August Newsletter
The 2025-2026 school year is around the corner, and arts educators are starting to return to classrooms, studios, rehearsal halls, and PACs across the state. Some educators are returning after a very brief hiatus due to marching band camps or summer school duties. And other educators are seeing their new spaces for the first time, retrieving keys, figuring out where the light switches are, scheduling the piano tuning, etc. Whatever your return status, I am grateful you are here! You are the reason students across Oklahoma are able to express themselves, use their voice, take on leadership roles, and find community with others. THANK YOU for all your hard work as you prepare to welcome students to your classrooms and rehearsal halls! If you ever have any questions or wonderings that I can help with, please don't hesitate to reach out. Have a wonderful start to the year!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Maughan | elizabeth.maughan@sde.ok.gov | (405) 522-0863
Summer Academy
June 3 and 4, over 140 arts educators gathered at Edmond Memorial High School to network and learn together at the Fine Arts Summer Academy. The two days were full of new learning opportunities, teaching insights, and tools, tips, and tricks. Thank you to the many Oklahoma presenters who shared their craft with others! And thank you to the attendees who stayed positive even with changing schedules, severe thunderstorms, and a variable building climate. We hope to have a Summer Academy in 2026 - stay tuned!
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Poetry Out Loud
Elisha Dalmeida, a senior at Jenks High School, won the 2025 Oklahoma Poetry Out Loud competition in March. In May, she went onto compete in D.C. and made it into the Top 9 finalists in the U.S.! She was inspiring to watch and has made Oklahoma proud. Congratulations to Elisha and her speech teacher Betty Stanton and theatre teachers Kevin Hurst and Jeannie Boudiette!
Jimmy Awards
Every spring, the Discovery Awards and Kelli O'Hara Awards honor and highlight theatre excellence in high schools across the state. The overall awarded best female and male performers win a trip to NYC to represent Oklahoma at the Jimmy Awards. This year, Dawson Fullingim (Discovery Awards) earned a finalist spot at the Jimmy Awards! Congratulations to all four of these amazing students and their teachers. Oklahoma is blessed to have a thriving theatre education community!
Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute
Every summer, hundreds of high school students from across Oklahoma are selected to attend the Oklahoma Arts Institute. This prestigious summer intensive gives students excellent training in their art form and the opportunity to meet and work with students from all artistic disciplines. The work of the 2025 students was incredibly moving and of the highest quality! Congratulations to the students, their teachers, and the many Oklahoma arts educators who work at the Institute as counselors, PAC crew, etc. You are amazing!
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Looking for a supportive space to share ideas, explore new strategies, and grow with fellow fine arts educators? Sign up for the 2025–26 Fine Arts Professional Learning Community (PLC)! The group will meet the first Thursday of every month from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Each meeting will include a focused topic to kick things off (administrator observations, classroom management, etc.) followed by open discussion and idea-sharing. When you register for the meetings, you will use the same link for all sessions - attendance at all meetings is not mandatory. Registration is open now! See you on August 7!
August Topic: Strong Start - August 7, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Join us on Zoom as we talk about the new guidance for fine arts teacher observation for administrators, how to make a powerful personal learning focus, and to answer any other concerns you have for the new school year. Discipline-specific teacher leaders will be on the call to help talk through issues you are facing. Let’s build a strong PLC together!
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/USP7kl8lTUO2fvDg1osqTQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Looking for a new learning opportunity and PL Focus for the school year? Consider joining the fine arts book study! The group will read The Power of a Teacher by Adam L. Saenz - one chapter per month from September through April.
Book Study Meeting Poll
If you're interested in joining the study, please complete this Google Form to indicate the best times for you to attend meetings. The form will close August 8. The September meeting date/time will be announced via this GovDelivery newsletter in mid August.
Need a book?
If you attended the 2025 Summer Academy, you should have a copy of the book. If you did not attend, we can send you a book! However, there are just 35 copies, so please act quickly if you would like a free book. Register your info in this Google Form to receive a book. The form will be open until books are gone.
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The purpose of the Oklahoma Alliance for Arts Education Professional Learning Grant is to provide financial assistance to active Oklahoma arts educators who are planning to attend their state/national conferences, either in person or online, for professional development/learning.
Arts educators may request up to $300 for a state-level conference and up to $600 for a regional or national conference outside of Oklahoma. The application deadline is August 31, 2025. Please see the application guide for more information and to access the application link.
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Journey to Quartz Mountain this fall for an all-inclusive, extended weekend workshop retreat at the Oklahoma Fall Arts Institute. Taught by nationally renowned artists, workshops are offered for all skill levels and are held at the beautiful Quartz Mountain State Park & Lodge in the Wichita Mountains of southwest Oklahoma. Unlike other workshops, all meals and lodging are included in tuition.
Thanks to partnerships with the Oklahoma State Department of Education and generous private donors, scholarship funding is available to cover the tuition costs for Oklahoma PK-12 public school educators. This year's workshops include theatre education, world music drumming, and various visual art offerings.
Key Details:
- Registration opens August 1
- Scholarship application window: August 1–24 (Public educators are eligible to apply for full scholarships covering tuition, meals, and lodging; a $50 registration fee is required)
- More information available at: https://oaiquartz.org/workshops
- Questions? Please call 405.605.7500 or email Emily Claudé eclaude@oaiquartz.org
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FREE We’ve Got Rhythm (Greater OKC Metro)
Bring live music into your classroom! OKCPHIL musicians present 50-minute, interactive performances for grades 2–6. Choose from five professional small ensembles.
FREE Rhythm on the Road (Statewide)
Live violin & bass duo visits schools across all 77 counties. Engaging, curriculum-aligned sessions for grades 2–6 (flexible for K–12).
FREE Youth Concerts at the Civic Center
Students experience the full orchestra live! Includes a free Teacher Guide for classroom prep.
Fall: Nov 10 & 11, 2025 | Spring: Mar 30 & 31, 2026 (10:00 & 11:40 a.m.)
Register for all three programs above
FREE Spotlight School Program (High School)
Perform before an OKCPHIL concert, meet the Maestro, and earn recognition!
Nominate your school: education@okcphil.org (Subject: SPOTLIGHT)
Student Rush Tickets
Discounted $11 tickets for students to OKCPHIL Classics & Pops concerts. Tickets are on sale Wednesday before each concert at 9 a.m. and sales end on Friday at 3 p.m.
Two tickets per student ID, visit okcphil.org for tickets.
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August: Oklahoma Department of Transportation Trash Poster Contest Winners
September: Open (If interested, please contact Elizabeth Maughan)
October: Piedmont Public Schools
Art Gallery Information
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