Hand Middle School

Comprehensive Arts Education Plan

2008 -2011

A. 1. The mission of Hand Middle School’s three-year strategic plan for the arts is to foster the development of life-long learners by making connections in and through the arts.

Beliefs:

1. Every student should have arts instruction.

2. Arts instruction establishes connections among all subject areas enabling students to perform better academically.

3. Improving one’s artistic skills elevates esteem by affording students opportunities to demonstrate success that they might not otherwise experience.

4. Arts instruction brings together students of diverse backgrounds and socio-economic levels.

5. Arts instruction supports a variety of diverse learning styles.

5. An effective integrated lesson addresses standards of multiple subjects.

7. Teachers need support to integrate the arts.

7. Most effective learning occurs when teachers and students learn together.

Hand Middle School

Comprehensive Arts Education Plan

2008 -2011

A. 2. – 4.

Goal I: To strengthen the current curricula, instruction and assessment in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts based on the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards.

Strategy A: Offer professional development for visual and performing arts teachers

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Send 100% of the visual and performing arts teachers to CLIA	Arts teachers	2010		DAP grant
2.. Provide funds for visual and performing arts teachers to attend state conferences and workshops	Arts teachers	Yearly		On-going
3. Provide funds for visual and performing arts teachers to observe highly qualified arts teachers at other schools	Arts teachers	Yearly		On-going

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. CLIA records, CLIA lesson plans in all arts areas, report to Renaissance Team
2. 100% of visual and performing arts teachers will submit records of conference / workshop attendance and report to the Renaissance Team a minimum of once per year.
3. Reports to Renaissance Team

Goal I: To strengthen the current curricula, instruction and assessment in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts based on the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards.

Strategy B: Acquire equipment and materials for visual and performing arts instruction

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Acquire and install stereo audio equipment in each of the performing arts classrooms	Brian McCants and Arts Teachers	2009		DAP grant
2. Establish an Arts Technology Center with computers, MIDI keyboards and appropriate software to accommodate a minimum of 30 students	Brian McCants and Arts Teachers	2011		DAP grant
3. Determine equipment needs for new lecture hall space, and acquire necessary materials	Principal Designee and Arts Teachers	2010		School budget, grants, fundraisers

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Installation of new equipment and lesson plans which reflect its use
2. New computer lab, schedules sowing use by arts classes, lesson plans reflecting arts computer lab use
3. Teacher survey / OTL surveys / Installation of new equipment

Goal I: To strengthen the current curricula, instruction and assessment in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts based on the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards.

Strategy C: Increase the number of guest artists utilized in the visual and performing arts classes

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Develop criteria to select guest arts specialists to include: understanding of the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards, knowledge of the developmental stages of middle school students, proficiency in the art form, and a plan for supervision	Arts Teachers	2008	None	N/A
2. Determine need for guest artists within the curricula of the visual and performing arts	Arts Teachers	2008	None	N/A
3. Determine how available funds will be divided among arts areas to best meet the needs of the curricula, and appropriate arts specialists	Arts Teachers	Yearly	TBD	Grants, fundraisers

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Rubrics
2. Teacher survey
3. Record of fund allocation

Goal I: To strengthen the current curricula, instruction and assessment in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts based on the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards.

Strategy D: Organize and produce an annual collaborative arts performance

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Establish criteria for selection of students	Arts Teachers	2009	None	N/A
2. Develop thematic materials annually	Arts Teachers and guest artists	Yearly	TBD	Grants, fundraisers
3. Determine appropriate venues for annual performances	Administration and Arts Teachers	Yearly	TBD	Grants, fundraisers, school budget

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. List of criteria for each art area
2. Final product
3. Video documentation

Goal II: To strengthen the arts-infused environment throughout the school

Strategy A: Employ an Arts Curriculum Resource teacher

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Develop a detailed job description to include: supervision of grants, assistance with collaborative planning, organization of arts resources, and ordering of art-integration materials	Renaissance Team	2010	None	N/A
2.. Assign a minimum of .5 FTE for the position	Principal	2011	TBA –dependent upon experience	School budget
3. Select a qualified person to fill the position	Principal, Renaissance Team Representatives	2011	None	N/A

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Job description
2. Staffing records
3. Staffing records

Goal II: To strengthen the arts-infused environment throughout the school

Strategy B: Strengthen arts connections with on-campus committees

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Promote the inclusion of arts in the objectives of the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Committee	J. Kirkland	2008	None	N/A
2.. Promote the inclusion of arts in the objectives of the Literacy Team	N. Long	2008	None	N/A
3. Promote the inclusion of arts in other committees and events as opportunities arise	Renaissance Team Representatives	On-going	TBD	School budget, grants, fundraisers

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. AYP Committee notes
2. Literacy Team meeting notes
3. Photo documentation of art inclusion in events

Goal II: To strengthen the arts-infused environment throughout the school

Strategy C: Organize more family arts experiences

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Invite families to participate in on-campus arts activities led by guest artists	Renaissance Team PTA representatives	On-going	None	N/A
2. Invite families to participate in on-campus arts activities led by teachers across the curriculum	Renaissance Team PTA representatives	On-going	None	N/A
3. Organize after-school, evening, and weekend arts field experiences for families	Renaissance Team P. Fram PTA representatives	On-going	TBD	Grants, fundraisers

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Photo documentation of family participation, parent surveys
2. Photo documentation of family participation, parent surveys
3. Photo documentation of family participation, parent surveys

Goal II: To strengthen the arts-infused environment throughout the school

Strategy D: Increase the quantity and quality of environmental arts on the campus

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Send representatives to Brookgreen Gardens to work with the educational outreach coordinator to investigate ways to integrate visual and performing arts with gardening arts	Renaissance Team C. Kuzma P. Pantsari	2009	TBD	Grants, school budget
2. Work with the Hand Education Foundation to establish performance spaces at Emily Douglas Park	Renaissance Team K. Conder M. Schweickert	2010	TBD	Hand Education Foundation
3. Utilize teachers and guest artists to work with students to create environmental arts – i.e. sculpture gardens, mosaics	Renaissance Team S. Turlington E. Williams	On-going	TBD	School budget, grants, fundraisers
4. Create site-specific arts performances in newly-created garden spaces on the campus	Renaissance Team K. Conder B. McCants	On-going	TBD	Grants, fundraisers
5. Analyze standards of all content areas to emphasize connections with environmental arts	Renaissance Team C. Fletcher	On-going	None	N/A

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Report to Renaissance Team
2. Minutes from Education Foundation meetings and collborations
3. New garden spaces
4. Video documentation of performances (These videos will also be used in new student showcase areas such as video displays in the cafeteria.)
5. Lesson plans in all subject areas

Goal III: To empower all staff in arts-infused curricula

Strategy A: Increase the quantity and quality of collaborative planning

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Develop standards for teachers across the curriculum to assess arts performances and products	Arts Teachers	2008	None	N/A
2. Utilize E-chalk to facilitate an on-going online discussion among teachers about arts integration	S. McCants	2008	None	N/A
3. Utilize one day per week of team planning time to discuss collaborative projects	Principal CRT	2008	None	N/A
4. Develop lessons in which arts students can share and experience the creative processes used in other arts disciplines	Arts teachers Renaissance Team	2008	None	N/A

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Rubrics from each art area
2. Record of E-chalk blogs
3. Team meeting minutes
4. Lesson plans

Goal III: To empower all staff in arts-infused curricula

Strategy B: Increase the quantity and quality of professional development in arts integration

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Conduct arts integration training for teachers new to Hand to include Annenburg Connecting With the Arts videos and examples of past successful integrations	Renaissance Team T. Thomas	On-going	TBD based on number of teachers	grants
2.. Utilize guest artists to conduct teacher workshops on professional development days	Renaissance Team H. Schell	On-going	TBD	ABC grants
3. Utilize arts specialists on the faculty to conduct teacher workshops on professional development days	Renaissance Team S. Turlington	On-going	None	N/A

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Agenda for training, survey of teachers
2. Photo documentation and reflections from teachers
3. Photo documentation and reflections from teachers

Goal IV: To foster the creative potential of all students

Strategy A: Develop an after-school arts program

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Research the educational outreach program s of the Kennedy Center to determine the most effective ways to launch an after-school arts program.	Renaissance Team B. Rogers	2009	TBD	Grants (20^th Century?)
2. Develop criteria to select teachers to include: understanding of the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards, knowledge of the developmental stages of middle school students, proficiency in the art form, and a plan for supervision	Arts Teachers	2009	None	N/A
3. Determine the operating costs, fee plans, and schedule of courses	Renaissance Team B. Rogers	2009	TBD	grants

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. E-mail messages, record of phone conversations
2. Job descriptions to be used when contracting teachers
3. Schedule of courses and fees

Goal IV: To foster the creative potential of all students

Strategy B: Increase the quality and quantity of guest artists

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Network with other ABC sites to create a roster of artists that would most effectively enhance the curricula at Hand Middle School	Renaissance Team K. Conder	On-going	None	N/A
2. Seek additional grants to fund a greater number of guest artists	Renaissance Team J. Bjorn	On-going	None	N/A
3. Better utilize teachers currently on the staff as guest artists in classrooms throughout the school	Renaissance Team S. Turlington	On-going	TBD based on substi-tute pay scale	ABC grant
4. Establish the practice of planning time among artists and teachers to ensure effective instruction	Renaissance Team J. Bjorn	On-going	TBD	ABC grant

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. E-mail messages, records of phone conversations
2. Grant proposals
3. Photo documentation, teacher surveys
4. Lesson plans

Goal IV: To foster the creative potential of all students

Strategy C: Increase visibility of student performance and product in the school and community

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Establish the use of digital portfolios to document student work collected throughout the middle school years	A. Shealy H. Schell	2010	TBD	School budget, grants
2..Organize and publish a literary magazine	T. Wilson K. Bockman	2009	TBD	Community resources
3. Explore creative ways to display student product and performance on the campus – i.e. video displays in the cafeteria, sculptures displayed in garden areas	M. Wilson J. Weekly G. Blackwell Renaissance Team	On-going	TBD	School budget, grants, fundraising
4. Explore creative ways to display student product and performance in the community	Renaissance Team B. Rogers	On-going	TBD	Community resources

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Examples of student portfolios
2. Examples of magazines
3. Examples of newly developed student showcase venues
4. Examples of newly developed student showcase venues

Goal V: To strengthen partnerships with community organizations

Strategy A: Increase mentoring within the arts programs

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Develop a plan to better utilize students from local universities to mentor individuals and small groups	Renaissance Team M. Schweickert	2009	None	N/A
2. Determine the criteria for training mentors to include: understanding of the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards, knowledge of the developmental stages of middle school students, proficiency in the art form, and a plan for supervision	Renaissance Team M. Schweickert	2008	None	N/A
3. Implement a mentoring schedule to coordinate with university courses	Renaissance Team M. Schweickert	2009	TBD	grants

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Record of planning with university professors
2. Syllabi from university courses that have been adapted to address these issues
3. Mentor Sign-In Sheet

Goal V: To strengthen partnerships with community organizations

Strategy B: Network with other ABC sites

Action Steps

Leadership

Completion Date

Cost

Funding Source

1. Send teachers from all content areas to observe teachers at other ABC sites

Renaissance Team

A. Shealy

Yearly

TBD

ABC grant

2. Send representatives to all ABC site visits and improve the quality of reporting upon their return to school

Renaissance Team

A. Shealy

Yearly

TBD

ABC grant

Evaluation

Indicators of Success

Date Reached

1. Record of visitations and reports to Renaissance Team

2. Record of visitations and reports to Renaissance Team

Goal V: To strengthen partnerships with community organizations

Strategy C: Network with community organizations

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Share the objectives of Hand Middle School’s Arts Strategic Plan with community organizations such as the Shandon Cluster of Churches	Renaissance Team	On-going	None	N/A
2. Share the objectives of Hand Middle School’s Arts Strategic Plan with local arts organizations such as community theaters, museums, and gardens	Renaissance Team	On-going	None	N/A
3. Invite representatives of local businesses, churches, and arts organizations to student arts performances at the school and in the community	Renaissance Team	On-going	None	N/A

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. Notes from meetings and record of collaborations
2. Notes from meetings and record of collaborations
3. Notes from meetings and record of collaborations

Goal V: To strengthen partnerships with community organizations

Strategy D: Better utilize parent resources

Action Steps	Leadership	Completion Date	Cost	Funding Source
1. Survey parents at the beginning of each school year to determine abilities and interests which could be utilized to enhance arts infusion lessons	Renaissance Team	On-going	Minimal printing costs	School budget
2. Compile data from the above into a format that is easily accessible by teachers	Renaissance Team	On-going	None	N/A
3. Showcase photos and student product generated by parent-led lecture/demonstrations	Renaissance Team	On-going	None	N/A

Evaluation

Indicators of Success	Date Reached
1. A printed parent survey included in students’ first-day packet
2. Parent survey data accessible on the school’s hard drive
3. Newsletters, bulletin boards

A. 5. Steering Committee Description

A. 6. Arts Curricular Grant Manager Credentials Form

Please attach additional sheets or a formal résumé if you wish to add information or need more space. The grant manager must be the same person listed on the grant cover page. Please designate only one grant manager per grant.

Name of Applicant:	Hand Middle School
Arts Curricular Grant Manager Information
Name:	Mary Lou Schweickert
Job Title :	Band Teacher
Job Duties:	Band Instruction
	Arts Department Chair

Educational Background:				See attached

Additional Fine Arts Training and/or Experience:							See attached


Accomplishments or Awards:					See attached


Active Memberships in Professional Organizations:								See attached


Years Experience:			__27____			Certification Areas:		Instrumental Music K-12


What professional development summer institutes or similar training has the Grants Manager candidate completed? 2007 Arts Education Leadership Institute Will attend 2008 CLIA Institute in June.



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		Columbia, SC 29201
Home Phone:		(803) 256-6440