CALIFORNIA STATE PTA ONLINE NEWSLETTER

May 2008

SMARTS is California State PTAs program to encourage arts education. 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.

PTA Reflections Winners Now on Web Site

The California State PTA Reflections winners are now up on the California State PTA web site!
http://www.capta.org/sections/programs/reflections.cfm

Visit The Convention Reflections Photo Gallery.
http://www.capta.org/sections/convention-2008/photos-reflections.cfm

Find our National Reflections Award Winners:
http://www.pta.org/archive_article_details_1177715032593.html#e-AK

Support Arts and Music Block Grant Funding in the California Budget

Please let your elected official know:

• Parents strongly support arts education as an essential component of quality education for all children.

Find Your Legislator
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Contact the Governor
http://gov.ca.gov/interact#contact

Arts Websites for Parents, Teachers and Students

Art and Ecology
Examine the inter-relationship of geography, natural resources and climate.
http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/art_and_ecology/

New Angles on Art
Explore the intersection of math and art in the works of three contemporary artists.
http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/new_angles/

The Music Exchange
A look at this award- winning project working with schools and after-school programs to create record labels owned and managed by students.
http://youthmusicexchange.org/index.html

Announcements

The California State PTA opposes cuts to education and children’s programs in the state budget.
The California State PTA is asking all our legislators and the Governor to use a balanced approach to solve the California budget crisis. This includes looking at both sides of the budget and generating enough revenue to ensure the needs of California are met.
http://www.capta.org/sections/advocacy/flunk-the-budget.cfm

Support Music in Your Schools
Download Support Music Brochures in English and Spanish
http://www.supportmusic.com/SMBrochure_eng.pdf
http://www.supportmusic.com/SMBrochure_spa.pdf

Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest
The EPA, Generations United and the Rachel Carson Council, Inc., announce a poetry, essay and photography contest "that best expresses the Sense of Wonder that you feel for the sea, the night sky, forests, birds, wildlife and all that is beautiful to your eyes." Entries must be joint projects involving a person under age 18 and a person age 50 or older. Deadline: June 16, 2008
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm

The Imagination Nation
This web site looks at the arts as essential to invigorating the teaching of other fundamental school subjects.
http://www.theimaginenation.net/

CCSESA Arts Initiative
Find arts education resources for your classroom and more...
http://www.ccsesaarts.org/content/home.asp

To Subscribe:
If you wish to be added to the subscriber list to this newsletter, 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.

To Unsubscribe:
If you would like to terminate your subscription to the SMARTS newsletter, 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 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.

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.