Important News!
Arts|Learning has received a generous grant from the Mass Cultural Council to plan and implement the School Arts Program for Fall, 2022! See below for more information.
A|L is Accepting Applications to Join the 2022-24 Cohort for the School Arts Leader Program!
For more information about the program, see the Information Packet.
To request additional information, or to send a letter of intent to apply for the program, please contact Jonathan Rappaport, SAL Coordinator.
About the School Arts Leader Program:
The School Arts Leader (SAL) Program is a collective-impact collaboration which annually guides a cohort of MA school principals and/or district leaders through a two-year process to forge sustainable, high-quality arts-education programs that transform their schools. This is achieved by the school leader actively directing a team of educators, parents, and community members to develop and implement school arts-action plans.
The goal is to build and support systemic change in public PreK—12 schools so that all students can benefit from the vital role of dance-drama-media-music-visual art in a complete, balanced education as called for in the 2015 Federal “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA). It is a proven strategy for improving education outcomes in underperforming schools and developing culturally-inclusive school communities. Arts|Learning is happy to work with a variety of schools and districts. However, working with schools having 50+% diverse BIPOC student populations, and/or with BIPOC school leaders, is a priority.
Potential SAL Program Focal Points may be in a specific school, or via a vertical-alignment team in a district, Pre-K—12. Any of the following concentrations may be chosen by the participating school or district, either alone, or in combination:
• One or more arts domain(s) specific focus (dance, drama, media arts, music, visual arts)
• Integrating arts with and across other academic subjects
• STEAM—Integrating and infusing arts across STEM subjects (STEAM)
• Post-pandemic response—strengthening student resiliency, social-emotional learning, and building community through the arts
• Using the unique languages and forms of communication of the arts to better integrate and support English Language Learners
• Applying arts-learning creative processes and thinking strategies across the curriculum
• Utilizing local arts and cultural organizations and resources
• Other arts-related focus of school’s or district’s choice
SAL offers the support and expertise needed to sustain powerful arts programming via concentrated professional development and sustained, on-site coaching and mentoring to the school leader and arts-action team.
We are happy to work with all different kinds of districts and schools, including traditional public school districts and charter schools. We are especially interested in working with schools and/or districts which have 50% or higher of BIPOC students, low-income students, and/or and students who traditionally have less arts access and equity.
The strategic process employed by the arts team is also an ideal vehicle for schools wishing to incorporate the arts into their improvement strategies for enhancing school climate, social-emotional learning, overall learning, and academic success as well as strengthening the arts program.