April 2006 Newsletter

SMARTS: BRING BACK THE ARTS

CALIFORNIA STATE PTA ONLINE NEWSLETTER

April 2006

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 e-mail this newsletter to PTA district, council and unit members.

In this issue:

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Editorials Support Arts funding
Tell Your Legislator PTA Supports the Arts
Art and Music Block Grant

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Cartoonster
A Dancer’s Journal
Tall Buildings
Jazz Appreciation Month Resources

3) Announcements

Imagination Celebration
Art is Education
San Francisco Youth Arts Festival
Photo Contests
CAAE Arts Education Leadership Conference 2006: Advocacy in Action

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Editorials Supports Arts Funding
View what newspapers are saying about arts funding in the state budget:

San Jose Mercury News
“...(I)t’s critical that the Legislature approve $100 million for K-8 arts education that Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed in his budget.”
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/14230776.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

San Francisco Chronicle
“THE STUDY of the arts is not a luxury. It is an essential component of a well-rounded education.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/24/EDGU9GJG0J1.DTL&hw=Arts%2BFunding&sn=005&sc=381

Tell YOUR Legislator PTA Supports the Arts
Please take a moment to send a letter to your legislator.

To find your legislator, go to: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

SAMPLE LETTER

Your Legislator
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: Please help “ Bring Back the Arts” to California’s students

Dear_____________,

The Governor’s 2006 budget contains a $100 million Arts and Music Block Grant to support arts education in California public schools. I am writing to let you know that arts education is very important for my children attending (insert name of school.)
I support arts education. The California State PTA supports full restoration of the funds owed to our schools AND funding for PTA’s priority programs in visual and performing arts.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Your Address

Art and Music Block Grant
Learn about the Art and Music Block Grant to support standards-aligned art and music instruction in K-8 grades.
http://govbud.dof.ca.gov/BudgetSummary/K12/8863392.html

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Cartoonster
Cartoonster features a collection of fun and interactive tutorials, which teach children and young people how to create their own animations!
http://cartoonster.kidzdom.com

A Dancer’s Journal
Learn to perform the dances of Martha Graham through this innovative web site.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/marthagraham/index.htm

Tall Buildings
This web site from the Museum of Modern Art takes you to 25 of the tallest buildings in the world.
http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/2004/tallbuildings/index_f.html

Jazz Appreciation Month Resources
Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with sound clips and information about jazz greats.
http://www.ed.gov/free/jazz.html

3) Announcements

Imagination Celebration
Enjoy the annual spring festival of the arts for children, teenagers, and families presented by Arts Orange County and the Orange County Department of Education.
http://www.ocimaginationcelebration.org/

Arts in Education
Take a look at how the Alameda County Office of Education supports the arts.
http://www.artiseducation.org/index.htm

San Francisco Youth Arts Festival
Join in the fun - co-sponsored by the San Francisco Unified School District.
http://www.sfyouthartsfestival.org/

Photo Contests
National PTA Contest
http://www.pta.org/archive_article_details_1141328515875.html

LegiSchool’s Photo Contest for High School Students
http://www.csus.edu/legischool/photo%5Fcontest/

CAAE Arts Education Leadership Conference 2006: Advocacy in Action
http://www.artsed411.org/involved/conference2006.stm

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

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