Category Archives: Visual & Performing Arts

Maine Charter Commission approves contracts with three new public charter schools

Posted on May 8, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The following is a news release from the Maine Charter School Commission.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Charter School Commission in a public meeting held Tuesday in Augusta discussed, voted and signed three public charter school contracts – culminating months of work on the part of the schools and the commission. The Maine Charter School Commission has the responsibility to approve up to 10 public charter schools in the State in 10 years. The three schools are the Baxter Academy for Technology and Sciences to be located in Portland; the Fiddlehead School of Arts and Science in Gray; and the Harpswell Coastal Academy in Harpswell. These three schools will open September 2013. Continue reading →

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Posted in Charter schools, Cumberland County, Featured, Mathematics, Press Releases, Science & Technology, Students, Visual & Performing Arts

Calling cultural and arts professionals for Maine Humanities Summit

Posted on March 19, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The University of Maine Humanities Initiative will host a daylong Maine Humanities Summit at the Governor Hill Mansion in Augusta on Friday, May 17, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The summit convenes humanities, arts, and cultural professionals with academic administrators, legislators, and policymakers from across the state.

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Posted in Dispatches, Professional Development, Social Studies, Visual & Performing Arts

Help Portland Symphony Orchestra shape arts education programs

Posted on February 27, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The Portland Symphony Orchestra invites administrators and teachers to participate in a survey that will influence the Symphony’s education and community programs. The Symphony intends to better serve the Maine community by enriching lives through music.

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Posted in Administrators, Dispatches, Teachers, Visual & Performing Arts

Maine Constitution essay and poster contest now open

Posted on February 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The Secretary of State’s Office will continue its most popular student program, the Maine Constitution Essay and Poster Contest. This program is designed to promote the history of Maine, an understanding of the Maine Constitution, and the importance of democracy and voting.

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Posted in English Language Arts, Featured, Social Studies, Students, Visual & Performing Arts

National Standards for Arts Education narrative framework released

Posted on January 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) has released a narrative framework document that details the rationale, goals and strategy of the new National Standards for Arts Education that are currently being written by five arts discipline teams. Continue reading →

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Posted in Administrators, Featured, Professional Development, Standards, Teachers, Visual & Performing Arts

Portland Children’s Film Festival seeks films by young people

Posted on December 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Portland Children’s Film Festival is seeking entries to the Young Filmmakers Contest, which will take place in conjunction with the festival on April 4-7, 2013. Continue reading →

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Posted in Cumberland County, Featured, Students, Technology, Visual & Performing Arts

First Lady Ann LePage announces “Maine is ME Student Art Challenge”

Posted on September 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The following press release was issued today by First Lady Ann LePage.

AUGUSTA – First Lady Ann LePage is announcing the Maine is ME Student Art Challenge, in partnership with the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

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Posted in Elementary School, Families, Middle School, Press Releases, Students, Visual & Performing Arts

Arts teachers attend institute, focus on assessment, creativity

Posted on August 29, 2012 by | 3 Comments
Music teachers learn to teach students about the dance concepts of space, time and energy at the MAAI institute.

Music teachers Alice Sullivan (left, Woodland/Princeton) and Andrea Wollstadt (John F. Kennedy Memorial School) dance away the morning at a MAAI institute session that highlights the dance concepts of space, time and energy.

Forty arts educators met at Maine College of Art in Portland for a four-day summer institute in early August during phase two of the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI).

During the institute, teacher leaders – representing dance, music, theater and visual arts educators from the elementary, middle and high school levels and all regions of Maine – developed workshops that they will provide throughout the state during the upcoming school year. The institute focused on assessment, technology, leadership and creativity.

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Posted in Assessment, Featured, Images, Teachers, Visual & Performing Arts

Kindergartners perform original song at Celebration of Arts Education

Posted on June 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

AUGUSTA – Governor LePage recognized students from Bangor Elementary and Middle Schools for their artwork during the Celebration of Arts Education at the Blaine House on June 6. Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen, Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage and Chair of the State Board of Education James Banks joined the ceremony.

Three kindergarten students from the Fruit Street School – Callie Tennett, Alexander Montano-Smith and Oscar Croce – performed a song they created with the guidance of their music teacher, Anne Chamberlain-Small, at the ceremony.

Thirty-nine pieces of student artwork from Bangor have been on public display since April. The student artwork is viewable online or can be seen in person during office hours at the Maine Department of Education, fifth floor of the Cross Building, in Augusta.

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Posted in Dispatches, Elementary School, Families, Middle School, Penobscot County, Video, Visual & Performing Arts

The Math Gates: Team teaching art and math

Posted on May 16, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Art teacher Dona Seegers and RSU 38 math coach have collaborated in teaching art and math this school year at Mount Vernon Elementary School. They wrote this essay about their experience.

Team teaching art and math works!

We are motivated by the excitement of new ideas for presenting our subjects to the students, are eager to experiment and have infectious enthusiasm.

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Posted in Elementary School, Featured, Instruction, Kennebec County, Mathematics, Teachers, Visual & Performing Arts