looks forward to working with districts in this endeavor to prepare our graduates for a bright future.

Resources

Laws Quick Look Up:

• Public Law 2017, Chapter 466 Diploma law effective no later than March 2019
• Title 20-A §4722-A Proficiency-based diploma standards and transcripts Diploma Law prior to effective date of Public Law 2017, Chapter 466
• Title 20-A §4722. High school diploma standards Diploma law effective prior to Public Law 2017, Chapter 466

Maine Learning Results

Guiding Principles of The Maine Learning Results

Understanding the Guiding Principles – a Resource developed by the Maine DOE and epic, Educational Policy Improvement Center.

Maine International Conference on the Arts

September 27 and 28

The Maine International Conference on the Arts (MICA) is taking place at USM, Portland campus on September 27 and 28, 2018. Learn about the details and registration by CLICKING HERE. Early bird discount is available until July 31. Watch the video below and see familiar arts education colleagues and their students from the last MICA that was held in Lewiston.

Call for MALI Teaching Artist Leaders

Application available – Deadline Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Maine Arts Leadership Initiative, Year 8

Visual and Performing Arts Teaching Artist Leader Application

Teaching Artist Leaders, MALI Summer Institute, August 2017

Join us for a GREAT opportunity! The Maine Arts Commission invites you to be a part of    the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI). Now in its eighth year, MALI offers a unique opportunity to learn and network with teaching artists and PK through grade 12 visual and performing arts educators from across the state. MALI is looking for teaching artists interested in leading and in taking a close look at effective teaching and learning in the arts. This is an opportunity for you to participate in professional development and networking, as well as to have a voice in the direction of arts education in the state of Maine.

APPLICATION

Deadline: Wednesday, June 13, 2018

If you are selected, you will be required to attend our summer institute, July 31, August 1 and 2, 2018. We will provide sessions to help you develop your ideas and support your work. We will then ask that you take what you’ve learned and share it with other teaching artists, educators and community members in your region and beyond.

Selected Teacher Artist Leader responsibilities for the 2018-19 school year include:

• Full participation in the 3-day summer institute, July 31, August 1 and 2, 2018
• Communicate in a timely fashion by email and in a MALI phase 8 google site
• Be prepared for summer institute by completing pre-readings and responding to prompts with the MALI community
• Critical Friends Day – follow-up to the summer institute, fall 2018
• Participate in 2 meetings electronically with teaching artist leaders during 2018-19 school year
• Contribute your teaching artist leader story for the Maine Arts Education blog
• Attend a retreat to reflect on the phase 8 MALI work and plan next steps, winter 2019

Application requirements

•    Current resume
•    Letter of support
•    Paragraph of interest

MALI BACKGROUND

Teaching Artist Leaders, MALI summer institute, August 2017

Since 2011 the initiative has been building capacity by training arts educators on the “what” and “how” of teaching and learning in the arts so they can provide the leadership in Maine through professional development opportunities. Teaching artists have been included in MALI for the past four years, and the goal of training Teaching Artist Leaders is now in its third year. As the initiative enters Phase 8, MALI has grown to include 101 leaders.

MALI’s OVERALL OBJECTIVES

• Create and implement a statewide plan for teacher leadership in arts education. This includes professional development opportunities, locally, regionally and statewide, which will expand on the knowledge and skills of teachers and teaching artists to better prepare them to teach in a student-centered and proficiency-based learning environment.
• Develop and implement standards-based high quality teaching and learning statewide for Visual and Performing Arts
• Continue to build on expanding the team of arts educators and teaching artists representing all regions of Maine
• Provide workshops and other professional development opportunities for educators

APPLICATION

MALI Mega Oxford Hills

Fabulous learning opportunity

Over 70 PK-12 arts educators and Teaching Artists traveled to Oxford Hills High School in late March to attend the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative conference. The workshops varied greatly and participants had the opportunity to attend three during the day.

Thank you to the Oxford Hills visual and performing arts staff and administrators for providing the space for the conference. One week before the conference we learned that their workshop day turned into a teaching and learning day due to the many snow days. We are grateful that they were still able to make it happen.

Kris Bisson, Kate Smith, Brian Evans-Jones

A huge THANK YOU to visual arts teachers Cindi Kugell and Samantha Armstrong for all of their attention to detail.

Thank you to the following who offered workshops:

• Cindi Kugell – Bookmaking 101: summative assessment never looked so good!
• Lindsay Pinchbeck – The Arts and Emotional Intelligence
• Dorie Tripp – Flexible Grouping Strategies for the General Music Classroom
• Catherine Anderson – Tableaus of Courage: How to Help Students Engage with Complex Content through Theater
• Samantha Armstrong – Stars and Stairs
• Phil Hammett – Creativity
• Tom Luther – Improvisation Crusader: Improvisation as an Essential Musical Skill
• Nancy Harris Frohlich – Inspiring Environmental Stewardship Through Visual Arts
• Lori Spruce and Tim Christensen – Integrating Curriculum: Making it Happen at the High School Level
• Mandi Mitchell – Looking in the Mirror: The Importance of Student Self-Reflection
• Brian Evans-Jones and Kris Bisson – Bridging Adolescence: A River Runs Through Us – Composing our Story
• Jenni Null and Linda McVety – All Aboard for Arts Travel, Full STEAM Ahead!
• Bronwyn Sale – Teaching Aesthetics and Criticism: Approaches to Standard D
• Andrew Harris – Creativity and Taking Back the Classroom

Amanda Huotari

In the middle of the day we had the fabulous opportunity to work with and learn from Teaching Artist Amanda Houteri from Celebration Barn Theater.

Participants during Amanda’s session

In June there will be an opportunity for teaching artists. PK-12 arts teachers and teaching artists will have an opportunity to apply to be a leader. Watch the blog and weekly email to learn more.

Dr. Katie Rybakova and Thomas College pre-service teachers

Jan Gill and Jenni Null

Kris Bisson and Brian Evans-Jones presenting

Tom Luther presenting

Mandi Mitchell

Samantha Armstrong and Linda McVety

Teaching artists Tim Christensen, Tom Luther, and Brian Evans-Jones