Thank You From The Tennessee Arts Academy!
Greetings!!
 
As the 2021 post-Academy session comes to a close, I wanted to take a brief moment to say thank you for joining us this summer. By most all accounts, the 2021 virtual Academy was a huge success. The initial evaluations we have received are highly positive. Once all the evaluations are submitted, we will issue a final report on this year's TAA later in the summer. Please know we will seriously consider all suggestions and will continue to tweak and tune the Academy based on your feedback. If you think of other ideas that will make the week better, please contact us by email at taa@belmont.edu or by calling the TAA office at (615) 460-5451.
 
Thank you again for your support and enthusiasm. I hope we met your expectations this year and that you will consider joining us in 2022 when our goal is to be back on the Belmont campus. Best wishes for a return to a more normal environment in the coming months and for a very productive school year.
 
Stay safe and healthy!
 
Frank Bluestein
Evaluation Reminder!
Thank you to everyone who has completed and submitted the 2021 TAA Online evaluation form. We appreciate your feedback! For those who have not yet completed the form, please remember Saturday, July 31, 2021 is the ultimate day. The evaluation form includes a section which will allow you to input the credit hours you earned as well as to evaluate the 2021 Academy. The link you received contains a digitally embedded unique ID that will allow you to save and come back to the evaluation form so that you do not need to complete it in a single sitting. PLEASE DO NOT FORWARD the email you receive to another TAA teacher-participant; the link in the letter is unique to you only.

The deadline to submit your TAA Evaluation form is Saturday, July 31, 2021.

If you did not receive your evaluation email, please check your spam folder under "support @ hanwi. com" or if you have questions, please feel free to email TAA at taa@belmont.edu or call the TAA Office at 615-460-5451.
Reminder: TAA Needs Your Help!
Please Write Letters of Support to State Officials

Please consider sharing your positive feelings about the Academy by sending an email to Governor Bill Lee, Commissioner of Education Penny Schwinn, Director of Arts Education Todd Shipley, and to your Tennessee state legislators. Let them know that the Academy is valuable to you, your colleagues and to the students in Tennessee. These emails are very important and have a major impact on funding priorities. From feedback we have received in the past, we know that your emails will be read, counted, and recorded. Your support is very much appreciated.

Below are the pertinent e-mail addresses. Please take a few minutes in the next couple of days to contact these very influential people. One email sent to all of the addresses at the same time will be the quickest and easiest way to communicate. If you are willing, it would also be helpful if you would copy your email to us at taa@belmont.edu. We might be able to use your supportive words in other settings.

Governor Bill Lee
Office of Governor Bill Lee
1st Floor, State Capitol
Nashville, TN  37243
Primary Telephone: (615) 253-7730

Dr. Penny Schwinn
Commissioner
Department of Education
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243-0382
Primary Telephone: (615) 741-8457

Todd Shipley
Director of Arts Education & State of the Arts Program Director
Office of Academic Strategy and Operations
Andrew Johnson Tower, 12th Floor
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243
Primary Telephone: (615) 762-6330

Tennessee State Legislators: To locate the contact information for your state legislator, please go to this website. If you are unsure of the names of your legislators or your district number, enter the required information under “Find My Senator” or “Find My Legislator” and you will be directed to the appropriate site.

TDOE General Comments email: educator.communications@tn.gov
(Please use this email as an additional one to those emails listed above. It is not the primary email.)

Thank you from the entire Academy staff for your enthusiasm and for choosing to make the TAA a part of your summer plans. Please keep in touch and make sure to utilize our social media sites and the TAA Community pages on our website throughout the year.

Have a great school year and we hope to see you back at the Academy in 2022.
Very Best Regards,

Frank Bluestein, TAA Executive Director
TAA Administrative Council and Staff
Alumni Roll Call
There is still time to join the Tennessee Arts Academy Alumni Association or renew your membership to receive a “special perk!” Click here to check out the list of gift options. Donations have been coming in, and there is still time to make sure you join in and get one of the Tennessee Arts Academy Alumni Member decals for the 2021-2022 school year (pictured left). We would love for you to be a part of this great association.
More on The Kinetic Connection with
Leland Faulkner
Did you participate in Leland Faulkner's Interludes and have an interest in learning more about it? Click here to access their monthly virtual workshop.
The TAA Mentor Program
The Tennessee Arts Academy Mentor Program provides year-long support for novice teachers who would like to receive advice and feedback from a more seasoned colleague throughout the school year. The Academy pairs young teachers with experienced TAA alumni who have successfully implemented in their own classrooms the training they received at the Academy.

If you are interested in participating as a mentor or a mentee, and have not already signed up, please click the link below to access an application!
LOOKING AHEAD TO TAA 2022!
TAA Registration Begins
October 1, 2021

TAA 2022 Takes Place
July 10 - July 15, 2022

Watch for faculty, muser, and performer announcements and updates!
TAA MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Tennessee Arts Academy is to provide exceptional quality professional development, arts training, support, encouragement, information and renewal to K-12 teachers and to promote and honor the role of the arts in the lives of all Tennesseans.
 
The Tennessee Arts Academy is a project of the
Tennessee Department of Education
and is funded under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.
 
Major corporate, organizational, and individual funding support for the Tennessee Arts Academy is generously provided by:
Significant sponsorship, scholarship, and event support for the 2021 Tennessee Arts Academy is generously provided by Stephen Coleman; Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee; Rena Ellzy; Solie Fott; Bobby Jean Frost; Dorothy M. Gillespie Foundation; Morel Enoch Harvey; Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation; Kem Hinton; Patricia Hudson; Lingner Gift Fund; Pinnacle Financial Partners; Sara Savell; Tennessee Book Company; Jeanette and Bill Watkins; and Watkins College of Art at Belmont University.
TENNESSEE ARTS ACADEMY
OFFICE: 615-460-5451 | FAX: 615-460-6057 | EMAIL: taa@belmont.edu
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: TENNESSEEARTSACADEMY.ORG