<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Dear Arts Education Colleagues:</font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Have you heard about the Maine arts education census?</font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Have you filled yours out yet?</font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">It's not too late - and now is the time!</font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">PLEASE help your school be counted.</span></font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">The Maine Department of Education has been working with Maine Alliance for Arts Education (MAAE) to gather information from arts educators around the state. We need to document what's happening-- what we have and what we need to ensure quality arts programming in every region of Maine. With this, we will be able to provide information to state legislators, parents, administrators and advocates about whether the students in their districts have the opportunities they should have to study the arts.</font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><b>How can the survey help Maine?</b></font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">In these times of great change and uncertainty, every bit of hard data helps us make the case for strengthening public and legislative support and funding for arts education programs. When California completed a similar arts survey in 2006, advocates</font><font face="Times New Roman" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> </font><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">were able to use the data they had gathered with state legislators to successfully advocate with state legislators for $105 million in ongoing funding for visual and performing arts and $500 million in one-time funding for physical education and visual and performing arts.</font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><b>How can the survey help you?</b></font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Many teachers who have completed the survey have enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on classroom practice, school programming, and possibilities for new programs. In the words of Penny Ricker, K-8 visual arts teacher from Blue Hill Consolidated School: <i>"Doing the Census helped to broaden my view of what my program could include. I am a new teacher and the survey really made me think what I wanted to offer students and how to get the money for it."</i></font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><b>What can you do?</b></font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Fill out the survey. Encourage your colleagues to do the same. We are hoping to hear from every teacher whose main teaching responsibility and intention at their school(s) is the artform they teach (dance, music, theater, and visual art). We are <u>especially</u> in need of data from </font><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#DD0000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(221, 0, 0); ">Aroostook, Oxford, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, </font><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">and</font><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#DD0000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(221, 0, 0); ">Washington</font><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> counties.</font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">You can go to the Maine Alliance for Arts Education website</font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#0000DD" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 221); ">(</font><a href="http://www.maineartseducation.org/" target="_blank"><font face="Arial" size="+0" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; ">www.maineartseducation.org</font></a><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#0000DD" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 221); ">)</font><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> and fill the survey out online. Or, you can print the appropriate attached survey (either elementary or high school) and mail your hard copy to:</font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Jen Ryan, MAAE Census Consultant</font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">PO Box 8478</font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Portland, ME 04104</font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Once you've completed the survey, be sure to check the link at </font></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><a href="http://www.maineartseducation.org/" target="_blank"><font face="Arial" size="+0" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; ">www.maineartseducation.org</font></a><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> for the treats MAAE and Maine's arts and cultural organizations are providing for Census participants!</font><font face="Times New Roman" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> </font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">If you've already done the survey, thanks! If not, now's your chance. We have until mid-April to complete this work. I hope we can count on your help.</font></div><br><div align="left" style="text-align: left; "><font face="Arial" size="+0" color="#000000" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">With much appreciation,</font></div><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div>Make it a great day,</div><div>Argy</div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div>Argy Nestor</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Visual and Performing Arts Specialist</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><a href="http://meartsed.wordpress.com/">http://meartsed.wordpress.com/</a></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Maine Department of Education</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">23 State House Station</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Augusta, ME 04333-0023</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">207-624-6825</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">fax: 207-624-6821</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="mailto:argy.nestor@maine.gov">argy.nestor@maine.gov</a></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><a href="http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa/">http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa/</a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; 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