A Summer Full Of Curiosity
What word or words express the emotions you feel at the end of this school year? Relief, Joy, Pride, Exhaustion, Nostaglia? Maybe a mixture of all of those and more! Typically I would spend that first week after the end of school out in nature. I used that time to "reset" and provide my mind, heart, and soul a bit of room to breathe. I then gave myself permission to reflect and wonder. This mindset allowed me to dream, think, and learn.
My wish for you is to take the time you need to not only find rejuvination but also curiosity. Lean in to your wonder and permit yourself to get excited about new ideas and possibilties. Here's to a great summer full of curiosity!
DOWNBEAT COMPETITION HONORS 3 MPS SINGERS FROM HIGH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
(MILWAUKEE, WI) – Students from the nationally acclaimed Milwaukee High School of the Arts Vocal Jazz Ensemble have been recognized in DownBeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards competition.
Three students from the ensemble, all seniors, won awards:
- Akira Harris, winner, blues/pop/rock soloist
- Lily Elon Edmond, outstanding performance, blues/pop/rock soloist
- Dystince Robertson, outstanding performance, vocal jazz soloist
(Winner and outstanding performance are the two awards for each musical category. At the judges’ discretion, categories can have co-winners or multiple outstanding performances, or no winner or outstanding performance if no entry meets DownBeat standards. Both winners and outstanding performances are highlighted in the magazine.)
In the past school year, Akira Harris was among the winners of the YoungArts awards, a national competition, in the category of popular voice, and Dystince Robertson became the very first winner of the national Ravenscroft Jazz Prize for developing musicians, ages 17 to 19.
The MHSA Vocal Jazz Ensemble is made up of the most advanced students enrolled in the vocal music program at the school.
The DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards are considered among the top student music competitions in the world. The competition offers categories for junior high, high school, and university music students and bands.
The judges — professional musicians and educators — assess entrants based on a range of criteria: musicianship, creativity, improvisation, technique, sound quality and balance, excitement, and authority. The criteria are similar to those used in the magazine’s album reviews.
The awards are announced in the magazine’s June issue, released Thursday, May 9. DownBeat Magazine has been publishing since 1934; these Student Music Awards were the 47th annual.
The awards earned by MHSA students this year mark the 12th time since 2014 that the MHSA Vocal Jazz Ensemble has been recognized by this prestigious organization. MHSA boasted double winners in 2017 and 2021, but never before have three MHSA students won in a single year.
“It is so thrilling to see our Milwaukee Public Schools students’ names listed along with the best and brightest young musicians on the planet,” said Raymond Roberts, vocal music director at MHSA. “Keep your eye on these brilliant young singers. They will continue to share their artistic excellence in ways that beautify and enrich our city for generations to come.”
Milwaukee High School of the Arts, 2300 W. Highland Ave., Milwaukee, offers students the chance to select an arts-focused major of creative writing, dance, theater, music, or visual art and receive at least two class hours of instruction a day focused on that major.
Students commit to one area of the arts for all four of their years at the school. In addition to its focus on the arts, MHSA also provides an academically challenging educational program that includes Advanced Placement and honors courses. Students may select from more than 12 AP courses for both high school and college credit.
Milwaukee School of Engineering's STEAM & Dream Summit
Milwaukee is gearing up to host a significant event to inspire and educate its young minds. The STEAM & Dream Summit, scheduled for June 21, 2024, at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, promises to be an enriching experience for middle and high school students. Sponsored by American Family Insurance, this event will provide a unique opportunity for participants to engage in hands-on learning activities and gain valuable skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).
What to know about Wisconsin native Georgia O’Keeffe, the most displayed female artist in U.S. museums
A recent study by online art gallery Singulart found that Wisconsin native Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986) is the most displayed female artist across American museum art collections. Here are answers to some questions that readers might have about O'Keeffe, with an emphasis on her connections to Wisconsin.
Milwaukee Children's Choir is merging with Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
To ensure its survival, the Milwaukee Children's Choir is merging with the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.
Boards of directors of both groups have approved the merger, which takes effect immediately.
"We are grateful to WCM for clearing a path to the continued programming and mission that generations of MCC families have known and loved," choir board president Austyn Alt said in a statement announcing the merger.
Founded in 1994 by composer and educator Emily Crocker, MCC offers choral education and performance experiences for children ages 4 through 18. At its past peak, it served about 450 children, said conservatory president and chief executive officer Eric Tillich.
State Speech Contest announces school awards
Thirty-one Wisconsin schools received recognition for their overall performance at the Wisconsin State Speech Festival. The event was held this year at DeForest Area High School as well as online. This year, more than 3,050 students, representing 300 schools advanced to the State Festival. While most schools participated in person, about a dozen only participated online, but one-third had at least one entry who submitting a video of their performance to be evaluated online.
Green Bay’s creative agencies band together to unify the local arts and business world with the community
Following two research studies and a community-wide effort to merge the arts and business worlds, local organizers learned that the arts and culture sectors in Green Bay are having a bigger economic and community impact than ever before.
Moving forward, the President and CEO of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation said a new initiative will have an even greater impact.
Racine Unified School District receives boost for STEAM education through $25K state grants
The Racine Unified School District is among the 18 Wisconsin school districts selected to receive a significant “fab lab” grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. This $25,000 grant will revolutionize STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education in the district by funding state-of-the-art, high-tech learning facilities.
WASB Wisconsin State Education Convention Student Art Exhibit (Deadline Nov 15)
The Wisconsin Association of School Boards, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Art Education Association and Performance Services, announces the annual Wisconsin Art Exhibits and Awards.
This experience is open to all Wisconsin public school students enrolled in grades 7-12. Join us in showcasing the talent of Wisconsin students!
https://wasb.org/meeting-and-events/convention/request-for-proposals/student-art-exhibit-call/
Request For Student Video Team
The Wisconsin Association of School Boards is seeking a team of two or more talented students to produce a video that highlights some of the exciting events, sessions and performances at the 2025 State Education Convention in Milwaukee, Jan. 22-24, 2025.
https://wasb.org/meeting-and-events/convention/request-for-proposals/convention-student-video-team/
NEA Virtual Listening Session Regarding Dance and Disability in U.S. (Wed, June 5)
The National Endowment for the Arts commissioned AEA Consulting to conduct a study of the dance and disability field in the United States. The study seeks to understand opportunities and barriers Deaf and disabled artists face within the current infrastructure of the dance ecosystem that includes dancers, funders, arts organizations, and non-arts organizations.
As part of this study, AEA Consulting is convening a virtual Listening Session on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 6:00pm ET with practitioners in the field, and we invite you to join us. This Listening Session will be a facilitated discussion of the recent developments, barriers, and opportunities in the field. The specific areas of focus will be decided based on participant feedback in the registration confirmation.
Beautiful Communities: Our Visions for Creative Placemaking (Jun 18, 2024 01:00 PM CT)
The NEA Our Town Creative Placemaking Technical Assistance Program invites you to celebrate how arts and culture have transformed our communities and imagine the future of creative placemaking. National leaders Marty Pottenger, Mark Valdez, and Scott Oshima will guide our conversation, and be joined by additional members of our Resource Team from across the country. Drawing on their experience in the field, they will offer insights on leveraging arts, culture, and creativity to shape community change efforts. Also, NEA Director of Design and Creative Placemaking Ben Stone will share some exciting Our Town program updates. Imagine with us: We’ll take time to co-create in a collective activity, envisioning the future we want to see.
This session is for all who are interested in arts, culture, and community development from all backgrounds and experiences. Join us as we come together to celebrate and spark beautiful possibilities for our communities!
First Nations Studies 2023-2024 Webinar Lecture Series: Songs, Stories, & Lessons Of The Black Wolf
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - American Indian Studies Program in partnership with CESA 12 is offering a unique opportunity to participate in a series of webinars to continue your journey of personal and professional development around First Nations Studies.
Date and Time: Wednesday, June 12, 2024 - 4:30pm -6:00pm | Zoom Video Conference Opens at 4:00pm (Pre-registration Required)
Presenter: Wade Fernandez / Wicīwen Apīs-Mahwaew or Black Wolf (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin), Musical Artist, Educator
Title: Songs, Stories, & Lessons Of The Black Wolf
Description: Join us as Wade Fernandez / Wicīwen Apīs-Mahwaew or Black Wolf willsession will address life lessons and stories learned from Menominee musician and educator, whose career continually takes him internationally from classrooms to concert halls to homes. There will be an emphasis on healing, sharing our gifts freely, and how to influence our students to do the same. The session will also include the creation of a song with participants.
NEA Media Arts Grants
Apply for Grants for Arts Projects FY25
Deadline: July 11, 2024
Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides expansive funding opportunities to strengthen the nation’s arts and culture ecosystem. Grants range from $10,000 to $100,000. All grants require a nonfederal cost share or match of at least 1 to 1. As always, please carefully review the FY25 GAP Media Arts Guidelines for discipline-specific funding priorities and elements for a competitive application.
Watch a recording of the GAP FY25 guidelines webinar, which includes an overview of the funding category and tips for applicants, as well as a Q&A session.
Office Hours with Media Arts Staff
The Media Arts team will hold two virtual office hours sessions as the July GAP deadline approaches. These are public question-and-answer sessions, open to all applicants. Even if you don’t have specific questions, we encourage you to tune in for some valuable grant writing tips.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: An organization may submit only one application per calendar year to the FY 2025 Grants for Arts Projects program. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Musical Canvas from Google Arts & Culture
The Power of Art to Create Change
Carnegie Hall Musical Explorers Program
Carnegie Hall is excited to share a new partnership opportunity for districts around the country to bring Musical Explorers, a program that connects students in grades K–2 to rich and diverse musical communities as they build fundamental music skills through listening, singing, and moving, into your classrooms.
For our 2024-25 season, we are launching a District Partnership Pilot program to support school districts around the country that are looking to join other districts across the country in integrating Musical Explorers into their classrooms and enhance Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education (CRSE) practices in their school communities.
The program will provide your teachers with free, high-quality educational resources— including curriculum materials, professional development, and a wealth of digital resources, ongoing consultation with Carnegie Hall staff, and engagement with Musical Explorers artists through virtual meet and greet sessions —to incorporate culturally authentic music into classrooms, while joining a global network of educators.
If you are interested in learning more about the Musical Explorers District Partnership program, please fill out THIS SURVEY.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions to Gina Izzo, Manager of Musical Explorers, at gizzo@carnegiehall.org.
A Guide to Special Education Terms
A Guide to Special Education Terms
On May 21, EducationWeek published a guide to special education terms. It can be a challenge to navigate the various bills, policies and programs in place that affect this population of students. The article quotes Natasha Strassfeld, an assistant professor in the department of special education at the University of Texas at Austin:
"Even as the field shifts to address workforce shortages, with some states considering extra pay for special education and others eyeing how artificial intelligence could lessen the burden of increased workloads, students with disabilities make up roughly 13 percent of the school population."
Need More Instruments?
Check out this GREAT idea to increase your instrument inventory through donations.
https://sites.google.com/apps.district196.org/bandforall/home
How Many Teachers Are Using AI Tools in the Classroom?
The Rand Corp. and the Center on Reinventing Public Education recently surveyed 1,020 teachers on the use of artificial intelligence tools in the classroom. K-12 Dive published an article explaining the results of the survey.
"Over a year has passed since generative artificial intelligence tools became publicly available, but the use of AI still remains fairly uncommon among K-12 teachers. Just 18% of teachers reported that they used AI tools in their classrooms, and another 15% said they have tried to, as of fall 2023."
Play Make Learn 2024
The Play Make Learn Conference is a place for collaboration and discovery in the design, research and practice of playful learning, games for learning and positive social impact, making and makerspaces, STEAM education, and arts in education. PML creates an inspirational space for preK-12 educators, designers, developers, innovators, librarians, museum professionals, makers, and researchers to tinker together, share knowledge, and celebrate one another’s work.
2024 Play Make Learn Conference
July 18-19, 2024
Memorial Union | 800 Langdon St. | Madison, WI
28th Annual Wisconsin American Indian Studies Summer Institute
Dates: Monday, July 29, 2024 - 12:00 p.m. to Friday, August 2, 2024 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Unity School District - 1908 150th St. Balsam Lake, WI 54810
Registration: Google Form Registration - 28th Annual Wisconsin American Indian Studies Summer Institute
- Early Bird: $250 per person if registered by Friday, May 31, 2024
- Regular: $300 per person if registered by Monday, July 15, 2024
- Late Registration (or onsite): $350 per person for post-deadline registration
Website: CESA 11 - 28th Annual Wisconsin American Indian Studies Summer Institute
WMEA (WI Music Educators Association)
CMP Summer Workshop!
Created and taught by real teachers, this is the authentic professional development experience that will really transform your work. Come experience the energy and excitement of creative, passionate K-12 music teachers, new and veteran, instrumental, general and vocal all in one place.
Watch demonstration classes taught by master teachers
Think about how this model will fit with your particular style and students.
Discuss ideas, ask questions and hear from others all around the country in small group settings.
Create a teaching plan that you can really use.
- A natural fit for professional goals.
- Current educational initiatives are examined from a CMP perspective.
- A perfect mix of inspiring and practical.
Times: Monday, June 24 – Thursday, June 27: 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Friday, June 28: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (specific times to be shared mid-June)
Location: UW-Eau Claire’s Haas Fine Arts Center, 121 Water Street, Eau Claire, WI 54701-4002
WAEA (WI Art Education Association)
WAEA is accepting conference session proposals.
Click here for more information.
Due - June 1, 2024
WDC (WI Dance Council)
Gain valuable knowledge on tap dance with Katherine Kramer, a fantastic instructor who studied with tap legend Ralph Brown
Find the link in our bio or go to www.KatherineKramerProjects.org to register!
Tell A Friend!
TO SUBSCRIBE simply send an email with no message to subscribe-wiartsed@lists.dpi.wi.gov
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.
Disclaimer: Links to third-party websites do not constitute an endorsement by DPI of the content, viewpoint, accuracy, opinions, policies, products, services, or accessibility of the sites.
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