Margaret Burman is the Art Teacher for both the Dyer and Kaler Elementary Schools in South Portland School Department. An experienced educator, Mrs. Burman has been teaching art since 2004, with the past 8 years at Dyer and Kaler.

Pre-Pandemic, Mrs. Burman was teaching art to students in the two different elementary schools in-person using the framework of Teaching for Artistic Behavior, which develops their artistic practice by encouraging them to make choices about the media they want to use, the subject matter they want to express, and by developing their craft in many different kinds of art making. A few years back she created a video explaining her transition to the new teaching style and it is something she is really proud of because it drives her practice and the students have responded really well to it.

Through the current school year, South Portland School District has been in hybrid mode because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Mrs. Burman has been teaching her students remotely via asynchronous lessons and live virtual classes. To help manage this, she created a Google Slides Virtual Art room where students can access virtual versions of their studios, visit a book nook, and see lessons that have been assigned to them.

“It was devastating for me that I couldn’t be in our art rooms and creating this virtual space became a way of feeling like I had had some control over things,” recalls Burman.

During the switch to hybrid learning, Burman transitioned from using the art rooms located at both schools, which have been repurposed for other classes, to a small office at Dyer Elementary that she has dubbed the Tiny Art Room. This is where she hosts virtual meetings with students and records lessons.

“During our Google meets we go over the lesson/theme for the week, have art making time using their sketchbooks and materials from the art bags that all K-5 students in South Portland were given, and play drawing games like Random Dry Draw, adapted from a dry erase board drawing game that we used to play in the art room.”

With no windows in the Tiny Art Room which was originally surround in blue walls, Burman decided to get permission from the custodial staff and principal to paint them.

“Then I decided that instead of me just painting what I wanted on the walls, I would incorporate the ideas of my students from our Google meets,” explained Burman. Since October she has engaged students to help create the collaborative mural, a project that all of the students in all of her classes, grades K-5 at both Dyer and Kaler, get to participate in.

“I choose one student randomly at the end of every Google meet to direct me in what to paint for the mural,” She explains. “They are the directors; I am just the brush!”

At this point over 250 students have contributed their ideas to the mural, which will not be finished until every single one of her remote students has added their idea. Mrs. Burman has collected feedback from the students as they discuss what they would like to do with the image of this mural when it is finished.

“I think the mural lets everybody have a chance to make a mark on this artwork,” said one student.

“The mural is beautiful! I enjoyed making the squiggly thing. Looking forward to doing another one,” added another.

Some ideas on what to do with the mural when it is finished have been posters, magnets, postage stamps and selling products to raise money for a charity.

Despite not having art classes in-person this year, students have really benefited from doing their art classes remotely because it has given them the opportunity to practice being artists in their own homes and day care programs.

Having been practicing the artistic habits such as stretch & explore, develop craft, envision, express, reflect, observe, engage & persist, and understanding art worlds in the art room with Mrs. Burman for the last 4 years, her students were used to experimenting and exploring the materials and getting ideas and inspiration from the world around them. Doing the work remotely has provided the opportunity for their artistic behavior to spill over into their everyday lives outside of school and has helped foster artistic practice outside of school assignments.

Progress of Mrs. Burman’s Tiny Art Room mural can he found on her Instagram @DyerKalerArt using the hashtag #tinyartroomcollaborativemural.

Information for this article was provided by South Portland School District as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea for the campaign, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

 

Creative works from art students from around Maine are on display online at the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) in celebration of Youth Art Month.

 

For almost 30 years, PMA and the Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) have collaborated to bring National Youth Art Month to Maine. The exhibition is designed to underscore the value of art education for all children and encourages support for quality art programs in Maine schools.

“This annual exhibition showcases the incredible work produced by K-12 students throughout the state, representing a wide variety of youth perspectives and artistic practices in Maine,” said PMA in a statement about the exhibit.

 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Youth Art Month has gone digital for the first time. PMA said the online exhibition “brings exciting opportunities to share the artwork of Maine’s youth with a wider audience. We hope that the artworks in this exhibition inspire more creativity, spark more conversations, and garner support for more arts education in our schools and in our communities.”

The attached artwork is a portrait by Portland High School sophomore Venice Melcher, titled “Amy.” Here is the artist’s statement:

“I created this portrait of my mom because she creates a lot of change in my life and the lives of others. She volunteers weekly at a local hospice and animal shelter, and has a business where she sells reusable products made from organic cotton, along with being a great mom! I used mixed media, including watercolor and acrylic paints. I used the neurographic technique for my mom’s face, and cut out and glued down little pieces of paper to create the objects surrounding her.”

Digital receptions were held on Saturday, March 13, for the young artists and their families.

To view the artwork, see a listing of student artists, and where they go to school in Maine visit the PMA’s exhibit website: https://www.portlandmuseum.org/yam-2021.

Information for this article was provided by Portland Public Schools as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

 

When the Saco Police Department came together last October to do an annual Pink Patch campaign for breast cancer awareness, they had no idea that only a few short months later one of their own would be diagnosed with it.

Officer Amanda Condon is a School Resource Office (SRO) for the Saco School Department’s Prek through middle school students which includes five schools: Governor John Fairfield School, Young School, C K Burns School, Saco School Pre-Kindergarten, and Saco Middle School. According to her colleagues, she embodies the best qualities of a female leader and role model. She is a part of the Armed Services as Air Force Reservist, as well as a Police Officer. Strong roles that she approaches with her own spirit and personality – a challenge she takes on with a sense of humor, an empathetic heart, and caring smile.

As a member of the community, Officer Condon also participated actively in the Pink Patch Project at the police department and at her schools before finding out that she was diagnosed this past November.

In her role as a SRO, Officer Condon is an employee of the Saco Police Department serving both as a police officer in the force putting in hours on holidays and weekend shifts in addition to other community involvement, she also spends the school hours as an important part of the lives of the young students she serves in Saco’s schools.

“She has been an amazing part of our community,” said Rachel Hasty, School Counselor for Saco Middle School in a statement she provided along with colleagues at Saco Middle School. “Last year she was directing the distribution of meals to the families in the community. She has been present for in-school and outside of school activities and this has really allowed students to get to know her in a variety of different ways.”

Known for her ability to provide both a sense of security and comfort to the students she works with, Officer Condon is that happy face they look forward to seeing at school, some even getting the chance to spend extra time with her as a reward.

“She connects with students as a person, and not just an authority figure,” added Hasty. “People like her and gravitate towards her kindness and sincerity.”

A couple years ago she brought a lot of awareness to the Wreaths Across America project, when she participated in it herself. It was very inspirational and heartwarming for the Saco community, and it started a great conversation with students who had more questions.

Since being diagnosed, Officer Condon has had to take a step back from her jobs and community involvement, leaving a hole felt by many.

The Saco Police Department recently organized a police convoy in support of her fight against cancer. The convoy involved a drive by parade filled with police vehicles and flashing blue lights from six different local police departments that all drove by the window where she was getting chemo treatment. The convoy was in lieu of being able to go in and see her in-person since visitors are limited in health care facilities these days, a measure that helps protect patients from the spread of COVID-19.

As she started losing her hair from the treatment, the Saco Police Department wanted to continue showing their love and support for her so 25 members of the force shaved their heads in a touching event that brought tears to the eyes of everyone involved (group picture featured above). Her team didn’t want her to be the only one without hair during a time that is already challenging enough.

The school has also tried to find ways to support their beloved SRO. “Taking her lead, we have continued to advertise the Pink Patch Project and have been helping to raise money and awareness about this cause that affects her and our entire community. We wanted to continue her work, not just for her but to support her family and to help continue the positive impact she has had in our community.”

Her presence as an officer, active community member, and leader at the school has a grace that touches the lives of everyone she meets. Officer Condon’s family says that since being diagnosed the outpouring of love from the school, the police department, and the community is an example of the impact her character has had on the people she serves.

“If you want to find the silver lining in something terrible, it’s finding how great your community is,” said a close family member of Officer Condon.

While she is undergoing chemotherapy, among other routine treatments to fight the disease, her family, friends, and community continue to rally in support. They are very hopeful that she will pull through and join them once again as the active and loving community member they so dearly miss.

Information for this article was provided by Officer Condon’s family and Saco Middle School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

 

On Saturday, February 27th students in grades PreK-5 along with their families participated in a literacy celebration. The main activity lead by the PreK/ELL teacher, Katie Reed, was a Story Walk featuring, Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee, by Maine author Chris Van Dusen.

There was an amazing turnout of over 40 students during the two-hour event that included parents, grandparents, and siblings. Along with the Story Walk there were tons of family-friendly activities including snowshoeing with the school nurse Justin Easter, outdoor snow yoga with the PE teacher, Nancy Martin, a photo booth with Mr. Magee, and treats to eat and drink.

The school’s Little Free Library was on display and all enrolled students were able to select a book to take home and keep. Mrs. Boucher, the literacy specialist, spoke with families about reading engagement, book selection, and ways to read together at home. Jeanette Jacob, district literacy coach, won a grant through Maranacook Education Foundation and facilitated the snack and prize tables.

Congratulations to all of the students and families that entered and won prizes that included gift certificates to a bookstore, a sporting goods store, Titcomb Mountain ski passes, and 5210 water bottles and materials!

This story was submitted by Janet Delmar, Principal of Mt. Vernon Elementary School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

At Beech Hill School, students and staff start every school year thinking about themselves as individuals and their sense of belonging in a large community. The launching platform for the last two school years has been: “Be Here. Be You. Belong. This school belongs to all of us” (inspired by the leadership work of Brene Brown).  From there, they consider what matters to them, more specifically, who they are and what they wish to contribute to society. This work aligns with the school district’s mission to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities to be successful learners, workers, and citizens in a rapidly changing world.

Last year, Principal Nichole Pothier began hosting monthly “Be” themes, which were so well received by students and staff, that they requested more! For “Be You” September, students complete inventories, surveys, and profiles that highlight their interests and learning preferences. During October, the focus was on “being a citizen,” with extra emphasis on their school-wide values: respect, responsibility, caring, and honesty. Students were particularly engaged in learning about the rights and duties of citizens.

Each month’s theme encourages thought and even some action in the school and community.  This year, students particularly enjoyed December’s “Be Worldly” theme with a “Reading Takes Us Places” read-a-thon (with door decorating challenge) and exploring of cultures through literature.  In the new year, January kicked off with a “Be Creative” hat contest and the finalists in each classroom moved on to a school-wide vote.  “Be Kind” February led to all kinds of random acts of kindness throughout the school and even extended to St. Jude’s Hospital.

All of the staff at Beech Hill School brainstorm ways to integrate the monthly “Be” theme into their work with students. Even their school cook incorporates it in the lunch program! Other ideas have included the use of children’s literature, art and music, and outreach activities to reinforce concepts and personal qualities. The school’s efforts help to foster students’ social/emotional skills and overall sense of belonging.  It gives a rhythm to the school year and unifies the efforts and intention of everyone in the school.  They are looking forward to a “Be Well” March with a wellness bingo challenge and school-wide (differentiated) study of the story of The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate.

 This article was provided by Beech Hill School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.