May 2024 Newsletter
Thank you. These two words are not enough to account for everything that fine arts educators do throughout the year to help students create, perform, share, and experience the arts. Oklahoma arts educators plan extensive events (concerts, art shows, musicals, festivals, etc.), fundraise 24/7, arrive before school, stay late after school, drive busses, buy equipment/supplies with their own money, conduct endless rehearsals, mentor colleagues...the list could go on forever!
Thank you so much for all you do. You are inspiring, incredible people and I am honored to support you. Thank you.
"If you have to put someone on a pedestal, put teachers. They are society's heroes."
– Guy Kawasaki
Oklahoma Education Awards for Arts Excellence
The 2024 Awards ceremony was held April 23, 2024. The evening was one to remember with music from the Owasso saxophone choir, performances by Ella Hurst (dance, Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast High School), Maggie Sherman (theatre, Epic Charter School), and Alice Hsu (music, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics). The keynote address from Amber Sharples, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Arts Council, and the acceptance speeches of Stephanie Vaughan, Dolisa Muse, and Jason Ward were all inspiring!
It was a wonderful evening to recognize the incredible level of arts education we have in Oklahoma. The official pictures from the ceremony are available to download for free and were shared with student honorees, parents/guardians, and their teachers via email. Looking forward to the 35th awards ceremony in 2025!
2024 Professional Learning Series
The 2024 meeting series is complete! Please check out the latest recording from April. Hope to see you next year at professional conferences and other opportunities!
April Meeting - Modern Band in Music Education
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Good Reads
In addition to the summer workshop opportunities listed below, please keep these in mind!
Are your students looking for a summer dance opportunity? The University of Central Oklahoma will host a dance workshop June 3-7 with daily classes in ballet, modern, jazz, aerial, and hip hop taught by guest artists and UCO dance faculty. Session tracks will be available for youth (ages 8-12), teen (ages 13-17), or Pre-Professional (minimum age 13, faculty invitation or video audition).
On Friday afternoon, the talents of all will be showcased at a performance for friends and family.
Registration and payment is required. Space is limited. For more information and to register, visit the UCO Summer Fine Arts Camp website.
June 9-15: OSU will host the Summer Art Teacher Residency. Attending teachers will have focused time in the studio and be able to work with OSU art professors and other educators from across the state. The residency will include 24/7 studio access, faculty mentorship, presentations, workshops, Mac computer labs, equipment, parking, 5 days/6 nights dormitory lodging, and a professional development certificate. Registration is open now and closes May 15!
Questions? Contact Benjamin Murphy benjamin.murphy@okstate.edu
Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute is excited to host Not Your Average Conference on June 11, 2024, at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Join A+ Schools to explore the endless possibilities through the question, “What If?”
Not Your Average Conference 2024 will feature an inspirational keynote by DeLovell Earls, the author of the book What If…? Earls will help attendees prepare to dig deeply into the A+ Essentials through interactive work, planning, implementation, and networking. Join your school team, other Oklahoma teachers, principals, and arts partners from across the state to ignite your creativity, imagination, and innovation!
Registration is open to all educators at https://bit.ly/NYAC2024
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The University of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Kodály Educators (OKE) are happy to announce Level 2 will be offered June 17-28, 2024. Continue checking the OU Kodály Institute website for more info and to register.
Oklahoma Kodály Educators Summer Workshop
In conjunction with the levels training, OKE will offer a workshop on Friday, June 21 from 1:30-4:30 featuring Melissa Fuller Flores. The workshop will include ideas on how to seamlessly integrate the pop music students love with essential musical concepts. K-6th practical lessons and activities will be shared to support preparation, presentation, and practice.
World Music Drumming returns to Oklahoma! This workshop is great for any music teacher, including band, orchestra, choir, general music, kids and youth choir directors, drum circle leaders, percussionists, and anyone interested in reaching students with active music making. The workshop will be held at the University of Central Oklahoma Jazz Lab June 17-21, 2024. Registration is open now!
For more information or if you have questions, please contact Lani Garner (lgarner6@uco.edu) and/or Carrie Edwards (cedwards1@uco.edu).
Orff Alive is a FREE two-day in-person workshop July 2-3 at the Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa. The workshop is hosted by the Green Country Oklahoma Orff Chapter and is a wonderful opportunity to learn from experienced music educators from the Tulsa area and across the state! Registration is open now and the deadline for registration is June 28.
Questions? Contact Rhonda Wyble wyblerh@tulsaschools.org or Sarah Berry berrysa@tulsaschools.org.
May 1-31 - Cleveland Public Schools
June 3-28 - Edmond Public Schools Santa Fe High School
July 1-31 - 2025 ODOT Trash Poster Contest Winners
May 6-10: Teacher Appreciation Week!!! Thank you for all you do and have a wonderful summer!
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