VAPA Newsletter

Norwalk High School had it's annual Dia De Los Muertos event. The afternoon was filled with music, dance, singing, and remembering loved ones. Many clubs attended and sold delicious food. The Art Club and Spanish Dept. built a beautiful ofrenda on the stage.

Photo: Art Teachers, Luis Vega and Mike Hess, stand with a student created ofrenda

Benton beginning and intermediate dancers performed in their first show on October 24th. They danced to Halloween themed songs during lunchtime in the Quad while students cheered them on. These dance pieces were choreographed by the students along with their dance teacher, Crystal Truesdell.

La Mirada HS Art Teachers put together a great display with their art and ceramics students for Dia de Los Muertos. This yearly show is always well attended and this year was no exception. Students played games, enjoyed food, performed on stage, and visited the art gallery to see student art that expressed the cultural importance of this celebration of life.

Students got a spooky thrill when they walked through the GLOW SHOW at Benton on Halloween. Hosted by National Junior Art Honor Society, members gladly gave their time to guide students through the dark with fluorescent flashlights. Vejigante masks, a symbol of Puerto Rican Heritage, lit up the room as they scared away the evil spirits. Optical illusions and 3D sculptures were surrounded by a spooky pumpkin patch. Art students were inspired by Bridget Reilly, Yayoi Kusama, Frida Kahlo and various contemporary Hispanic artists this fall.

Waite Middle School art teacher, Denise Dunphy, was proud to display student artwork at the district office on behalf of her art students. The focus of these groovy pieces was Op Art, creating illusion through line, shading, space, and form.

On October 23rd Benton MS representatives attended the ASN awards at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Benton was one of eleven schools nationwide to earn a 5-year designation as an Art Schools Network Exemplary School. ASN designates exemplary schools in recognition of outstanding efforts in strategically evaluating their purpose, operations, plans, and educational programs. Ms. Robin Ridgeway, Allison McMath and Jennifer Hodge were invited to this celebration at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. where they proudly accepted an award on behalf of the staff and students of Benton Middle School.

Over 5 million people identify as American Indian in the United States. "Since 1990, Congress has authorized an annual presidential proclamation that designates November as National American Indian Heritage Month to encourage all people to learn about the contributions and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the North American continent. Such recognition, however, dates back further with state and organizational recognition of Indigenous peoples days and commemorations occurring at the turn of the twentieth century. For example, Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian and co-founder of the Society of American Indians in 1911, organized American Indian Day beginning in 1915. More recently, Columbus Day, which is recognized on the second Monday of October, has been reclaimed in cities across the United States as Indigenous People's Day." NEH.gov

Check out "VAPA Resources" for Lesson Plans and Guides

Newsletter Background Art

Native North American, Navajo, Rug, Transitional Period 1890-1900

Cleveland Museum of Art

This phrase is most often associated with the Lakota Sioux leader, Sitting Bull, as a call to unity and collective action to secure a better future for their children.This quote is often linked to the time leading up to the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Sitting Bull played a significant role as a leader.

Art Credit:

Sitting Bull, 1986

Andy Warhol

11/13 World Kindness Day

11/15, 11/16, 11/22 & 11/23 Silver's Secret

• 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Benton Middle School MPR

11/20 Benton VAPA Showcase

• Benton Art Gallery, Quad and MPR
• 5:00 - 6:30 PM

11/21 Electricidad Performance New Date!

• 6:00 - 8:00 PM Norwalk High School MPR Theatre

12/4 Waite MS Winter Showcase

• Band, Orchestra, Guitar, Bucket Ensemble, Drama and Art Exhibit
• 5:30 - 7:30 PM Waite MPR

12/6 Benton MS Advanced Winter Music Concert

• 5:30 - 7:30 PM Excelsior

12/8 605 Marching Band Southgate Christmas Parade

• 1:00 PM South Gate

12/11 Benton MS Beginning Music Winter Concert

• 5:00 - 7:00 PM Benton Quad and MPR

12/11 Benton MS Art Exhibit (Hosted by NJAHS)

• Benton Art Gallery 4:15 - 5:00

12/17 Corvallis MS Winter Instrumental Concert

• 6:00- 8:30 PM Corvallis MPR
• 6:00 Advanced Orchestra, Beginning Strings and Jazz Band
• 7:30pm Wind Ensemble, Advanced Band, Beginning Band

12/11 Hutchinson MS Winter Concert Instrumental

• 7:00 - 8:00 PM Excelsior

12/11 Los Alisos MS Winter Concert

• 5:30 - 7:30 PM Los Alisos MPR

• 5:30-6:15 String Orchestra, Beginning Bands

• 6:30-7:30 Guitar Ensemble, Intermediate Band, Advanced Band

12/12 La Mirada HS Winter Concert

• Band and Orchestra
• 6:30 - 8:30 PM La Mirada High School Gym

12/12 Norwalk HS Winter Spectacular Concert

• Choir and Band
• 6:30 - 9:00 PM Excelsior

12/13 Norwalk HS Winter Concert

• 6:30 - 9:00 PM Excelsior

12/16 & 12/17 Benton MS A Christmas Carol Play

• 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Benton MPR

12/19 John Glenn Instrumental Music Concert

• 7:00 - 9:00 PM JGHS MPR

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. Follow the link to find resources from all https://www.nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/

Library of Congress- Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress

EDSITEment- "The best of the humanities on the web"

Historical Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides and Media Resources

Endowment for the Arts

American Indian History and Heritage Teacher's Guide

Image Credit: Portrait from photograph by Fred E. Miller taken on the Apsáalooke (Crow/Absaroke) Reservation in Montana circa 1898-1910. (Source: National Museum of the American Indian, February 2022)

This is a fantastic program that provides theatre and other performing arts texts and multi-media for free through all California libraries and public schools. See the most recent press release with more information here:

PressRelease-2023-10-16-K-12-Online-Resources.pdf (ca.gov)

Fun Free Stuff for Back-to-School: More Access to Online Dance Instruction, Performing Arts, Historical & Current Events Documentaries and Plays

These resources are now available through local libraries. Not only are their videos of key performances (like the National Theatre’s performance of Frankenstein), but the ability to access thousands of scripts through the library … for free … through a computer!

California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) Free Membership Link:

https://schooltheatre.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fb4565cdf50a6a22058468502&id=bf1ffd52b1&e=af7fa91700

California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) Free Membership Link

https://schooltheatre.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fb4565cdf50a6a22058468502&id=bf1ffd52b1&e=af7fa91700

Do you follow CREATE California? Create California is a great resource for finding funding sources outside of the district for field trips and professional development. CC also features lesson plans to help develop future leaders in the arts. Students can explore the intersection between civic engagement and the arts. They can learn about creative expression in visual arts, music, and performance as a stage for social change.

Help us shine a light on the talented VAPA teachers and their students across NLMUSD. The link to report events for the VAPA master calendar, monthly newsletter, and VAPA Instagram account is above. Don't forget to follow VAPA on Instagram @nlmarts. 🎭 🎨 🎶🥁💃

Please contact us for VAPA support! You can book us through Calendly links provided via email.

VAPA Hours - Mondays, alternate Wednesdays & Thursdays

Jennifer Hodge (Visual)

jhodge@nlmusd.k12.ca.us

Jennifer Nitschke (Performing)

jnitschke@nlmusd.k12.ca.us