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Welcome Back!
We hope that you had a summer filled with rest and rejuvenation! This new school year continues to bring new challenges and opportunities for fine arts education in Virginia, and we thank you for your passion, dedication, and leadership to allow our fine arts programs to thrive.
This edition of the VDOE Monthly Fine Arts News is focused on important back-to-school information and resources. In this edition, you will see:
- Latest VDOE News and Guidance for the 2021-2022 School Year
- Save the Date: VDOE Fine Arts Leadership Professional Learning Community (PLC) Meeting
- VDOE Fine Arts Educator Resource Team Interest Form
- Fine Arts Instructional Resources in GoOpenVA from VDOE
- VDOE Fine Arts Professional Learning Recordings
- State Professional Organization Conferences
- Great News!
- Additional Resources and Opportunities
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Latest VDOE News and Guidance for the 2021-2022 School Year
The Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Education have up-to-date information on the COVID-19 & Virginia Public Schools page of the VDOE website. As you may be aware, Virginia is currently under a Public Health Order (8/12/21) requiring masks for all persons indoors in Virginia Public Schools regardless of vaccination status. Page 2 lists exceptions to the Order, including "...C. Any person who is playing a musical instrument when wearing a mask would inhibit the playing of the instrument (e.g., wind and brass) so long as at least six feet of physical distance can be maintained from other persons;..."
Schools and divisions may implement further strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 based on transmission factors listed in the Interim Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in Virginia PreK-12 Schools (08/12/21). Arts educators should work with school and division leadership to develop appropriate mitigation strategies for their program and school community.
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Save the Date: VDOE Fine Arts Leadership Professional Learning Community (PLC) Meeting
In the Spring of 2021, the Virginia Department of Education hosted a series of four meetings for division leadership who oversee fine arts instructional programs. Leaders may include a division-level instructional staff and/or a lead teacher identified by division-level instructional staff. This meeting series fostered outstanding collaboration among divisions in order to provide support for outstanding fine arts programs statewide. In order to continue these great conversations, the VDOE will be hosting several informal opportunities for fine arts division leadership to hear from the VDOE fine arts program staff on current topics facing art education, as well as an opportunity to collaborate as a professional learning community. These 1.5 hour sessions will begin with a brief introduction and information sharing, followed by PLC breakout groups, and will conclude with a whole-group closing discussion. The first meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, October 7, 2021 from 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Register here.
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VDOE Fine Arts Educator Resource Team Interest Form
The Virginia Department of Education works with outstanding Virginia public school educators to develop instructional resources aligned to the 2020 Fine Arts Standards of Learning. The VDOE fine arts program is the process of developing resource teams for the upcoming school year, and hope that you will share this opportunity with fine arts educators. We are currently looking for Virginia arts educators with the following areas of expertise or interest:
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Innovation in the Arts - Including innovative solutions for technology integration in a fine arts program, exemplary practices for fine arts career connections, and exemplary practices for virtual teaching and learning in the arts.
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Culturally Inclusive Fine Arts Instruction - Especially involving classroom connections with fine arts professionals and cultural institutions of Virginia.
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Fine Arts and Literacy - Connecting fine arts curriculum and content with literacy skills.
Educators who are interested in working on one of the resource teams should complete this interest form. We will contact educators from this list if/when opportunities become available, and invite them to attend an interest meeting to learn about the project requirements, parameters, and compensation prior to a commitment. Final committee members will be selected based on a record of exemplary service as a fine arts educator in Virginia public schools, diverse regional representation, and principal recommendation.
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Fine Arts Instructional Resources are Available in GoOpenVA
VDOE Fine Arts groups in #GoOpenVA contain recordings from the 2020 and 2021 Fine Arts Summer SOL Institutes, sample lessons (instructional plans), and additional SOL resources for dance, music, theatre, and visual arts educators. You can find the resources in the VDOE Fine Arts groups, linked below. Every educator of Virginia has access to a GoOpenVA account (contact your school or division's technology specialist if you are unable to log in using your school credentials). We'd love to connect with you by having you join the group for your content area. Division leaders of fine arts instruction are invited to join the groups as well.
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2021 VDOE Virtual Fine Arts Summer Institute Recordings are Available for Fine Arts Educators
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) would like to thank all of our presenters and participants for an amazing 2021 Virtual VDOE Fine Arts Summer Institute.
Recorded sessions are now posted for use by individuals and divisions for late summer to early fall professional learning plans for fine arts educators. Information for the sessions can be found on the 2021 VDOE Fine Arts Virtual Summer Institute Professional Learning Catalog. For each available session, there are questions that can be used for discussions in professional learning communities. The Zoom recording link and a link to the resource in GoOpenVA are also provided.
We had a wonderful summer learning, collaborating, and sharing with you! Reach out to VDOE Fine Arts program staff with any questions regarding the 2021 Virtual VDOE Fine Arts Summer Institute:
Kelly Bisogno - Coordinator of Fine Arts - kelly.bisogno@doe.virginia.gov
Michelle Milligan - Music Specialist - michelle.milligan@doe.virginia.gov
State Professional Organization Conferences
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Virginia Art Education Association: Shape of Memory - October 14-16, 2021 in Virginia Beach, VA
- The Virginia Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance - November 5-7 in Virginia Beach
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Virginia Music Educators Association: From Survive to Thrive - November 18-20, 2021 in Norfolk, VA
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Virginia Theatre Association: Connect, Create, Celebrate! October 27-30, 2021, held virtually
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Virginia Thespians Festival - January 14-16, 2022, Shenandoah University
Great News!
- Congratulations to our Virginia educators who were selected as a Grammy Quarterfinalist for the 2022 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy® and GRAMMY Museum®. Semifinalists will be announced in September.
- Nathaniel Boyd (George Wythe High), Kyle Cook (Western Branch Middle), Julie Gentry (Westover Hills Elementary), Wanda Mitchell (Hampton High), Laura O’Konski (Liberty High), Sara Queen (Braddock Elementary), Jordan Stehle (Matthew Whaley Elementary), Elizabeth Taylor (La Crosse Elementary)
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Lakemont Elementary School in Petersburg unveils 'Dream Lab' music studio - Students at Lakemont Elementary School will be able to create music, write songs and learn to use sound equipment in the Dream Lab while learning about the STEM Road Map curriculum.
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Music Teacher Cheers Students Through Original Song - Luke Denton was featured by NBC4 Washington for encouraging positivity through song.
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Virginia drama teacher takes his final bow after 30 years, The show must go on, as they say in the theater world. But after 30 years as a drama teacher at Thomas Harrison Middle School, Michael Strawderman will get to watch the show from the seats and not the wings of the stage.
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Students spruce up Botanical Garden of the Piedmont with art installation - Middle school students from across central Virginia are using their art skills to spruce up a garden in Charlottesville.
Do you have great news to share? Send great fine arts news from your school or division to Kelly Bisogno, VDOE Coordinator of Fine Arts at kelly.bisogno@doe.virginia.gov.
Resources and Opportunities
- The Virginia Beach Art Center is having an exhibition exclusively for current and retired art educators from the state. This is an opportunity for art educators to show off their talents! The exhibition is coordinated with the Virginia Art Education Association annual conference which is being held here in Va Beach in October (sponsored by the Tidewater VAEA chapter).
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2021 JMU Young Composers Competition - This competition is a part of the JMU Contemporary Music Festival (CMF) and is open to all K-12 students in Virginia. Each winner will receive an award certificate, and a performance of his/her composition by JMU School of Music Students on a concert of the CMF. Submission Deadline: Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
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Film Festival for Teens Announced - Are you looking for a great way to engage your students virtually, in-person, or both? Cadence Theatre Company's KdentsTV is offering a Horror Film Festival and Contest this fall! Check out the accompanying Unit Plan which includes resources, handouts, and adapted versions for group, individual, virtual, hybrid, and in-person work. We hope you can use these resources and this contest to inspire your students! Submission Deadline: Sunday, October 17th at 11:59 p.m.
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Contact
Kelly Bisogno, Coordinator of Fine Arts
Virginia Department of Education
kelly.bisogno@doe.virginia.gov
(o) 804-225-2881
(fax) 804-786-1597
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA 23218-2120
Michelle Milligan, Music Specialist
Virginia Department of Education
michelle.milligan@doe.virginia.gov
(o) 804-371-4919
(fax) 804-786-1597
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA 23218-2120
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