January Newsletter
Fine Arts Offerings Research
This past fall, there was a research effort to help clarify current fine arts offerings across the state. The initial research is available on the OSDE Fine Arts website in an awesome-table. Within the table, you can see various fine arts subject offerings and search for your own district's reported data for the 2017-18 school year. Rebecca Fine, a reporter with the Oklahoma Policy Institute, expanded the research and wrote this blog article about PK-12 fine arts education. Media outlets have also picked up on the research. While the overall report is sobering, please keep in mind that over 90% of students in PK-12 districts have access to elementary music and instrumental music. Also, over 70% of PK-12 middle and high school students have access to instrumental music, speech 1, vocal music, and visual art. We have much to improve upon, but you, the fine arts teachers, have done a wonderful job protecting programs in districts across the state.
New Initiatives - Start an Elementary Art Program
As of the 2017-18 school year, just 24% of PK-12 districts and 13% of PK-8 districts offered elementary visual art in Oklahoma. Fine arts educators know that a comprehensive visual art education cannot start in middle or high school--foundational knowledge is crucial. Teachers and stakeholders who are interested in starting elementary art programs in their districts have started a dialogue to help each other through the process. If you are interested in being part of the conversation, please contact Elizabeth Maughan for information.
Standards Revisions and Guidelines Creation
The music and visual art standards writing teams have started the revision process and are working hard to create new standards. In addition, two committees have been constructing guidelines for dance and theatre. These guidelines will become standards after they are approved by the legislature in 2020. Great things are happening for fine arts education in Oklahoma!
Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain
Educators who attended the elementary music regional meeting were able to learn about culturally responsive teaching in the elementary music classroom. The Oklahoma Public Schools Resource Center will be hosting a podcast that to support a book study of Zaretta Hammond's excellent book Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain. Several Oklahoma State Department of Education staff will participate and assist in facilitating the book study. Ms. Hammond will be a guest on some of the podcast episodes! More information will be coming in the future. If you're interested in learning more, I highly recommend purchasing the book to get started and join in on the study/podcast.
Engage OK 2019
The OSDE's summer professional development workshop is back! Please join us for a free day of learning and connection with your colleagues! There will be an all-day fine arts track with sessions focusing on music, visual art, and speech/drama/debate. Though dance-specific sessions will not be available, dance educators are also encouraged to attend general fine arts sessions and any other sessions they find valuable.
- Monday, July 15 – EngageOK Woodward
- Tuesday, July 16 – EngageOK Lawton
- Wednesday, July 17 – EngageOK Durant
- Thursday, July 18 – EngageOK Bixby
- Tuesday, July 23 – EngageOK Southmoore
The most comprehensive fine arts sessions will be offered at the two metro sites (Bixby and Southmoore), but an all-day fine arts track will be available at all sites. A detailed schedule will be available later in the spring. We'll see you in July!!
 Good Reads
Majoring in Liberal Arts Could Turn Out to be a Very Smart Move
UK Kodály Music Teacher Shortlisted for $1 Million Global Education Prize
Finding Your Music Education Support System
For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain
What Happens to Student Behavior When Schools Prioritize Art
Audition registration for the 2019 Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute is now open! High school students can choose from eight artistic disciplines: acting, chorus, creative writing, dance, drawing & painting, film & video, orchestra, and photography. All students accepted to OSAI attend on full scholarship. Auditions run from January 19-February 11 at locations across the state. Find the full audition schedule and requirements here, and feel free to contact the Oklahoma Arts Institute with questions via oai@oaiquartz.org or (405) 605-7500.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is pleased to join with the Oklahoma Alliance for Arts Education and the Masonic Fraternity of Oklahoma for the 29th Annual State Superintendent Awards for Arts Excellence. This special recognition is given to high school juniors and seniors who meet certain criteria. In addition, we recognize fine arts educators, school administrators, and school boards who exhibit leadership, support quality arts education, and demand academic excellence in Oklahoma schools.
Teachers are encouraged to apply for the educator award. Also, please consider nominating students, administrators, and school boards for the 2019 Arts Excellence Awards.
For more information, click here.
 2018 State Superintendent Student Honorees
 The 2019 OkMEA Conference will be January 17-19 in Tulsa at the Cox Business Center. Various groups will be performing throughout the conference along with the all-state children's choir, jazz ensemble, orchestra, symphonic band, wind symphony, treble chorus, and mixed chorus. Sessions for music educators will feature the following clinicians: Rodney Dorsey, Dr. Sara Neumann, Richard Saucedo, and Andrew Richardson (Band track), Martin Norgaard and Angela Harman (Orchestra track), Rollo Dilworth, Denise Eaton, Randall Stroope, and Bethany Stuard (Choir track), Dr. Susan Brumfield, Caitlin Moore, and Andrew Ellingsen (Elementary track).
For more information, click here.
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The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is excited to begin it's annual Oklahoma Statewide Trash Poster Contest (TPC)! Several thousand students enter the annual contest every year. In addition to other prizes, 12 state winning posters will be featured in 35,000 printed calendars. One additional poster is also selected and will be reproduced in large dynamic color poster format for display as the TPC "Promotional Poster of the Year."
All Oklahoma Kindergarten through 12th grade students are eligible and encouraged to enter. Entry Forms and contest information may be found here. The deadline for TPC poster entries is January 31, 2019.
If you have questions about the contest, contact Melody Johnson at (405) 521-2557 or email beautification@odot.org.
The 2019 Drama Convention will be held June 28th and 29th at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, OK. Teachers of drama/theatre, speech, and debate are encouraged to attend this convention. SWOSU Residence Life will be offering dorm room housing for those traveling from out of the area. Registration fees, housing costs, etc., will be posted soon the event Facebook page.
The session proposal window is also open! If you have a great idea you'd like to share with educators across the state, please consider applying. The session application form is here.
Please contact Jessica Salmans if you have any questions regarding OK DramaCon 2019. Looking forward to seeing you in June!
 Young Talent in Oklahoma is an annual statewide high school art exhibition (grades 9-12) and high school senior portfolio competition. The top 10 senior portfolios earn scholarships and prizes. On average, 700 to 1000 artworks are submitted and approximately 150 – 200 are selected for the Young Talent in Oklahoma exhibition. For more information and to submit works into this year’s competition, please visit the new Young Talent in Oklahoma website. If you have questions, please email oaeaytio@gmail.com.
Cost: $3 per individual artwork. $15 for high school senior portfolios
Submissions Open: January 21, 2019
Deadline: February 15, 2019 at 7pm.
Accepted Media: Drawing & Painting media, 2D media (photography, collage, digital art), 3D media (ceramics and sculpture)
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 Instead of presenting a show where the actors are the entertainers and the students are the audience, Musical Interactive creates a program in which the children feel they are a part. Performers interact with the students by teaching them dance steps, involving them in part of the storyline, conducting a sing-along and much more. A take-home study guide is also distributed to teachers and students. It includes a more in-depth history lesson along with puzzles, activities and class discussion topics.
The program is free of charge to interested Oklahoma schools and is geared toward all grades.
For more information, visit Lyric Theatre's website.
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January 8-February 1 - Norman Public Schools
February 4-February 28 - Oklahoma Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain
March 1-29 - Youth Arts Month, OAEA
A virtual art gallery is available on the SDE Fine Arts website for students and families who would like to see pictures of their work in the OSDE (Oliver Hodge) Building.
January 17-19, 2019 - OkMEA State Conference
January 18, 2019 - Deadline for OKC Orchestra League Entries
January 21, 2019 - YTIO Submissions Open
January 23, 2019 - Dance & Drama Theatre Guidelines Committee Meeting @ OSDE
January 31, 2019 - Shakespeare Competition
January 31, 2019 - Trash Poster Contest Deadline
January 31, 2019 - Music & Visual Art Standards Committee Meeting @ OSDE
February 1-2, 2019 - Oklahoma Thespian Festival
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