Arts In Education

Lee County Schools Arts Educators will commit to creating a safe space for students to be exposed to the arts while educating and advocating for arts integration in the community.

Lee County Arts Educators will involve, inspire, and teach students. We will commit to integrating differentiated practices that support and represent the diversity in our schools.

We hope you enjoy this last issue of LCS Arts In Education for the 2023-2024 school year.

Our students and programs continue to grow, succeed and thrive under the dedication of our creative and passionate performing and visual arts teachers.

Did you know?

The arts grant children the ability to communicate feelings, ideas, and thoughts that are difficult, if not impossible, to verbalize. Michael Chekhov said, “Art is the most complete of human activities.”

Arts can be a valuable tool in teaching math and science. Children can learn about patterns, fractions, ratios, and other topics by participating in art activities like weaving, sculpting, or painting.

For more information on the importance of the arts in child development, see the link below.

https://artsfairfax.org/project/the-importance-of-the-arts-in-a-childs-development/

Have a great summer break!

Wendy Bryant & Amy Salter

Mrs. Flowers, East Lee Middle School Band and Orchestra Director

Ms. Sommers, J. Glenn Edwards Elementary School Music Teacher

Photos courtesy of The Sanford Herald
More than 1,000 people attended the Make A Difference Concert at the Dennis Wicker Civic Center on May 9th. The concert event, under the director of J. Glenn Edwards music teacher, Ms. Sommers, honored the community, military veterans, families, and those that have fallen.

SLHS visual arts teacher, Ms. Appanaitis received a grant from the Sanford Brush and Palette Club (Art Angels) to create stepping stone mosaics for Raven Rock State Park. The $500 grant supplied all materials needed for this worthwhile community project. Sanfordarts.org

https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/raven-rock-state-park

Park Ranger, Lindsey Baker

One April 17, The Sanford Brush and Palette Club hosted the annual LCHS IB student art show at the Mann Center. Mr. Wells's students exhibited a variety of media including watercolor, acrylic, oil pastel and clay.

LCS Performing Arts were well represented at this April event that was held at the Lee County Fair Grounds.

Ms. Vazquez' first graders at BT Bullock had 10 minutes to draw and color whatever they wanted. The drawings were sent to Mr. Wells' LCHS IB Ceramics class. His students recreated the drawings into ceramic sculptures for a final project. Upon completion, LCHS students presented the creations to the first graders.

8th grade art students at East Lee Middle School under the direction of art teacher Mrs. Pier, partnered with Lending Paws, a Hand Animal Rescue to create vibrant pet portraits in the Pop Art style. The paintings will be displayed and actioned off at a special adoption event that will be held at Wild Dogs on June 9. The funds raised from the auction will directly support the important work of Lending Paws.

By teaming up with a local rescue, the students not only honed their artistic abilities, but also had the rewarding experience of using their creativity to help homeless pets find loving homes. The collaboration is a wonderful success, showcasing the talented work of 8th grade artists while also giving back to the community. https://lpah.org/

Genesis H., Tramway, wins the Principal's Choice Ribbon and The Board Of Education Ribbon for Elementary

The annual LCS Festival Of The Arts was a huge success!

Each K-12 school in the district, including Pre-K, was represented either in the visual or performing arts.

Approximately 800 students participated in this years Festival Of The Arts!

This year's silent auction included original artwork donated from arts teachers and the Sanford Brush and Palette Club. To raise additional funds for LCS Arts Education, an additional fund raiser was added, Vote For Your Favorite Arts Teacher, which was met with lots of fun and a bit of competition!

Ribbons were awarded for middle and high school visual arts. Categories were judged for first, second and third place. Thank you to Sanford Brush and Palette Club members for judging. Additionally, choice blue ribbons were awarded at each level (elementary, middle, high) that included the Superintendent's Choice, Board of Education Choice and Mayor's Choice. Each principal also gave a blue choice ribbon for their school.

🎨A special thank you to our superintendent Dr. Dossenbach, Mayor Rebecca Salmon and Board Of Education member Jayme Laudate for spending part of your day at the Festival Of The Arts. 🎵

Thank you to our amazing educators, students, district leadership and community for a

successful event!

La Dolce Vita in Sanford is partnering with the Lee Senior Art Club on May 25th & 26th. Use the QR code to purchase a hand thrown bowl from a Lee Senior student. Bowls can be picked up at LDV on May 25th & 26th between 12 PM & 3 PM. Each bowl purchased will receive a 4 ounce gelato!

Limited quantities available!

Ms. Salter is retiring with a total of 34 years in education, 16 in Chatham County and 18 in Lee County. In addition to serving as an assistant principal at SLHS, she served as LCS Arts Education liaison for the performing arts for the past two years.

Amy Salter is a graduate of Meredith College.

Upon graduation, she took a job at Northwood High School in Pittsboro as a dance education teacher. While at Northwood, she served as the arts education department chair for 10 years.
While teaching dance there, she served as the coordinator for Arts Education Department Musicals for 10 years.

Amy was a mentor teacher and she created the first of its kind in NC: a course in dance education geared towards the male body to increase flexibility and agility.

This was important to her because she served as an athletic trainer for 15 years.

For many years, she took her dance company to NYC where they took classes at Alvin Ailey.
Under her tenure, the arts education department received “The Creative Ticket for School of Excellence Award recipient for Outstanding Achievement in Arts Education”.

After leaving the classroom, Amy has presented at art conferences on integrating dance education into core curriculum.

Upon moving to Lee County Schools where she has served as AP since 2006, Amy was named AP of the year in 2012.

Congratulations on your retirement, Ms. Salter!