Here we are more than halfway through January and I’m wondering if anyone else feels like they are witnessing a kind of repetition found in the movie Groundhog Day? Each time it seems like progress has been made and things are getting better the alarm clock goes off and it feels like March 2020 all over again. Since we’re on the topic of movies, I have been captivated by the movie Encanto. I love the entire soundtrack, however, one song stands out to me as I think about all you are doing each day for our students: Surface Pressure. Without spoiling the movie, this song is sung by the character Luisa Madrigal, whose gift is strength. She is the strong one in the family and eventually comes to wonder if she has value if she ever shows any kind of weakness, like being a human being. I want to assure you that you should never feel worthless if you can’t always shoulder the challenges and responsibilities that continue to be placed upon you. You are a human being and have value, regardless of your strength at any given moment. We are living in such a challenging time and your focus on your students is commendable. Please don’t underestimate the power of being vulnerable, letting those around you help and support you, and taking a rest when needed as you do your best for yourself, your family, and your students.
Please remember, I am here as a resource for you. You can reach out with your questions via email or phone, and if I don’t have the answers, I will do my best to connect you with someone who does.
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VAPA Coordinator, San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE)
858-295-8881
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2022 Grading for Equity Book Study
Using the text Grading for Equity by Joe Feldman, this book study is a forum for educators to explore the history and research on grading, examine the problems with many current grading policies and practices, and to better understand the pillars and practices of equitable grading that:
- Improve learning
- Decrease failure rates and grade inflation
- Make classrooms more caring and less stressful
- Strengthen relationships between teachers and students
- Build students’ responsibility and character
During this virtual six-session book study, participants will discuss themes in the book and engage in conversations around the challenges and opportunities of shifting grading practices and policies to better support student motivation and learning. Additional opportunities for one-on-one or team conversations with facilitators will be made available through optional “office hour” meetings.
Book Study Dates: Feb. 8, Feb. 15, Feb. 22, March 1, March 8, and March 15
Follow-up Content Area Sessions: May 3, May 10
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The California Arts Project's 2022 Artful Inquiry
Arts educators are key to students’ success and the implementation of the 2019 California Arts Standards, the state’s Literacy and English Language Development Standards, the 2020 Arts Education Framework, and California Transformative Social and Emotional Learning Competencies. The California Arts Project’s (TCAP’s) Artful Inquiry intensive programs engage arts educators in sense-making of California’s education changes and the return to post-shelter in place teaching contexts. This program supports educators in making effective instructional decisions as they incorporate inclusive practices such as universal design for learning, and culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies.
TCAP’s Artful Inquiry offers arts educators an opportunity to examine current research related to a self-identified problem of practice. Working together with colleagues, in focused, collaborative, and equity-driven inquiry, the goal is to improve practice so that we may yield significant results in student learning. Artful Inquiry includes a lesson study component that supports the implementation of new, research-based strategies and breaks down the isolation of arts educators. Visit the TCAP Artful Inquiry webpage for more information and to register.
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Introduction to Arts Integration
Building an awareness of how to use theatre strategies to integrate arts can activate your curriculum in any content area. Introduction to Arts Integration is a free, online, asynchronous course developed by La Jolla Playhouse to 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. The 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 (CCSESA) Arts Initiative.
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Instructional Materials Fair
A free, virtual event featuring state-approved instructional materials for visual and performing arts will be held Feb. 10. Get a firsthand look at the materials; learn more about the state adoption process for recommended, standards-aligned instructional materials; and explore districts' options in choosing the programs for their schools. Use this link to register for the Instructional Materials Fair. Registered participants will receive the link to join live and access to the recorded sessions to view on-demand following the event.
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California Arts Education Framework Launch Event
Save the date for a virtual launch of the new California Arts Education Framework from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. March 1. Watch for a registration link coming soon!
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California Department of Health (CDPH) Guidance and the Arts
As we approach the time of year where the weather is cooler and more performances and exhibitions tend to occur, many questions around safely engaging in the visual and performing arts exist. Closely review updates regarding playing wind instruments indoors in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) K-12 Schools guidance and related FAQ released in November. SDCOE created supportive documents such as guidance and information and a presentation that explains the updated guidance, which are based on the most recent materials available and are subject to change as the CDPH releases new guidance. Please read the updated Decision Tree FAQ from Jan. 11 which specifically references student musicians returning to school from isolation before Day 11. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions and we will do our best to answer them. While we know most performing arts classes are curricular and co-curricular, CDPH continues to include them under the heading “School-Based Extracurricular Activities.”
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Arts Empower San Diego Monthly Communication Toolkit
Arts Empower San Diego is making it easier for you to take action in support of arts education. Each month, a new set of weekly social media posts, as well as a short paragraph supporting arts education, for newsletters and other forms of communication is posted. The toolkit is available on the Arts Empower website. Share the social media posts using #ArtsEmpowerSD and #theArtsMatter, and encourage your community to do the same! For more information about supporting arts education in your community, contact pauline.crooks@sdcoe.net.
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Call for Student Artwork
The California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) Statewide Arts Initiative and the San Francisco Unified School District are partnering together to highlight student artwork in an art exhibit to be featured at the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) State Conference in San Francisco on March 30 to April 2.
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Arts Education Resource Organization (AERO) Arts Pack
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San Diego County Board of Education Seeking Student Members
The San Diego County Board of Education is seeking student applicants with traditional and non-traditional leadership experiences for its student board member position. Young people are powerful agents of change and their perspective is an important part of decision-making in education.
Applications are now open to 10th- and 11th-grade students attending a public high school in San Diego County to learn about government processes and use their voice to represent other young people across our region. One student representative from each of the five board regions will be selected to serve on a rotating basis for two months of meetings with the first term beginning in May.
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Arts Education Curriculum Units
Whether you are looking for new units to use with your students, plans to share with a substitute, or curriculum for students in quarantine due to COVID-19, you will want to check out the SDCOE distance learning units of study in grades K-12. 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. 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.
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First and second place works of art will be on display at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd. in Escondido, from Jan. 17 to 28. A virtual closing reception will be announced soon.
First through third place works of art will move on to the regional YAM show at the Riverside Art Museum located at 3425 Mission Inn Ave. in Riverside, from March 19 to April 3. A closing reception is planned for April 3.
A special thanks to Keri Jhaveri and Don Masse for helping secure judges, Ed Lim who constructed the online show, Soudabeh Memarzadeh who designed the logo and arranged for the art to be on display in Escondido, Liz Wepsic who will take art to Riverside, the California Art Education Association (CAEA) San Diego Board of Directors and all of our CAEA San Diego Art teachers who made this opportunity available for students.
Upcoming CAEA San Diego events include the Groff High School Show-exhibiting at San Diego City College (Liz Wepsic Chair) and the K-8 Art show-exhibiting at Mission Valley Library (Meera Ramanathan, chair). Be on the lookout for details for those events coming soon.
If you are interested in becoming more involved with CAEA San Diego, please contact CAEA San Diego President Alyssa Navapanich via email at caeasd.president@gmail.com. The group meets the first Thursday of every month at 4 p.m. on Zoom and would love to have you join. CAEA San Diego is currently in need of a Treasurer, Teacher Art Show chair, and Social Activities person.
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Celebrate Black History Month — Jazzy Ash Virtual Field Trip
Celebrating Black History Month, Jazzy Ash will introduce students to the musical stylings of zydeco, jazz, blues and swing in her energetic and engaging concert. She draws out the roots of West African song traditions, rhythms and games. Produced by Poway OnStage, this virtual field trip includes pre-show learning modules and extension activities. Learn more about this virtual field trip and sign up to participate.
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Call for Poetry: Resiliency Through and Emerging from the Pandemic
SDCOE, in association with David's Harp and Write Out Loud, is calling for original poems from students in grades K-12 that address the theme Resiliency Through and Emerging From the Pandemic. This is a great way for students of all ages to express their experience of the pandemic. Poems can be based on real experiences or fictional imaginings, and all entries will be collected into a digital magazine for distribution. Free workshops are available upon request. The submission deadline is Feb. 28. For more information visit the Write Out Loud website.
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La Jolla Playhouse POP Tour 2022: HOOPLA!
The 5th-grade talent show is approaching, and everyone is abuzz at Baldwin Elementary. Winston wants to win the talent show with his cheerleading routine to prove to others that he’s more than the unfriendly “Fishboy” nickname they call him. Introverted artist Gina wants nothing to do with the talent show, and she knows that the overzealous (and generally unpleasant) twin sensations, Randy and Brandy, are probably going to win it all anyway. But with the persistence of Elliott, the school’s new kid and resident rebel, these unlikely friends form Hoopla, a dazzling hula hooping trio, and help each other navigate through the pressures of being a kid. POP Tour is traveling around San Diego County Schools in April. Book POP Tour today!
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Plays by Young Writers Festival
Playwrights Project is offering free school matinees of our Plays by Young Writers Festival online and on-demand from Jan. 31 to Feb. 13. Your students will watch filmed professional productions of scripts written by five California students ages 13 to 17. Three of these young playwrights are students from SDCOE schools who wrote their winning scripts in a Playwrights Project school residency!
Your reservation includes an education packet that provides background information, and discussion and writing prompts for each play. To reserve your free virtual field trip, email Playwrights Project.
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Improving Public Speaking in the K-12 Classroom
Join La Jolla Playhouse for a professional learning opportunity. Public speaking is an invaluable life skill for students to practice in the classroom. Public speaking improves a student’s ability to communicate and connect, increases their self-esteem, and helps them organize their thoughts into compelling narratives. In this workshop, you will learn the instructional tools to help children find calm under stress, speak clearly and without fillers, understand body language, and use their intuition to exchange information.
This interactive workshop will be held on zoom and is great for all K-12 Classroom teachers and teaching artists looking to use public speaking more in their classrooms. Registration is available using this link for $10.
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.
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