Nevada County

Commentary

I value how our arts education needs survey gave us (arts leads) concrete data of the needs of our teachers regarding ARTS EDUCATION needs and that will drive our next actionable steps in arts education and with our Art Leads Community of Practice.”
-Andrea Conte, Nevada City School of the Arts

“The Nevada County community has shown its commitment to arts education for all students with this plan. The Nevada County Superintendent of Schools connects the rural districts and can facilitate implementation of the plan. The structure of the county schools presents some unique challenges in articulating arts education from the elementary districts to the joint union high school district. Attaining implementation funding would be critical in bringing this plan to scale.”
–Jim Thomas, Arts Planning Facilitator

When we learn about art in school, I always feel the best.”
– Third grader from Grass Valley SD.

“What I’m learning in Makers Space classes is real world applications and about possible future careers, along with
being super fun!”
– Eighth grader, Nevada City School District

“Arts education, SEL trainings, lessons and activities are crucial in today’s classroom and all teachers need more
focused, practical strategies to deliver. Less lecture, more hands-on learning forthe arts & SEL please.”
-Valerie Stuart, Forest Charter School

“The arts in our schools are part of the glue that keeps students engaged and focused.  Often, academic lessons (math, science, reading and writing) can all be brought to life through art. The strategic arts plan is critical for our County as it serves as a catalyst for all leaders to use when examining their needs versus what is readily available. It is also important to note that this plan was not just created by the arts professional in the community, or just by educators, but is a document with input from stakeholders. We each learned about the challenges and successes throughout the County/District programs and have a better understanding of overall needs. We can now use this information as a springboard for future years of planning and implementation.”
– Torie Gibson, Superintendent, Penn Valley Union Elementary School District 

“We know that learning is richer, deeper and more enduring when it includes movement and action, and when the learner has an emotional connection to the subject. The arts are uniquely positioned to provide all of these essential features.”
-Donn Harris, President, Nevada County Arts Council

“Art was always one of my favorite subjects in school from sculpting with clay to painting on canvas. It was not so much the medium of the art we were doing, but I remember the feeling I got when doing art. Freedom of expression, trying new techniques, taking risks and changing things up when it didn’t go as planned; because I was taught there are no mistakes, only happy accidents. Arts keep people motivated and engaged in what they are doing and throughout the process of the development of this plan I witnessed everyone motivated and engaged. I guess we all remember how the arts make us feel and how we want that for all our students. It was a privilege to be a part of this amazing group of people and collaborative effort to write a plan and work towards implementation; despite ongoing funding challenges for rural county schools.”
-Teena Corker, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Nevada County Office of Education

“As Arts Coordinator for the County, I feel especially empowered with the knowledge and data that proves, undoubtedly, that through the arts, children learn what they need to succeed. The arts nurture and build 21^st Century skills like creativity, communication, collaboration, cultural sensitivity and critical thinking. The arts build confidence, scaffolding for perseverance and stamina, improves students’ engagement and can improve attendance and even state test scores. Our County has the artistic strength and community partnerships to bridge the gaps we currently have in our school system regarding the arts. Teaching artists, arts organizations, arts-related businesses and school districts can provide more arts exposure and equity to all students, along with introducing arts integration lesson planning into all subjects across the curriculum. With all of these elements, one action at a time, we will benefit our students with the gifts of the arts that help create the whole child.”
–Kimberly Ewing, Arts Coordinator, Nevada County Office of Education

“The arts prepare our students to be creative problem solvers. The world doesn’t need as many people who can solve problems that we already know the answers to; and can easily confirm that answer with a calculator. The world needs people to solve complex problems. Creative, critical thinkers are essential for success in resolving some of our world’s most pressing issues.” -I. Bloggett, local artist

“As educators, we often talk about the positive impact that the arts have on our lives and in particular, the lives of students. As a community, we know this and yet, in many cases art programs are the first to suffer budget cuts. Nevertheless, teachers, parents and students consistently manage to incorporate art in their daily work. Color shows up on school reports and pictures are added to homework assignments. Kids role play ideas during recess, songs are sung on long car rides and anyone that has ever talked to a teenager knows there are always some dance moves included in their conversation to emphasize whatever point they are trying to make. We use art to connect with each other and build communities. Students exposed to the arts engage with the world around them and with other people. The arts help develop key behaviors that support us throughout our life journey. Perseverance, exploration, learning from mistakes, observation, empathy, patience, curiosity, imagination, physical and mental strength are just a few character traits learned by doing and experiencing art. “However, exposure to the arts must be consistent and deliberate. The Strategic Arts plan that the County Office has embarked upon is crucial to delivering quality, equitable access to the arts in Nevada County. Children and families will be able to participate in diverse arts activities that will not only enhance their understanding of the arts as a discrete subject, but also deliver other academic content with in-depth comprehension. This program will create an enriched environment in which our kids can grow as engaged participants in our community and the world.” -A.Conte, Arts Educator

“I remember as a student, the pleasure of getting the ‘right answer’ on a math homework assignment or on a history test. What became clear to me as an adult/ teacher/school administrator, however, was that life and work rarely presented the same opportunity for the algorithmic right answer of an academic test. Rather, real life presented an open-ended problem or multi-dimensional goal, with the possibility of multiple right answers, each with their own set of positive and negative outcomes. This is exactly the kind of experience one gets in the arts – a blank sheet of paper or canvas, a multi-faceted goal, multiple possible right answers or strategies to achieve that goal, the multi-dimensional evaluation of progress in real time, and the constant presence of varying degrees of failure and success. When you think about it, the focused creative expression of arts education is the most authentic, realistic, efficient, productive, and complexity-infused practice for real-world success we could possibly provide students! Yet, it is fascinating to me that in our culture and throughout most of my career, the arts have taken a backseat when it comes to educational importance. Reading and math have been the top priority, with science and technology coming on strong over the past two decades. Yes, those absolutely are important subjects, but during that same time the arts haven’t been considered important enough even to assess. This is in spite of:  1) Knowing that student involvement with arts a) increases attendance, b) increases academic test scores, c) improves school climate and behavior, and d) increases community involvement with a school; and 2) Knowing that the active learning/creative expression characteristic of arts education is a research-based recommended strategy for meeting the needs of students who are entering schools with increasing social/emotional needs. “People ‘of a certain age’ can remember when California’s elementary students all had arts specialists and/or classroom teachers trained in arts education. Such hasn’t been the case for at least two generations of children, and overall academic achievement certainly hasn’t prospered during that time. I’m hopeful that this plan, the result of multiple stakeholders coming together to seek potential solutions to the challenge of best educating our citizens of the future, can help change what in my opinion have been the well-intentioned but wrong-headed policies and practices that have hindered the success of teachers and students in the recent past. This plan presents both our hopes and a road map for a better future!” -B.Buckley, Nevada County Arts Council

“We need to cover the full spectrum of learning in education. If you have creativity without rigor, you have chaos, even insanity. If you have rigor without creativity, it’s rigor mortis. We need both creativity and rigor to make all this work.” –Jerry Brown, former California Governor