Meeting of September 18, 2006 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Minutes

Nomi Rosen, the new Coordinator of Fine Arts for the Glen Cove School District was our guest speaker. She is an experienced teacher and director of creative arts education, having worked with schools in NYC and in Westchester. Her goal is to broaden the scope of the arts in our district and to make all the arts program more visible in the community.

Programs already underway include:

• Initiation of a strings program at Connolly and Landing Schools. This program will take place during school hours and be accessible to 3rd graders, eventually to grow into a district-wide program for 3rd through 12th grades.
• Participation in Tilles Center Arts Education program, with several teachers from all four elementary schools attending the teacher training institute this past summer. All district schools will attend performing arts events at Tilles Center.
• Creative Dramatics will be offered to 8th graders not already in band or chorus at the Middle School. This course will be taught by Nomi Rosen, who has an extensive background in theater.
• Theater programs will be heightened at the Middle School and High School.
• Literacy Through the Arts will serve Middle School students after school through the 21st Century Grant.
• 4th grades will visit the Nassau County Museum of Art.

The group discussed many aspects of arts education curriculum and funding including:

• Local, state, and corporate funding
• How to make school arts connections within the community
• A Fine Arts web page on the district website
• A Fine Arts Newsletter
• Suggestions for cultural arts performances and residencies in the schools
• Staffing, especially at the high school
• Professional development for all subject area teachers, making connections with important initiatives such as Project Zero
• Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design
• How experiences in the arts can enhance and enrich all our students.

Submitted by Helen Kotzky