[DOE-Arts] NEWSLETTER #21

[Argy Nestor]


ARTS NEWSLETTER #21- 27 November 2007

GREETINGS FROM ARGY’S CUBBY with a view of the STATE HOUSE DOME at  
the Department of Education

ARTS NEWS

I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I know I have much  
to be grateful for and I thank you for the job you do each day  
teaching art, dance, music and theater!

Two of our visual and performing arts teachers were recently honored  
as regional finalists at the Maine Teacher of the Year banquet held  
at Colby College.  Congratulations to Charlie Johnson, art teacher  
from Mt. Desert island High School and George Shabo, music teacher  
from Loranger Middle School in Old Orchard Beach.

MAINE LEARNING RESULTS- YOUR FEEDBACK IS NEEDED!!

If you attended the “At the Creative Center:  The Arts in Maine  
Schools” conference and participated in the MLR session you had a  
chance to give me your questions and concerns about the recently  
revised standards.  I have collated the information and will be  
answering your questions and posting the answers in the arts  
newsletters and on the MMEA and MAEA websites.  As the Department  
prepares to support Maine educators in their understanding and  
application of the 2007 Maine Learning Results documents, my  
colleagues and I are collecting feedback on the following:

What 2 professional supports would be most helpful to guiding your  
understanding and use of the 2007 Maine Learning Results documents?

Chapter 132- Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction:  
http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/review/peigr.html

PLEASE send me your response by Friday, November 30th!!!!!!  
argy.nestor at maine.gov



NEWSLETTER

I received a question about why there are question marks (?)  
scattered throughout the text in the newsletter.  This happens  
because when I send the newsletter from an iBook the odd punctuation  
is part of the translation to a PC format.  I am also sending it as a  
word document and as .rtf (rich text format) with hopes that everyone  
can open it and read it one way or another.
This electronic arts education newsletter is going to 579 readers.   
This is an increase of 8 from the last newsletter.  You can read back  
issues by clicking on: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/doe-arts/
If you know of someone who would like to receive the newsletter  
please have them email me at: argy.nestor at maine.gov


DIGITAL CAMERAS AVAILABLE

Nine Canon Power Shot A630 8MP Cameras are available for arts  
educators to borrow for up to two weeks.  Please contact me  
argy.nestor at maine.gov if you are interested and I will send you the  
details.



PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

·      November 30th is the deadline to apply for the Maine Arts  
Teachers Fellowship Program for $5,000 Grant to support arts  
educators to support personal artistic development for teachers of  
K-12. Maine Alliance for Arts Education and the Maine Community  
Foundation will award eight fellowships.  If interested contact David  
Lamon at fellowship at maineartseducation.org and learn more at  
www.maineartseducation.org

MLTI High School Regional Professional Development sessions for the  
use of the new MacBook’s.  The goals are: 1) Practice using three  
universal literacy strategies and 2) Practice ways to develop content  
for lesions using NoteShare, iTunes, podcasting and Studywiz.  Please  
register at: http://www.maine.gov/mlti/educator
EXTENDING THE DANCE MAP: A NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND RURAL DANCE PROJECT-  
Teachers, dance educators, and dance artists are invited to  
participate in a four-day professional development opportunity in  
dance and movement education.  The overall goal is to make dance part  
of classroom curriculum and more available in public schools.  The  
professional development opportunities will take place on January 13,  
14, February 3, 4.  If you are interested in participating or have  
questions please email Nancy Salmon ncsalmon at suscom-maine.net  
207-865-4311 or www.aannh.org and request an application.

GRANT OPPORTUNITY

NAMM Foundation announces grant opportunities on their website at  
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=193800059
NAMM is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing active  
participation in music making by people of all ages.

INTERESTED IN TRAVELING TO JAPAN?
If you are interested in traveling to Japan with the Fulbright  
Memorial Fund program online applications are due December 15th.  You  
can access information and the application at http:// 
www.fulbrightmemorialfund.jp/






PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

The professional organizations for arts education in Maine are  
outstanding.  If you are not a member I urge you to join.  Membership  
information and more is available at the organization websites:
Maine Alliance for Arts Education http://www.maineartseducation.org/
Maine Music Educators Association http://www.mainemmea.org/
Maine Art Education Association http://www.mainearted.org/
Maine Drama Council http://invserv.fivetowns.net/chrhs/StromAud/MDC/
VIENNA VEGETABLE ORCHESTRA

No explanation needed… just click on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpfYt7vRHuY


IN THE NEWS

Released on November 12th was a Harris Poll linking Music Education  
to Advanced Studies and Higher Income.  You can read more at Harris  
Poll on the impact of music education on our society on a special Web  
site. MENC Executive Director John Mahlmann and music education  
advocate Steven Van Zandt (Bruce Springsteen band member and "The  
Sopranos" star) spoke at the press conference.

PORTAPORTAL

Please check out my porta portal at http://portaportal.com.  On the  
right side of the screen find the words “Guest Access”.  Below  
that, under the words “Guest Name” in the box type: meartsed.  To  
the right of that click “Visit”.  There are many links to websites  
for you to use.   If you have any sites you’d like to share, I will  
add them, please send them along to me argy.nestor at maine.gov
I just added a cool music site called soundjunction that I think  
teachers will find very useful.  Students can listen, explore,  
discover, and create.  Go to the blog section called music education  
to find it.

ARGY’S ARTS BLOG

Thank you to those who have gone to the blog and posted comments.  I  
invite each of you to read those comments and participate in the  
conversation. http://mearts.edublogs.org/

Another topic… When I was in the classroom teaching daily I often  
felt that I had the best job in the world.  This time of the year is  
a time for reflection… how fortunate we are to do the work of  
bringing the arts to students everyday.  So, as an act of  
Thanksgiving please go to the blog and tell us one good piece of work  
you’ve been busy with and for which you are grateful.

To use the arts blog please follow these directions: Click on http:// 
mearts.edublogs.org/ Each comment you see is a different topic that  
has been posted for you to read and/or respond to.  At the bottom of  
the topic you see the number of “comments”.  Click on the word  
“comments”.  At the bottom of this page you need to fill in the  
boxes (not necessary to fill in “website” box) and in the large  
space type in your comment and than hit “Submit Comment”.  The  
comment goes to me and I approve the comments before they can be posted.

HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE STUDENTS FIGHT HUNGER IN NATIONAL FOOD COLLECTION  
DRIVE
The International Thespian Society is a division of the Educational  
Theatre Association and has just completed its fifth year of its  
national community service initiative, Trick or Treat So Kids Can  
Eat.  To learn more about this program please go to www.tots-eat.org

CONGRATULATIONS

I received an email from Joe Fagnant, Music Chairperson, MSAD #29,  
Houlton with great news…. $2.5 million will go towards the Houlton  
Community Arts Center and an expansion of the fine arts wing at  
Houlton High School.  New space will be created for band, chorus,  
art, theater, and dance.

MEETINGS

Maine Band Directors Forum Sunday, Bowdoin College, January 20, the

Chapel (Room 106 - Bannister), from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.



CURRICULUM INTEGRATION

Here are two good sites for learning more about curriculum  
integration.  http://www.tki.org.nz/r/integration/interact/ 
communicate/faqs/faqs_e.php
http://www.rdpsd.ab.ca/~ted_hutchings/Integration

UPCOMING EVENTS

Take a look at the Center Theater website for upcoming offerings  
www.centertheatre.org





QUOTE OF THE NEWSLETTER

"Good noise means learning. Bad noise means the children are out of  
control. No noise means adults don't understand the nature of children."

  - Harlen Hansen, University of Minnesota


Make it a great December,
Argy
Argy Nestor
Visual and Performing Arts Specialist
Maine Department of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
207-624-6825
fax: 207-624-6821
argy.nestor at maine.gov


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