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Arts Education Learning Exchange

This three day event opened the doors of two school districts and their nonprofit partners who have prioritized arts education to improve student success. Participants were immersed in and learnt directly from these national models for equitably expanding access to the arts in schools.

In June, Chula Vista Elementary School District culminated its five year partnership with San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory by hiring over 70 credentialed visual and performing arts teachers for the current school year. All 30,000 students in the district now receive instruction in music, theater, dance, visual arts or media arts.

San Diego Unified School District’s Title I Arts Integration Initiative, “Learning Through the Arts,” is reaching students in 22 schools with a coordinated arts integration system that couples nonprofits and teaching artists with classroom teachers. This instruction is underpinned with substantial professional development and evaluation efforts to strengthen results.


El Sistema Pre-Workshop – March 16 at 12:00pm

San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS) has worked with Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) since 2010 to rebuild its arts education infrastructure and rally community support. Spend the afternoon at SDYS’ Community Opus Project Spring Camp with students, teaching artists, and parents to learn how SDYS has used El Sistema principles to build momentum for restoration of arts education in a school district with zero certified arts teachers.

Through a combination of presentations, interactive sessions, and program observations attendees will learn how SDYS’ methods can be utilized in their schools and communities. The Workshop will deepen the knowledge and experience shared during the recent National Endowment for the Arts webinar featuring leaders from CVESD and SDYS outlining the growth and impact of their collaboration.

12:00pm – 7:15pm
Presentations, Case Study Workshops, Bites and Beats Potluck and Performance

Chula Vista Elementary School District – March 17 

Spend the day in Chula Vista learning how it is managing the restoration of arts education after a fifteen year absence from schools. Visit school campuses to observe instruction and hear from principals and parents. Learn the importance of creating a Visual and Performing Arts Strategic Plan and how California’s new Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP) open the door for directing more resources to arts education while supporting other learning objectives.

7:30am – 2:30pm
Superintendent Presentation, Panels, School Site visits, Small and Large Group Discussions

6:00pm – 8:00pm
Celebration of Arts Education and Reception, The San Diego Museum of Arts, Balboa Park

San Diego Unified School District – March 18

The last day will be an immersion in San Diego Unified’s “Learning Through the Arts” Title I Arts Integration Initiative. In partnership with Young Audiences of San Diego and numerous arts and culture organizations, teaching artists are working alongside classroom teachers to advance learning in multiple subjects through the arts.

Activities will include observations of teaching artist and classroom teacher collaboration, hearing from district leaders about why they are directing Title I dollars to the project, and learning what planning, professional development and evaluation has been undertaken to support implementation. This effort aligns with the resources created by the California Alliance for Arts Education to highlight the value of arts education toward reaching Title I learning goals.

7:30am – 2:30pm
Superintendent Presentation, Panels, School Site visits, Small and Large Group Discussions

San Diego County Arts Education Celebration – March 17 at 6:00pm

All Learning Exchange attendees are invited to join California Alliance for Arts Education as it recognizes the role San Diego has taken in leading a national conversation about the critical importance of arts education in student learning. This one hour event will feature student performers, celebrities, and civic leaders representing the districts that have adopted Visual and Performing Arts Strategic Plans. The evening’s festivities will conclude with a reception for all.


Speakers:
 
 Wednesday, March 16, 2016
  • Lauren Shelton, VAPA Coordinator, CVESD
  • Annette Fritzsche, Community Program Manager, San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory (SDYS)
  • Dalouge Smith, President & CEO, SDYS
  • Gabby Garcia, parent of two 8th grade and 7th grade musicians in Community Opus Project and SDYS
  • Roberto Gonzalez, parent of 8th grade violinist in Community Opus Project and SDYS
  • Eric Chappell, Parent of a 7th grader in Community Opus Project and SDYS
  • Griselda Delgado, Principal, Hilltop Middle School
  • Diego Guerra, 12th Grader and violist in SDYS
  • Bruno Bello, 8th Grader and cellist in Community Opus Project and SDYS
  • Kate Bucher, 8th Grader and cellist in Community Opus Project
  • Lara Moore, Strings Teaching Artist, Community Opus Project and SDYS
  • Sidney Yin, Associate Director of Conservatory Programs, SDYS
  • Jaclyn Rudderow, Program Director, VH1 Save The Music Foundation
  • Eric Booth, Teaching Artist & Publisher, The Ensemble El Sistema Newsletter
  • Amber Weber, Deputy Director, SDYS
Thursday, March 17, 2016 
  • Francisco Escobedo, Superintendent CVESD
  • Eduardo Reyes, School Board President, CVESD
  • Gloria Ciriza, Executive Director for Instruction, CVESD
  • Lauren Shelton, VAPA Coordinator, CVESD
  • Heather Noonan, VP for Advocacy, League of American Orchestras
  • Jaclyn Rudderow, Program and Communications Manager, VH1 Save The Music Foundation
  • Eric Booth, Teaching Artist & Publisher, The Ensemble El Sistema Newsletter
  • Dalouge Smith, President & CEO, San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory
  • Annette Fritzsche, Community Program Manager, San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory
  • Griselda Delgado, Member, Southwestern College Board and Principal, Hilltop Middle School
  • Margarita Holguin, Executive Director, Chula Vista Community Collaborative
  • Elsje Kibler-Vermass, Director of Master of Arts in Teaching, Longy School of Music at Bard College
  • Cristina Pacheco, Advocacy Manager, Arts for LA

 Friday, March 18, 2016 

  • Cindy Marten, Superintendent, SDUSD
  • Russ Sperling, VAPA Director, SDUSD
  • Joe Landon, Executive Director, California Alliance for Arts Education
  • Caroline King, Project Leader, SDUSD, Learning Through the Arts
  • Tara Graviss, Executive Director, Arts for Learning San Diego
  • Laura Smyth, Lead Consultant, Title I Arts Initiative
  • Dr. Linda Gohlke, Program Design and Program Evaluation for Title I Arts Integration project, Learning Through the Arts
  • Dr. Merryl Goldberg, Arts Integration Specialist, CSU San Marcos
  • Ana Biffle, Principal, Euclid Elementary
  • Cecelia Kouma, Executive Director, Playwright’s Project, Creative Performing Media Arts (CPMA) Middle School & Walker Elementary
  • Ann Davis, Teaching Artist, A4LSD, Garfield & Freese Elementary Schools
  • Andre Maglalang, Teacher, 9th Grade Social Studies, SD Early Middle College
  • Karen Ellsworth, Teacher, Euclid Elementary
  • Ana Biffle, Principal, Euclid Elementary
  • Lillie McMillan, Principal, Porter Elementary
  • Joe Austin, Principal, Hoover High School
  • Laurie Schell, Director, Music Makes Us, Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Myran Parker-Brass, Executive Director for the Arts, Boston Public Schools
  • Sandra Ruppert, Consultant & Former Director, Arts Education Partnership, Denver, Colorado
San Diego Youth Symphony