Arts education, which includes visual arts, music, drama, and media arts, is an important part of a well-rounded education. This newsletter serves to highlight the amazing work with the arts being done by school districts within our county.

Students in Ms. Bejarano's Art I class have been learning how to draw in 3D by using one point linear perspective. Students in Art II created shattered value drawings, where they explored alternating values and applying blending techniques. In Art III, students created broken glass paintings, where they alternated colors and values while exploring color schemes. Examples of their work can be seen below.

Students in JC Montgomery's 300 unit had the opportunity recently to speak with alternative education leaders from across the state about the importance of engaging arts educational opportunities. In preparation for this opportunity, the students brainstormed what they would like to see changed in education. This brainstorm was used to write a song with teaching artists Josh "Optx" Levine and JJ Johnson. The song, "Rose from Concrete," was played for the alternative education leaders. Students also participated in a student panel led by Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Joy Santos.

Last year's Stories with Style project "It's Not 2 Late", which was written and recorded by two JC Montgomery students and produced/filmed by Josh "Optx" Levine was recently awarded a Davey Award. These awards are given to small production companies, like J Mathews Creative, which is owned by teaching artist Josh "Optx" Levine. JCM is proud to see its students' voices continue to be recognized, and grateful for the teaching artists who come in to work with the students. Stories with Style is an annual project done in partnership with Kings County Probation.

Both videos can be seen below.

Mr. Fraley's students at Akers Elementary School engaged in lessons integrating art and historical time periods:

1. Akers students started off with the European cave paintings. These student examples were of animals that they would choose to illustrate on a cave surface.
   
2. The invention of writing systems developed over hundreds and thousands of years, but students had their go at showing a simple message or their name using pictographs which they invented.
3. After gliding through Egypt and Greece, we focused on the Middle Ages and put together our own Book of Hours with Illuminated Manuscript illustrations and calendar pages. On the illustration pages are inspirational quotes that the students chose.

In Mr. Rotella's Art Classes at Lemoore High School, students have participated in a variety of arts-based learning:

• Advanced Art students mastered creating unity with shape and color by painting acrylic portraits in the style of Chuck Close.

• Drawing/Painting 2P students made the mundane more interesting by transforming everyday objects such as water bottles, earbuds, and Wite-Out dispensers into spaceships and other intergalactic machines using ink and colored pencil.

• Drawing 1P students were recently introduced to the Rule of Thirds in composition, as well as how to create the illusion of depth with value using atmospheric perspective.

• CTE students in Entertainment Design have been developing their skillset in construction and painting by building the set for the upcoming LHS production of A Christmas Carol.
• A student piece from this collection is the featured background for this month's newsletter.

Teacher James Case submitted photographs of some of the many arts murals that decorate the halls of Hanford West High School, bringing beauty and student voice to the campus.

Teacher Jack Holcomb shared an advanced piece of portraiture sculpture completed by a Hanford West student.

Once each month Neutra Elementary School hosts an outdoor Spirit Rally on a Friday afternoon. Music teacher Jimmy Rickard chooses one grade level to perform at each of these events. Parents are invited to the assemblies to see what their students have been doing in music class. It gives the students an opportunity to practice publicly performing before the big Winter and Spring Shows. The video below showcases the three 5th-grade classes performing “Step Into the Spotlight” at the most recent Spirit Rally.

The Hanford High School Choral Music Department had an amazing fall performance season. The singers attended "Nothing But Treble" and "Sing Loud-Sing On!" hosted by The College of the Sequoias. They received wonderful clinics from Dr. Daniel Afonso from UC Stanislaus and Dr. Cori Brown from San Jose State University. The Chamber Singers attended the COS Fall Choral Invitational and received an amazing clinic from Dr. Dan Jackson from Point Loma University. The Bella Voce Ensemble and Chamber Singers attended the Fresno State Choral Invitational and both ensembles received unanimous superior ratings. They got a chance to work with Tesfa Wondemagegnehu from St. Olaf College. They had 8 students audition and make the 2022 California Choral Directors Association Regional Honor Choirs. The accepted students are Daisy Oliviera, Isaiah Frenes, Ember Smith, Sienna Price, Kalifornia Peer-Roddy, Daniela Rios Sanchez, Faith Rees and ZoeyJane Jauregui. They will travel to Delta College in Stockton November 17-19, 2022 to participate in the event. Their Fall Concert was a success and we are looking forward to some upcoming community performances for the Holidays.

The Hanford High School winter concert is Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Presentation Center on the campus of Hanford High. Admission is $5.00. Looking for a performance for a holiday event? Contact Jennifer McGill at jmcgill@hjuhsd.k12.ca.us or (559) 308-4336.

In Ms. McCaslin's art classes at Pioneer Middle School, the seventh grade classes have been participating in the International Peace Poster Contest. In advanced art students have been studying several forms of abstract art. Below is an example where they painted some interesting visual spaces that trick the eye into believing they are somehow 3D. Ms. McCaslin's Homeroom also decorated her doorway for Halloween and went all out. Their work can be seen below.

Students in Mr. Alvarez's art classes have been learning about shape, types of shapes, the characteristics of shapes, and their emotional properties. The final project for this unit was to align these shapes concepts in a final piece of artwork.

Students in Mr. Vatcher's art classes at Kings River-Hardwick have been hard at work! Students in K-5th grades have been learning about Cezanne and creating still lifes. Students in 6th-8th grade have been creating silhouette landscapes and peace posters for a contest..

Fresno Fair Parade:

The Hanford West Mighty Huskies debut their new uniforms at the Big Fresno Fair Band Review.

• The band took Music Sweepstakes! (highest music score of the entire day)
• 1st place Band Overall
• 2nd place Drum Major Nathan Bartlett.
• 2nd place Color Guard.
• The band received a cash prize of $1000!

The Hanford West Mighty Huskies at the Visalia Band Invitational:

PARADE:

• 1st place Band
• Music Sweepstakes (highest music score)
• 1st place Drum Major Nathan Bartlett
• 3rd place Color Guard Overall HS

FIELD SHOW:

• 2nd place Band
• 2nd place Percussion
• Best General Effect
• Best Visual
• Best Color Guard

CCSESA Arts Initiative has provided resources for arts educators to utilize as they navigate the newly adopted arts framework. Here is the link to access these resources.

The VAPA committee has compiled a list of resources for arts educators.

The Kings County Office of Education VAPA website has resources and information about the arts in Kings County.

The next arts newsletter will be published in January. Submissions may be sent to Liz Norris. Districts and sites are responsible for verifying that photos may be publicly released. Photos should be submitted in groupings of three due to the gallery format of S'more (preferably as jpgs or pngs). Videos of live performances may also be accepted.

February 2020

April 2020

September 2020

November 2020

January 2021

March 2021

October 2021

January 2022

March 2022

May 2022

September 2022