[DOE-Arts] Arts Newsletter #6

[Argy Nestor]

Below and attached is the Arts Newsletter #6- It is very long this  
time, lots of news to share...



ARTS NEWSLETTER #6- 19 APRIL 2007
GREETINGS FROM ARGY’S CUBBY with a view of the STATE HOUSE DOME at  
the Department of Education

ART’S NEWS
I hope your vacation is wonderful!  I didn’t seen much of the  
statehouse dome the last week before school vacation, I spent most of  
it in beautiful Aroostook County visiting schools in Presque Isle,  
Caribou, Fort Fairfield and Fort Kent.  My first stop was the Presque  
Isle Mall where I had the chance to see the artwork from Presque Isle  
Schools and musical performances by students in grades K-12.  It was  
a great example of a long-term partnership with the business world  
and schools.  The mall was crowded with students, school personnel,  
and community members. I went on to visit 16 arts classrooms in 10  
schools, spoke with 8 administrators and met with 24 arts teachers.  
Much to my surprise my last day was a snow day for Fort Kent Schools  
(something that is rare in that part of the state).  Once again I am  
reminded of how much we have to be proud of, teachers doing superb  
work with kids in arts classrooms.  My only disappointment was that I  
didn’t see any moose during my travels.

NEWSLETTER

Three hundred and sixty three (363) people are receiving the Arts  
newsletter through the Arts List-serve.  I am hoping there will be  
400 by June 1st.  If your colleagues are not receiving the newsletter  
and wish to, please email me so I can add them argy.nestor at maine.gov

DANCE EDUCATION WEEK
Let’s celebrate with Maine dance educators National Dance Week-  
April 20-29. www.nationaldanceweek.org ...and World Dance Day is  
April 29!  This year's theme is "Children of the World" www.cid- 
unesco.org  WHOOOO HOOOOO!  Dance up and down the hall, dance in  
class, dance in the teacher’s room, grab a partner or dance alone.   
Just dance!!!

ARTS CONFERENCE-Oct. 5,6, 2007
A state-wide arts conference sponsored by 7 of our professional arts  
organizations in partnership with the Department of Education will  
take place at the Samoset in Rockport.  THANK YOU if you let me know  
of your plans to attend.  If you have not emailed me and think you  
might want to attend, please drop me a note argy.nestor at maine.gov  
before April 26th (our next planning meeting for the conference).  If  
you have communicated with someone in your professional organization,  
please don’t respond to me as well.  We just need a tentative number  
(this is not a definite commitment) to inform the Samoset.


LEGISLATIVE UPDATE-ARTS BILL
Attached is the information on LD 1385- An Act to Strengthen Arts  
Education.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE-SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION
The Appropriations subcommittee on education presented its proposal  
to the full Appropriations Committee on Monday, April 9th.  Attached  
are the details of that Reorganization plan.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR
The arts were well represented recently at the state house while four  
arts teachers were recognized.  Their school districts nominated them  
to be the 2008 Maine Teacher of the Year.  Please send them a note  
and congratulate them.  Music teacher Joe Fagnant, Houlton High  
School, 7 Bird Street, Houlton, 04730; Art teacher Charlie Johnson,  
Mt. Desert Island High School, 1081 Eagle Lake Rd PO Box 180, Mt.  
Desert, 04660; Music teacher George Shabo, Loranger Middle School,  
148 Saco Ave., Old Orchard Beach, 04061; and Music teacher Kris  
Vigue, 199 State St., Stearns High School, Millinocket, 04462.   
Charlie and George have been selected as regional finalists.   
YAHOOOO!  The next step will be a visit to each of their schools from  
the selection committee.  This is a great opportunity for them to  
demonstrate all of the good work that each of you do in your  
classrooms and the integral part the arts play in educating  
children.  We are soooooooo proud of you and wish you well as you  
enter the next phase in the selection process!!

IN THE NEWS
Gray-New Gloucester Middle School Music teacher Gretchen Preneta and  
art teacher Barbara Weed have worked with 6th, 7th and 8th graders to  
create illustrated songbooks filled with traditional Haitian and  
American music. For more information please see the attached article  
(or try the link) from the Portland Press Herald, April 5th. http:// 
pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/local/070405haiti.html
If you are in the news please send me the link argy.nestor at maine.gov

ARTS ARTICLES
Art-Centered School Reform Model Yields Results
http://www.worldandi.com/subscribers/printversion.asp?num=25386

WEB SITES and BLOGS
*** Two web pages with student artwork, ideas and units you might  
want to check out  http://fc.sad57.k12.me.us/~MJHS_Art/  and http:// 
union.msad40.org/art.htm The first is from Lucille C. Hussey, art  
teacher at Massabesic Middle School and the second are pages from  
D.R. Gaul Middle School in Union where I taught for many years.
*** Lisa Gilman has created a blog that is being used to document the  
art work that Winthrop Middle School students are doing in the  
creation of a wall.  Students are working with Lisa, children’s book  
writer Margy Burns Knight, and graduates of Winthrop High School who  
presently attend art school.  If you want to learn more please go to  
Lisa’s blog http://wmsart.blogspot.com/
Anyone else have an arts blog or arts web pages?  Please let me know  
argy.nestor at maine.gov so I can learn more.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
*** Figures of Speech Theatre, a puppet/actor/movement theater based  
in Freeport, is looking for a performer with solid acting skills, a  
good sense of movement, and a flexible schedule to do regional  
touring with Far East - Tales from China and Japan. We'll teach the  
puppetry skills! If you're interested in consideration, please send  
info to Carol Farrell at figures at concentric.net ***Watershed Center  
for the Ceramic Arts, in Newcastle, is seeking an energetic, business  
oriented, Executive Director to steward the organization through its  
next level of expansion.  Applications are due April 30th.  For more  
information please contact: Kate Blacklock, Chair, Executive Director  
Search Committee, kateblacklock at cox.net

If you know of arts teaching positions or other related jobs and  
would like them included in this newsletter please send them to me  
argy.nestor at maine.gov

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
If you are interested please check out the attachment of grant  
opportunities.

Argy’s Arts Blog
Thank you to those that have posted comments on the Arts Blog.  If  
you have not had a chance to go there please do so, read what others  
are saying and post a comment.  Thanks!  http://mearts.edublogs.org/

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
*** Some of you may have seen this product.  Ray Miller and an  
engineer friend created the Hear Fones.  They are designed to give  
you acoustic feedback of your own voice.   Please go to http:// 
www.hearfones.com/ if you are interested in learning more.
*** Songs that Teach is a website with ideas for integrating music  
with other content and a variety of other resources: http://www.sara- 
jordan.com/

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
*** If you are interested in a professional development opportunity  
in technology please email Barbara Greenstone (MLTI specialist)  
bgreenstone at mainelearns.org or me argy.nestor at maine.gov and we can  
make arrangements.
*** MEPAN conference….   Maine Performing Arts Network spring  
conference is taking place outside of Bath, at the Sebasco Harbor  
Resort, May 14 and 15th.   The conference entitled: “Performing Arts  
New England: Building Knowledge & Connections” will bring together  
presenters, artists, and representatives from the National Endowment  
for the Arts (NEA), the New England Foundation for the Arts, and the  
Maine Arts Commission.  Registration and more details are available  
at www.mepan.org.


HONDA’S COOL COMMERCIAL
If you haven’t seen Honda’s cool commercial PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE  
take a minute and click on the link.  It will be well worth your  
time!  For those of you that want to learn more about Honda’s Cool  
Commercial check out the attachment!
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/honda.php

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"In a world that is changing as rapidly as the world is changing  
today, what is really important in a work force is to have creative  
people.  And I can't think of a better way to train people to be  
creative than to train them in the arts.”

Marilda Gandara Alfonso, President and Executive Director, Aetna  
Foundation, Inc.




Make it a great day,
Argy

Argy Nestor
Visual and Performing Arts Specialist
Maine Department of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
624-6825
fax: 624-6821
argy.nestor at maine.gov



  


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