April 2004 Newsletter

SMARTS: BRING BACK THE ARTS

CALIFORNIA STATE PTA ONLINE NEWSLETTER

April 2004

SMARTS is California State PTA's program to encourage arts education. The California State PTA wants to create advocates for quality arts education at every school in California. We hope you will spread the word about the benefits of arts education. Please email this newsletter to PTA district, council and unit members.

In this issue:

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Write a letter! Please tell Superintendent O'Connell and Governor Schwarzenegger the PTA supports funding for CDE Arts Work Grants.
Taking Charge: Become an Effective Advocate for Arts Education.
The 2004 Congressional Arts Handbook is now available online.

2) Interactive Web sites for parents, teachers, and students

Science of Music: the Exploratorium's Accidental Scientist
Devices of Wonder
Stormy Weather
ArtsAlive
What is a Print?
Dance Video Library

3) Announcements

Arts Enhancement Grant Deadline May 1
Arts E-newsletters

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Write a letter!

Please tell Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger the PTA supports funding for CDE Arts Work Grants. In the proposed California budget, funding for California Department of Education (CDE) Arts Work Grants has been eliminated. This is a $6 million cut (line item 6110-177-0001).

Please tell the Superintendent and the Governor that "Bringing the Arts Back into Our Schools" is a priority for the PTA.
oAsk them to help restore funding for the Arts Work Visual and Performing Arts Education Program (line item 6110-177-0001).

For more information about the impact of CDE Arts Work Grants, see
http://www.artsed411.org/involved/artsworkimpact.stm.

Superintendent of Public Instruction
Jack O'Connell
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Executive Suite
Sacramento, CA 95814
joconnell@cde.ca.gov

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
governor@governor.ca.gov

Taking Charge: Become an Effective Advocate for Arts Education.
The California Alliance for Arts Education is hosting a pre-conference session at the Arts Work Conference in Sacramento on Thursday, May 20, 2004, 1:00 - 4:30 p.m. "Taking Charge: Become an Effective Advocate for Arts Education" will help you become an effective arts education advocate. For registration and information, go to http://www.artsed411.org/projects/artsworkconf.stm.

The 2004 Congressional Arts Handbook is now available online.
This handbook contains information and tools you need to become an advocate on upcoming federal legislation impacting the arts. See http://www.artsusa.org/issues/advocacy/advocacy_article.asp?id=1342.

2) Interactive Web sites for parents, teachers, and students

Science of Music: The Exploratorium's Accidental Scientist
Explore the science of music through online exhibits, movies, and questions. You can compose, mix, dance, drum, experiment, and listen.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/music/

Devices of Wonder
This site explores the ancestors of modern cinema, cyborgs, and other optical devices.
http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/devices/flash/

Stormy Weather
Listen to selections from famous works inspired by storms! Selections include "Presto" from Vivaldi's "Summer" (Four Seasons), Grofe's "Cloudburst" from his Grand Canyon Suite, and Beethoven's "Storm" from his Symphony Number 6 (Pastoral). Usable by elementary-age students.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3358

ArtsAlive
The National Arts Centre (NAC) presents four performing arts websites to explore.
http://www.artsalive.ca/

What is a print?
Learn the art of print making from the Museum of Modern Art.
http://www.moma.org/whatisaprint/

Dance Video Library
75 video clips that illustrate portions of the Dance Instruction Manuals arranged by historical period.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/dihtml/divideos.html#vc029

3) Announcements

Arts Enhancement Grant Deadline, May 1
More than 600,000 students in PTA schools participate annually in PTA's Reflections Program, an arts recognition and achievement program for students. To support and promote even more student participation, a limited number of matching grants up to $1,000 are made available annually to local PTAs through the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant Program. The deadline to submit the grant application is May 1. For an application and for more information about the program, please visit http://www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/familyfun/mla.asp.

Arts E-Newsletters
The California Arts Council has created a list of arts e-newsletters. See http://www.cac.ca.gov/links/enewsdirectory.cfm.

Visit the SMARTS: Bring Back the Arts Web site
http://www.capta.org/sections/programs-smarts/index.cfm

For New Members to Subscribe:

If you wish to be added to the subscriber list to this eNewsletter, send an E-mail to SMARTSenews@capta.org. Enter the word "Subscribe" into the subject area or the body of the email and you will automatically be added.

For Members to Unsubscribe:

If you would like to terminate your subscription to the SMARTS eNewsletter, send an E-mail to SMARTSenews@capta.org and in the subject area type "Remove" or "Unsubscribe" and your name will be removed.

For help or to send comments, suggestions, and inquiries send an E-mail to info@capta.org

The California State PTA SMARTS e-Newsletter is sent free of charge via the Internet as a service of the California State PTA in the furtherance of its nonprofit and tax-exempt status. Unless otherwise noted, PTAs may reproduce and distribute the materials from the California State PTA Web site for PTA use without express written permission. California State PTA materials may not be duplicated by any other organization or person without written permission.

California State PTA

Does not exert editorial control over materials that are posted by third parties onto its Web site, or materials that are e-mailed by third parties to any other persons.
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