Happy New Year! Here's To Creating What Comes Next!
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day at the surface seem to be dominated by sports, snacks, and entertainment. For many involved in education, it marks the end of a much needed and well-deserved break. I believe it also serves as a wonderful assessment tool. OK...I know what you are thinking - Gleason had too much eggnog. Hear me out.
It is important in life, as in education, to take moments to consider where you've been and where you are going. As a runner I know that staring off into the horizon while running is not often helpful as you don't feel like you are getting anywhere. Focusing on what comes next provides motivation but also allows you do change course and "create". Our lives are not predestined. We CREATE our lives and New Year's provides us with a built in reflection point to consider where we want to go next. As Wisconsin Poet Lauerate, Dasha Kelly Hamilton stated in her poem Like The Wind - "Designers and makers, We are undoers, We are creators."
I encourage you to reflect on 2023 while considering your next steps on creating a bright future in 2024!
Gratefully,
Chris
Take the DPI's Strategic Planning Survey and Attend a Community Engagement Session!
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is currently engaged in the creation of a five-year strategic plan. The Strategic Plan aims to align the work of the agency and the needs of all learners in our schools and libraries. Our strategic planning process features three phases, culminating in a final strategic plan being released in fall 2024. The development of the strategic plan requires inclusive opportunities to engage, listen and co-create.
"Like The Wind" Student Examples
Many thanks to all of the schools who have reached out regarding the Wisconsin Arts Celebration Project celebrating the Wisconsin Arts Board's 50th Anniversary. A number of schools are implementing the lesson plans, poem, and music into their curriculums.
The goal is to connect to the poem, use the resources, and then share some artifacts with me prior to the end of the school year. I have create a page on the DPI Website to share examples of student work and recordings. Check out the cool examples from Black River Falls High School's art students. Many thanks to art educator, Jennifer Dahl!
It is not too late to get started! CLICK HERE to access the project.
Send student examples and recordings to me at christopher.gleason@dpi.wi.gov
Unsung Heroes are individuals who changed the course of history through their extraordinary actions. Now it’s your turn to effect change by sharing the story of an Unsung Hero through your art.
The Unsung Heroes ARTEFFECT Competition invites submissions from all middle and high school students interested in making a positive impact through their art. First awarded in 2016, hundreds of students have participated in ARTEFFECT in the U.S. and around the globe. The Competition is focused on creatively interpreting the story of an Unsung Hero from history in a visual artwork. The untold stories of Unsung Heroes are uncovered through in-depth research and project-based learning facilitated by the Lowell Milken Center’s Discovery Award Competition. The judging panel will give the most consideration to entries that celebrate the Unsung Hero’s contribution in a high-quality artwork that is visually compelling and original in concept.
Please join us on January 17 at 6:00PM (CT) for this Info Session Webinar about the ARTEFFECT annual competition for middle and high school students.
C-FC grad turned composer: 'I made it'
As a child growing up in Fountain City, Carmen Geiger-Schutz saw musicians perform on television and told her parents she wanted to go out into the world and create music like that someday. After graduating from Concordia College’s composition department with a bachelor of music degree earlier this year, she did just that, by sharing a composition at the college’s holiday music concert.
Geiger-Schutz’s arrangement of “Joy to the World” for choir and orchestra was performed at the college in Moorhead, Minn., and at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.
Pulaski Marching Band Shines In Rose Bowl Parade
Two hundred and sixty students — high school band and choir members, along with eighth-grade band and choir members — took part in Pasadena Tournament of Roses events leading up to the marching band's performance on New Year's Day in the 135th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
Pulaski's Red Raider Marching Band has performed in the parade three other times — 2007, 2012 and 2017.
A Life in Art: A Film About Rediscovering Our Passions
A Life in Art is a film that traces the story of lifelong artist Gary Bukovnik, from his beginning painting flowers at age four, through his despair in art school, and ultimately leading to a life dedicated to following his true artistic calling. While today he has shown his work in galleries worldwide and has helped nonprofits raise millions of dollars through donations of his artwork, the journey to this success was not easy.
Actress from Wisconsin stars in upcoming Marvel series
Alaqua Cox , the star of "Echo," Marvel's newest series on Disney+, will star a deaf, Native American actress from Wisconsin. She grew up on the Menominee Reservation and graduated from the Wisconsin School for the Deaf (WSD) in Delavan.
The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge
The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, an initiative of the NEA in partnership with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is now accepting submissions for the 2023-24 program, an opportunity for high school students to develop and showcase musical compositions that could be a part of a musical theater production. This year, even more resources and constructive critique opportunities will be available for participating students to cultivate their songwriting skills (visit NAMT’s website for archived webinars and information on upcoming events).
The deadline to submit is January 31, 2024.
19th Annual Poetry Out Loud
A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the state arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.3 million students and 76,000 teachers from 19,000 schools across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud. Visit poetryoutloud.org for more information. If you are interested in participating in the official program, please contact
Penny Parsons
608-274-0087
penny.wipol@gmail.com
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Étude High School students explore kinship through art in fellowship with John Michael Kohler Arts Center
The fellowship allows select students to create projects utilizing the center’s resources and professionals. Since the school’s inception, it has had a partnership with the center, said Ted Hamm, director of schools.
National PTA Reflections Student Arts Showcase
Tune in to National PTA's YouTube channel at 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 31 to celebrate the annual Reflections Student Arts Showcase! This virtual showcase will feature a selection of awarded artists from across the country and recognize all national-level winning artists from the 2022-23 National PTA Reflections program.
Rufus King International High School wins Battle of the Drumlines for the 16th time
The Drumline at Rufus King International High School is once again the defending champions. On Saturday, Dec. 9, Milwaukee Public Schools hosted the 21st Battle of the Drumlines.
Read More Here Additional coverage on FOX 6, Spectrum News
WMEA Advocacy Committee Invitation To Join Advocacy
The WMEA Advocacy Committee is sharing this invitation to join our upcoming Annual Meetings with Legislators effort. Advocacy is an important part of what we do on behalf of the students and music educators of our state. I hope you will strongly consider getting involved. The link to register is contained in the invitation above, along with details about what we will talk with legislators about our ASK.
We need at least one constituent from every legislative district possible to be part of this. Legislators want to hear from constituents so our goal is to get people involved from ACROSS the state. If you can think of anyone who might want to join our effort (music educators, supporters of music education, and so on), please forward the invitation to them.
Celebrating a Year of Midwestern Creativity
Last December, Arts Midwest announced our new strategy frame—reaffirming our commitment to Midwestern creativity, and to supporting, informing, and celebrating the Midwest.
Since then, we’ve worked with our partners and community to put our mission and vision into action. In Fiscal Year 2023, our programs and services reached 354,262 people in 140 Midwestern communities. We also made $2,527,146 in grants to 259 Midwestern organizations. Our grantees have conducted residencies for Native artists and culture bearers; held a performance series featuring formerly-incarcerated artists; presented a musical based on a true story about a gay biker gang; and much, much more.
Increasing Arts Access for Underserved Communities
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awards thousands of grants each year to provide opportunities for arts participation. But historically underserved communities with rich and dynamic cultural identities frequently have reported lower arts participation rates than other groups.
To address the disparities and better understand the dynamics, the NEA, in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the five other U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs), has launched a new grant program called ArtsHERE. The program will provide funding for organizations that work with underserved groups and communities and have demonstrated a commitment to equity. The NEA will document and evaluate the program to better understand how grantees approach their work.
MPS student, a singer at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, wins a national award
When Akira Harris heard three Milwaukee High School of the Arts classmates talking about the national YoungArts awards competition, the vocal student knew she had to give it a try, too, even though the deadline to enter was near.
NEA Dance FY25 Grants for Arts Projects Webinar
Join the NEA Dance staff for an informational webinar specifically for Dance applicants to Grants for Arts Projects on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 from 2:00pm - 3:00pm ET. You’ll learn about what makes a competitive Dance application and engage in a question and answer session. We suggest you review the FY25 Dance Application Instructions prior to attending.
The webinar is free to attend, however, registration is required. For those who can’t attend live, the webinar will be recorded and available on the Applicant Resources page.
U.S. Department of Education accepting applications for the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship
The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is pleased to announce that it will begin accepting applications for the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship on December 1, 2023. Launched in 2007, the School Ambassador Fellowship is a unique professional engagement experience designed to improve the outcomes for students nationwide by leveraging the voices of outstanding school-based practitioners to inform the Department on a range national education policy issues.
The deadline to apply for the 2024 – 2025 School Ambassador Fellowship is Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EST. On December 12, 2023 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm EST, the School Ambassador Fellowship Program Office will conduct a virtual informational and question and answer webinar about the program. Prospective applicants and others seeking to learn more about the School Ambassador Fellowship and the 2024-2025 cohort application and selection process should follow the link below to register for the webinar: https://shorturl.at/doFJX. For additional information about the Fellowship, please visit the School Ambassador Fellowship program webpage
Prospective applicants can contact SAF@ED.gov with any questions about the School Ambassador Fellowship program or about the application process.
Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides expansive funding opportunities to strengthen the nation’s arts and cultural ecosystem. Grants are available for arts projects in a wide variety of artistic disciplines. Each discipline has identified the types of projects that are of greatest interest within this program as well as the characteristics of competitive applications.
Grants for Arts Projects Arts Education strengthens the arts ecosystem by supporting projects for pre-K-12 students (direct learning), the educators and teaching artists who support them (professional development), and the schools and communities that serve them (collective impact).
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline: February 15, 2024
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline: July 11, 2024
For more information on how to apply, please visit our website at arts.gov.
NEAF Envision Equity Grants
Envision Equity Grants enable educators to test creative new ideas and innovations, demonstrating exemplary teaching and learning, while advancing students’ cultural understanding and appreciation, anti-racism commitments, and understanding of civic engagement and democracy.
Envision Equity Grants support project-based learning and help educators to advance students’ cultural understanding and appreciation, anti-racism commitments, and understanding of civic engagement and democracy. Envision Equity grants will fund projects up to $5,000. Grants fund activities for 12 months from the date of the award.
Deadline is Feb 1, 2024
NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship Application Open
Through the NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship, public school educators develop the knowledge and skills to integrate global competency into their daily classroom instruction, advocate for global competency in their schools and districts, and help students to thrive in our increasingly interconnected world. Fellows transform their classrooms to give students a global perspective.
2025 cohort will travel to Costa Rica
Careers in the Arts Toolkit— an online resource promoting equity, access, and inclusion for people with disabilities seeking careers in the arts.
Careers in the Arts Toolkit is an online resource promoting equity, access, and inclusion for people with disabilities seeking arts careers. This resource empowers individuals with disabilities to explore arts careers and access resources to support their success. It also educates arts employers, educators, and grantmakers about the critical role they play in fostering disability inclusion and the resources available to help them successfully do so.
Google Arts and Culture Three AMAZING Lessons!
Arts and Culture: Passage of Water
Using data from NASA satellites, artist Yiyun Kang has created an interactive experiment that maps planet Earth's loss of fresh water and looks at what we can do to help preserve it. Check it out to see what you can do to make a difference!
NAfME Survey Report: The Impact of Federal Funds on Music & Arts Education
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME), in collaboration with the Educational
Theatre Association (EdTA), the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), and the National Art Education Association (NAEA), conducts an informal annual survey to collect data about the use of federal funds to support music and the arts (dance, theatre, and visual arts). Responses for the 2022–23 school year were received from 48 states and the Department of Defense Education Activity between October 2 and October 27, 2023. The majority of the 388 individuals who filled out the survey were classroom teachers and district arts supervisors.
The Impact of Federal Funds on Music & Arts Education: Results from 2023 Survey
A Report for Federal Policymakers
The Impact of Federal Funds on Music & Arts Education: Results from 2023 Survey
Music Lessons: Tracing links between musical training and executive function — and bolstering the case for music in schools
If educators want to develop critical, creative thinkers who can set and accomplish their own goals — and who can use those skills to strengthen their math and reading skills — they may want to take another look inside the music room.
For a child to play an instrument, she needs to stick to her goals, pay sustained attention, and be flexible enough to switch back and forth between tempos and styles. These habits draw heavily on executive function (EF) skills, cognitive processes that include problem-solving, goal setting, and flexible thinking. A number of studies have found that EF skills contribute hugely to students’ success in math and reading.
Artificial Intelligence and Arts Ed: A Recap From AEP’s Quarterly Partnership Meeting
During AEP’s August quarterly partnership meeting, we discussed the positives, challenges and questions revolving around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the arts and how to use AI as a tool in art-making and teaching. During the presentation, questions were raised about how to use AI as an art-making medium and threading the line between artist appropriation and personal creative thinking. Read More Here
Arts and Health: The Role of the Arts Sector in Promoting Resilience and Well-Being
The COVID pandemic took a great toll on the health of the nation. Beyond the physical—the huge loss of life, our quest to deal with the various new strains appearing suddenly, and the lingering Long COVID—there was the mental toll as well. As the Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy noted in a public health advisory released in May 2023, there is an epidemic of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country: “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity.”
Featured Books: Your Brain on Art, and The Creative Act
Why Art and Creativity Matter
While many of us perceive art merely as entertainment, there exists a profound depth to its functions. Art sparks breakthroughs in creativity and innovation. Notably, even Nobel Laureates find inspiration in artistic avocations. There is also a growing body of scientific evidence that art serves as a catalyst for healing, and well-being and boosting our brain power endeavors may even reduce the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.
https://www.creativityatwork.com/featured-books-your-brain-on-art-creative-act/
Learn Faster, Perform Better: A Musicians Guide to the Neuroscience of Practicing with Molly Gebrian
Practicing can be a frustrating, overwhelming experience that makes us doubt ourselves as players and musicians. But it doesn’t have to be! Instead, it can be a creative problem-solving experience that challenges us to experiment, think outside the box, and prepare ourselves for performance in a way that feels empowering and compassionate. In this 10-hour, live-online course, I’ll share with you the most impactful (and counterintuitive) research on how we learn, and how to apply that in preparing for performance.
Course dates: January 28, February 4, February 11, February 25, March 3, 2024 (all Sundays) from 4-6pm Eastern Time
Platform: Zoom
Class length: 2 hours each
Total course length: 10 hours
Price: $299
Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) – Winter Workshop – January 26 & 27
This hands-on workshop presents the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) model of music teaching and performance. Participants will explore the points of the model (selection, analysis, strategies, outcomes, and/or assessment), participate in demonstration rehearsals using CMP, and will explore teaching plans implementing these points in a music classroom.
Dates and Times: January 26, 2024, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. and January 27, 2024, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Wisconsin Center for Music Education at 1005 Quinn Dr. Waunakee, WI 53597
Webinar - 10 Ways to Implement Mental Wellness into Dance Education and Why it Matters
This webinar will discuss the current state of mental health in dance community and will offer science-backed tips for how to implement mental health and wellness practices into dance education. We will discuss different types of mental health challenges specific to the dance population, difficulties educators experience in guiding dancers through their education, and some exercises to better help dancers cope with dance-related stressors and recognize the importance of mental health in their dance journeys.
Tuesday January 9th, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET
PreK-12 Dance Ed Virtual Summit
PreK-12 dance educators reach students in ways general educators may not. We connect with our students' bodies and minds holistically - socially through the learning process, emotionally as we consistently provide affirmation and feedback, physically by sharing dance skills, and mentally when we share our vast knowledge and build confidence in our youth.
January 20, 2024
AI Guidance For Schools Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to help education authorities, school leaders, and teachers
create thoughtful guidance to help their communities realize the potential benefits of incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in primary and secondary education while understanding and mitigating the potential risks.
With guidance, an education system may realize the potential benefits of AI to improve learning outcomes, support teacher instruction and quality of life, and enhance educational equity. Without guidance, teachers and students can be exposed to privacy violations, inconsistent disciplinary consequences, and counterproductive AI adoption practices.
Check out it here.
***CALLING ALL WISCONSIN K-12 EDUCATORS***
We are launching a Community of Practice for educators starting in February 2024 and we want YOU to apply!
This virtual community of practice for educational equity will provide a diverse range of engaging activities such as book studies, synchronous & asynchronous learning experiences, and valuable networking opportunities with fellow educators.
The Community of Practice will consist of 8 weeks of synchronous weekly Virtual Workshops, lasting 3 hours each, from 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM on Thursdays from February 1, 2024 through March 21, 2024. Learn more >>
The Educational Equity Virtual Leadership Series was conceptualized in 2020 in response to the global pandemic. At that time, the Educational Equity Network’s professional learnings were redefined to be held exclusively in a virtual room rather than in-person.
This unique series was designed to increase educators' capacity for co-creating belonging in all learning spaces. The Educational Equity Leadership Institutes support inclusive learning for authentic self-reflection and engagement while exploring the application of "difficult conversations" about race, equity, inclusion, and systemic oppression. Participants are challenged to understand the dynamics of race and racism in education and other forms of exclusion/oppression and transform their educational practices.
Learn more about the Educational Equity Leadership Series >>
Art Educator Scholarships for 2024 NAEA National Convention | April 4-6, 2024
This scholarship is designed to support visual art educators in their path of continued professional learning. The scholarship award will cover the registration fee for the 2024 NAEA National Convention.
Eligibility: Applicants must be a member of NAEA prior to application and through the 2024 NAEA National Convention (April 4-6, 2024); and spend at least 51% of their professional work as an art educator. The NAEA Art Educator Scholarship Fund is open to all NAEA members that have attended a National Convention in the past.
Application due by January 8, 2023. See site for details. Apply here.
Professional Development for Art Educators
Oconto Falls School District will be hosting professional development for Art Educators on Monday, January 22 from 12:00-3:45. During this time we will have time to network with one another while learning more about fluid acrylics, watercolor and transparent applications of media with guest artist Faye Barber-Schmuhl.
Attached is a flyer with the information and the connections to the Wisconsin State Art & Design Standards for you to share with administration to get approval.
Please fill out this form by January 12, 2024 if you are planning on attending so enough supplies will be prepared.
Mathematical Artistry
Teaching a class in Mathematical Artistry to 6th-8th graders has been an eye-opening experience, both for my students and for me. It's a journey that beautifully intertwines the precision of mathematics with the boundless creativity of art, revealing a fundamental side of math that's often overlooked: Mathematics is not just a set of algorithms and rigid formulas; it is a realm brimming with creativity and artistry.
Often, students come into class with the notion that math is merely about right answers and specific procedures. However, through projects and explorations, they begin to see math as a language of patterns, an expression of ideas, and a source of infinite creativity. It's about changing the narrative from math being a subject of calculation to one of creation and exploration.
Fractals, mandalas, chaos theory, pursuit curves and more all become a canvas for our young mathematicians to explore and express their creativity. My students recently had the opportunity to partner with Whitworth University's Mathematical Art Showcase. Our paper Sierpinski Triangle stood proudly among other exhibits depicting fractals, mandalas, chaos theory, linear dynamics, and other various mathematical concepts. It was more than just a display of art; it was a testament to how math can be both intellectually stimulating and aesthetically pleasing.
This approach to teaching math – viewing it as an inherently creative and artistic discipline – has the power to transform how students perceive and engage with the subject. It opens up a world where math is not just about solving problems but about exploring and creating something beautiful.
Do you view mathematics as an artistic discipline? How can we encourage a broader perception of math as a creative and dynamic field in education and integrate these concepts in education to enhance student engagement and understanding?
Kristin Lehman
Director Of Operations & Educational Services at Hewitt Research Foundation
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Chris Gleason
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
This publication and previous issues are available from: Division of Academic Excellence> Teaching and Learning Team> Arts and Creativity. https://dpi.wi.gov/fine-arts/newsletter
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, marital status or parental status, sexual orientation, or ability.
Email: christopher.gleason@dpi.wi.gov
Website: https://dpi.wi.gov/fine-arts
Location: 125 South Webster Street, Madison, WI, USA
Phone: 608-264-9554