VAPA Arts in Action header art
Aug. 26, 2021
Welcome back to a new school year! Whether you are about to start school or have been back for a while, I hope you are enjoying this new year. Recently I read a book titled Maybe Something Beautiful, which is based on the true story of the Urban Art Trail here in San Diego. I was moved by the main character who inspired a transformation of her neighborhood through her art. Creating art filled her heart with joy, as I’m sure it does for you and your students.
I know many of you share your own art and the art your students create to spread joy. I think one thing all of us can agree on is that our communities could use more joy. I would encourage you to explore new ways to share art with your community and I would love to be included! Please share your best tips for sharing art you and your students create by completing this short google form and watch for new ideas from your peers in this newsletter next month!

If you’re on Twitter, connect with me @PCrooks_VAPA and others passionate about arts education on our weekly #CaArtsEdChat conversations every Wednesday from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Whether you’ve never participated in a Twitter chat before or are an expert, use this link to see the questions and learn how to join the conversation.
VAPA Coordinator, SDCOE
858-295-8881
VAPA arts in action professional learning subhead
Introduction to Arts Integration
Build an awareness of arts integration using theatre strategies and how it can activate your curriculum in any content area. This online, asynchronous course developed by La Jolla Playhouse will guide educators through a deep understanding of the value of standards-based arts integration, how to develop an ensemble mindset in the classroom, assessment through the arts, and ways to connect community arts organizations to schools. Course includes example lesson plans, teacher testimony, and resources to guide arts integration into standards based curriculum. 
 
This course was designed through the Kennedy Center Partners in Education partnership between the La Jolla Playhouse, the Chula Vista Elementary School District, and the San Diego County Office of Education with funding provided by the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association Arts Initiative. Please use this link to sign up for this free course today.
Leading with Excellence Through Equity in Action
The quarterly Leading with Excellence Through Equity in Action meetings address critical social justice and anti-bias education topics. Dig deeper into topics that matter to you and your students. These engaging sessions will help you learn more about school climate, instruction, classroom culture, and family and community engagement — all through the lens of equity. The learning is free and registration is open now. The meetings are from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 28, Nov. 16, Feb. 8, and April 5.
Problem of Practice: From Theory to Action, Developing Personal Agency as an Equity Leader
These professional learning sessions aim to build essential awareness of individuals’ identity, privilege, and situatedness, as well as the structures of power within the classroom, school, and community. Each meeting will explore a problem of practice derived from real-life equity challenges. The series will explore equity-based skill sets and developing an equity lens and mindset. Meetings are from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Oct. 14, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 17, April 28, and May 26. Registration is now open. The cost is $100 per person and that includes two books:
  • Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education by Paul Gorski
  • Street Data by Shane Safir and Jamila Dugan 
View the latest VAPA professional learning opportunities on the SDCOE Visual and Performing Arts website.
VAPA arts in action news and resources subhead
Arts Empower San Diego Mega Conference Planned for 2022
In the interest of the safety of our attendees and presenters, the Arts Empower San Diego Mega Conference planning committee made the difficult decision to postpone the event to fall 2022. The Arts Empower San Diego Mega Conference is a unique learning opportunity for arts educators and advocates to learn, grow, network, and celebrate arts in education. Each year, the event would spill across Balboa Park with learning sessions in museums, theatres, and inspiring meeting spaces that connected arts educators to each other and our joy of teaching.

We look forward to seeing everyone in person next year, and in the meantime, please visit the Arts Empower San Diego website for videos of our 2020-21 events, resources, and ideas on how you can get involved in further supporting arts education in San Diego County.
Arts Education Curriculum Units
The SDCOE Curriculum and Instruction, Multilingual Education and Global Achievement, and Innovation departments collaborated to design distance learning units of study in grades K-12 that are focused on grade-level essential learnings in each content area. These units were purposefully designed to integrate content (including the arts), and provide flexibility and choice. The units of study connect content in the following areas: English language arts, English language development, mathematics, science, history-social science, arts, computer science, and physical education through integrated study in K-5 and thematic units in grades 6-12. Assessment opportunities (formative and summative) and student feedback are embedded and intentionally developed. These open-source units are being developed in Google to ensure maximum flexibility for teachers to use them with their district’s preferred instructional platform. The units are available here: https://bit.ly/SDCOE-Learn.
VAPA arts in action spotlight section header
Center for World Music teaching artist Dr. Bernard Ellorin is the leading expert on maritime Southeast Asian gong-chime music in Southern California. He is also a master of the Filipino bandurria a version of the Spanish bandurria, a plucked string instrument similar to the mandolin and the associated rondalla music. He is versed in the percussion music of the Cordillera Mountains of Northern Luzon, as well as being one of the few Philippine kulintang instructors in the United States. Kulintang is an ancient instrumental form of music played on a row of small, horizontally laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums. Dr. Ellorin has served the San Diego and Los Angeles communities as a performing artist and educator since 1992, and is the musical director of the Samahan Filipino-American Performing Arts and Education Center.

He began his studies in the music of the Philippines at the age of 10, as a young banduria musician with Samahan Performing Arts. At age 12, he commenced kulintang studies with native Maguindanao master artist Danongan Kalanduyan. More recently, he has studied under a number of other master artists from the Philippines, with whom he maintains ongoing professional relationships, thereby keeping up-to-date in contemporary cultural developments.

Ellorin has been a teaching artist with the Center for World Music since 2016, and became a member of the Center’s Board of Directors in 2020. See a preview video of Bernard’s Living Room Learning music and dance and lesson.
VAPA Sept 2022
Available to all elementary students within San Diego County, this free 25-minute live, virtual meet and greet features an interactive musical performance by a Classics 4 Kids musician or our conductor, an explanation of their instrument, and time for students to ask questions and share comments with the musician. This program can be utilized for students in the classroom or learning from home. 

Each meet and greet is tailored to the grade level of the students in attendance and includes social and emotional learning components and diverse music selections featuring Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and female composers. Zoom platform is preferred. Spanish program is available by request.

For more information or to register your class, please email Classics 4 Kids Program Manager, Corrine Huber at chuber@classics4kids.org.
"25 Most Remarkable Teens in San Diego" Nominations Open
The Most Remarkable Teens in San Diego is a countywide outreach project that shines a light on teens 13 to 19 years of age achieving distinction in 25 areas not traditionally recognized by conventional award programs. These are kids often overlooked while doing remarkable things. By recognizing young people as community assets and celebrating their efforts and accomplishments, the Remarkable Teens program reinforces a strength-based approach to healthy development. Nominations are due by Sept. 21. Read more here.
To support educators’ ongoing efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in their classrooms and schools, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has established a grant program with $250,000 in shareholder funding. Teachers at public schools within SDG&E’s service territory in San Diego County who request anti-racism learning materials through the nonprofit crowdfunding platform DonorsChoose, will have donations to their projects matched with $2 for every $1 that they raise. Get details on how the program works; the campaign will run until funds are exhausted.
Classics for Kids Instrument Grant 
The Classics for Kids Foundation (CFKF) awards grants to K-12 schools to equip music programs with musical instruments. The program focuses on providing students with opportunities to play high-quality stringed instruments. CFKF offers matching grants for all instruments in the string family, including guitars and ukuleles. Visit the grant webpage. The application deadline is Sept. 30.
School Supplies Grants
The National Society of High School Scholars awards grants of $500 to 20 high school teachers, particularly those who are also heads of clubs in their schools, for school supplies and materials to aid in classroom instruction. Apply online by registering as an educator. Once registered, click the Grants link at the top of the dashboard. Visit the grant webpage for details. The application deadline is Sept. 15.
Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.