ARTS ACTIVE PARENT
February 1, 2007 Volume 2, Issue 6
Monthly Newsletter of the Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership
Alameda County Office of
Education Sheila Jordan, Superintendent
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| Dear
Alameda County Parents,
How do we achieve the social
changes we want to see, so that our children can grow and live in
a healthier world? In a democracy, we have the right and the responsibility
to vote for what we think is right and equitable and thus make our
wishes known to leaders we have elected. But in all human communities,
the most powerful force for change comes not from the top but from
the bottom, not in public discourse by top officials, but in everyday
communications between ordinary people.
In the Alliance for Arts
Learning Leadership, we believe in a concept we call Communicating
for Motivating Change. When you talk about what is important to
you, you become a powerful agent of your own social change movement.
As an arts education advocate who is speaking honestly from your
own life and experience, you shift the power away from outside "experts"
and help refocus your community on what really matters to all of
us: The well-being of our children and the future of our society.
One person talking about
his or her experiences and beliefs about arts education can be a
powerful agent of change. A group of people who come together and
agree on some shared beliefs can be a force that is unstoppable.
We are poised on the edge of our future, and we have the power to
decide what will happen with our public education system. Will it
collapse under the weight of testing and accountability mandates?
Or can we refocus it to give all our students the tools and life
skills they need to dispel ignorance, see what is, imagine what
is possible, and realize their potential and that of their community
and society?
In this newsletter, you
see the Arts Learning Belief Statement that Arts Active Parents
like you developed in a workshop in January 2007. Please read it
carefully and think about the fact that every word expresses the
shared values of a group of people who live in your community. Powerful,
isn't it?
This month, I'd like to
ask you to do two things:
• If you agree
with the Arts Learning Belief Statement in this newsletter,
and would like to be a signer along with the people who wrote it,
simply reply to this email with the words "I Agree" in
the subject line. Also please let me know how you would like your
name listed, and what school and/or professional affiliations you
would like attached. Your name will appear on our website with the
statement, and be in the packets we deliver to legislators later
this spring.
• Have this
conversation with your own group! For links to some materials
that may help you get started with a Belief Statement Workshop,
visit our Arts Active Parent home page.
If you have questions, or would like to invite an outside helper
or facilitator who has experienced the process, please let me
know. We are inviting all kinds of formal and informal organizations
in Alameda County to submit their own Arts Learning Belief Statements
that reflect their own experiences and points of view. Whether your
group is a big formal PTA, or an arts subcommittee, or another education-focused
group, or another kind of non-profit organization - or a book club,
moms in a playgroup, or just two or three friends and neighbors
- we welcome your statements. Talk together about what you believe
about arts learning, and tell your stories. Find points in common
and write them down. Then send the final product, with the name
of the group and the names and affiliations of the signers, to me.
You are instantly part of an important social change movement, and
your words and ideas will have propelled us further toward our goal
of equitable and excellent education for every child, in every school,
every day.
SAVE
THE DATE
Saturday, March 3 -
Arts Active Parent Leadership Council Meeting
We're planning a morning meeting, probably starting at 10 a.m.,
when parents and community members can come together and plan
some ways that people can work together, across school and district
lines, to enrich all our children's lives with excellent and
equitable arts programs. Details will follow soon. |
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PARENTS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
ARTS ACTIVE PARENTS OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
The
following Arts Learning Belief Statement was developed by a group
of parents and community members representing more than a dozen
schools in three districts. Photo shows the workshop at the Oakland
Museum of California, led by Sabrina Klein. For information about
how to write a belief statement with your own group, click here.
| We
are Arts Active Parents of Alameda County.
We
believe in a world where people can see and understand that
creativity is the solution for problems. We believe that through
creative collective problem-solving, we are influential in
building a whole and vibrant society. We believe that life
and participation in various endeavors is about taking risks
and not always staying within the lines. We want our students
to become whole, happy, empowered individuals, taking their
place in an equitable society. And we believe that equitable
access to arts learning for ALL students in our County is
an essential path to achieving this vision.
We
believe that Art IS Education. Arts learning honors the gifts
that all children have and creates a stronger community. Arts
learning brings us greater sensitivity to the needs of others
and teaches us to offer our gifts in service to others while
celebrating our own individuality and self-responsibility.
Arts learning promotes interdependence, investigation, and
curiosity. The whole community benefits when our children
grow to become conscious, informed, respectful, engaged, compassionate
and happy adults.
This
statement written and signed by the following members of our
community (in alphabetical order): Randolph Belle
(City of Oakland Arts Advisory Task Force & Support Oakland
Artists), Brynnda Collins (Emery Secondary
Parent & Community Outreach Coordinator for Emery Schools),
Kathy DeRosas (Edna Brewer Middle School
Parent), Patricia Denn (Former Skyline High
School Parent & Performing Arts Committee), Vena
Geasa (Claremont Middle School Visual Art Teacher),
Adelpha Gill (Anna Yates Elementary School
Parent), Lourdes Haro (Tilden School Parent),
Amana Harris (Chabot Elementary School Parent
& Director of ArtEsteem at the Attitudinal Healing Connection),
Julie Harris (PTA President at Claremont
Middle School & Oakland Technical High School Parent),
Ophelia Jayme (Montera Middle School Parent
& Skyline Performing Arts Committee), Kathy Kahn
(Former Skyline Performing Arts Committee Co-chair & Arts
Active Parent Coordinator for Alameda County Office of Education),
Sabrina Klein (Beacon School Parent &
Creative Education Consulting), Lisa B. Lee
(Edna Brewer Middle School Parent), Dr. Sonia BasSheva
Manjon (Chabot Elementary School Parent & Director
of the CCA Center for Art and Public Life), Regina
Mouton (KIPP Bridge College Preparatory School Parent),
Louise Music (BHS Arts & Humanities Academy
Parent & Arts Learning Coordinator, Alameda County Office
of Education), Karen Nelson (Art Interpretive
Specialist, Oakland Museum of California), Jean Parker
(Peralta Elementary School Parent), Cassia Reim
(Educator, Lawrence Hall of Science), Rosemary Richie
(BAESC - Berkeley Arts in Education Steering Committee &
Former Berkeley High Parent), Laura Sherman
(Kaiser Elementary School Parent & K-3 Music Teacher),
Wanda Stewart (BHS Arts & Humanities
Academy Parent), Christopher Waters (Peralta
Elementary School Parent), Pat Williams (PTSA
President at Edna Brewer Middle School & Oakland Technical
High School parent)
If you would like to sign it, too, just send your name to
aparents@artiseducation.org. |
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FREE
AND INEXPENSIVE THINGS FOR FAMILIES TO DO IN FEBRUARY
PLEASE note that some activities are most appropriate for
preschoolers, some for high schoolers, and some for another
age group or for all. To see more details about these events,
as well as other events during the month of February and
beyond, visit our
event page.
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Photos
are of families who participate in the 100 Families Project,
courtesy of California College of the Arts and the Center
for Art and Public Life.
INEXPENSIVE
100 Families Oakland: Art and Social Change
Exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California, daily through
April 22, 2007
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland
See museum website for admission prices, free days, and special
family programs.
www.museumca.org/exhibit/exhi_100_families.html
INEXPENSIVE
Circus! Science Under The Big Top at the Lawrence Hall of
Science
Every day. Museum is open daily 10-5, admission $9.50 adults,
$7.50 students.
Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive, Berkeley
www.lawrencehallofscience.org
INEXPENSIVE
"The Trial" by Lucile Green at Black Repertory Theater
February 4, 7 p.m., in honor of Black History Month
General Admission, $15; Students $10, tickets (510)533-3204
3201 Adeline Street, Berkeley
Featuring performances from students at East Oakland Community
High School
INEXPENSIVE
- Week of Valentines
Feb 7 through Feb 14, Admission $6 children, $5 adult. One
free admission pass if you bring valentine-making art supplies.
Check website for hours.
Habitot Children's Museum, 2065 Kittredge Street, Berkeley
http://www.habitot.org
FREE
18th Annual Children's Book Illustrators Exhibit and The Wonderful,
Colorful World of Cray Pas, a National Children's Art Competition
Exhibit opens Feb 8 and runs through May 25
Sun Gallery, 1015 E. Street, Hayward
http://www.sungallery.org
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FREE
- 5th Annual Oakland Public Schools Jazz Festival
Feb 8, Public Performance 7 p.m. at Skyline High
Featuring musicians from Bret Harte Middle, Claremont Middle,
Edna Brewer Middle, Elmhurst Middle, Montera Middle, Oakland
High, Oakland Technical High, Skyline High, Westlake Middle
AND performing for the first time anywhere, the Oakland Music
Teachers' Big Band. If you have a child studying music in
an Oakland school, this is the Big Event. Everyone welcome!
Rawley T. Farnsworth Theater at Skyline High School, 12250
Skyline Blvd., Oakland
http://webportal.ousd.k12.ca.us
Photo
below is the 2006 OUSD Jazz Festival "Very Big Band"
composed of about 200 musicians from 8 different middle and
high schools.
FREE
Admission Day at Habitot Children's Museum - Lunar New Year
Celebration!
Feb 18, 11:00-5:00
Habitot Children's Museum, 2065 Kittredge Street, Berkeley
http://www.habitot.org
INEXPENSIVE
4th Annual Dance IS Festival at the Julia Morgan Center
March 2-3, performances 8 p.m., Tickets $10 general, $5 children/students/seniors
Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave
info@danceisfestival.org
http://www.juliamorgan.org/#upcoming
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ALAMEDA
COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR ARTS LEARNING LEADERSHIP
The
8-year old Alliance has attracted much funding and attention to
Alameda County, and has united schools and school districts, colleges
and universities, arts organizations and teaching artists, parents
and community, and business and service organizations, to help
expand arts learning experiences to grow strong communities, schools
and students.
For
information about the Alameda County Alliance for Arts Learning
Leadership, how it supports arts education in public schools,
and how to get involved, visit www.artiseducation.org.
If you know of people who would be interested in receiving this
newsletter, please ask them to send me their email addresses.
We
gratefully acknowledge the Walter and Elise Haas Fund for sponsoring
the Arts Learning Parent Involvement Project to create stronger
ties between homes and schools around the arts.
Kathy
Kahn, Arts Active Parent Coordinator
Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership
Alameda County Office of Education
artsactiveparents@artiseducation.org
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