CALIFORNIA STATE PTA ONLINE NEWSLETTER

September 2006

SMARTS is California State PTAs 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

• Sound of Music Returning to Schools
• Strategic Recommendations for Maximizing New Arts Funding
• Cyber Conference on Visual and Performing Arts

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

• Lewis and Clark: The National Bicentennial Exhibition
• Dream Worlds
• Thumb Music Tunes

3) Announcements

• Rate Your Music Program
• Start the Art Week - Celebrating the Arts!
• California Arts Day

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Sound of Music Returning to Schools
The San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at the new funding for arts education in California.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/04/BAGEKKV0A11.DTL

Strategic Recommendations for Maximizing New Arts Funding
The California Arts Project shares strategies for teachers, administrators, parents, and others involved in decision making on the use of the new state funds. You can download and reproduce any document you find useful.
http://csmp.ucop.edu/tcap/news/support_visual.html

Cyber Conference on Visual and Performing Arts
Mark your calendars for a Cyber Conference on Visual and Performing Arts on October 18, 2006. A one-day conference provides an overview of visual and performing arts education for administrators, counselors, arts educators, and teachers.
http://ci.sbcss.k12.ca.us/vapacyberconference/

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Lewis and Clark: The National Bicentennial Exhibition
Explore this multimedia exhibit and follow the steps of Lewis and Clark across America.
http://www.lewisandclarkexhibit.org/

Dream Worlds
Visit an interactive exploration of modern Japanese prints.
http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/online/dreamWorlds/default.htm

Thumb Music Tunes
Listen to music on an online thumb piano from Africa.
http://pbskids.org/africa/piano/haveflash.html

3) Announcements

Rate Your Music Program
The National Association for Music Education has developed a set of standards. Take the quiz to see how your school rates.
http://www.supportmusic.com/rateyourschool/standardsquiz.html

Start the Art Week - Celebrating the Arts!
Join the PTA in celebrating Art Week 2006. Lots of ideas for your school!
http://www.pta.org/archive_article_details_1157556072984.html

California Arts Day
The California Arts Council website provides tips on how to celebrate California Arts Day.
http://www.cac.ca.gov/333/

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The California State PTA SMARTS 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 website for PTA use without express written permission. California State PTA materials may not be duplicated by any other organization or person without written permission.

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California State PTA

• Does not exert editorial control over materials that are posted by third parties onto its website, or materials that are e-mailed by third parties to any other persons.
• Specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that result from postings by third parties.
• Does not exert editorial or any other control over content provided by links from the California State PTA website.

Thank you to the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for supporting in part the
California State's PTA's arts education initiatives.