October 18,2020

On #ArtsMatterDay, October 23, the creative community will flood social media with images and videos celebrating why arts matter in Massachusetts. As always Framingham will take the lead on heightening and embracing the value of arts in education. This year #ArtsMAtterDay will look slightly different. Masscreative the state advocacy agency that promotes Art in education has expanded the hashtag to bring attention to arts education throughout the year, In Framingham we will continue to celebrate #ArtsMatterDay and will support the efforts of our state partner by adding the hashtag ArtsEdworksforMASS to all the publicity Kyle will release.

We need your help. Below is the button to the Google folder Kyle created. We need a folder for each school and then we need YOU to add art, music, videos, photos of your kids making art in our virtual world. Rochelle would love to start releasing these images tomorrow and build to a video release highlighting the district to be released on Friday. We cannot do this without you.

There will be no Rainbow Tour this year. There will be no videos of Dr. Tremblay visiting classes or Representative Jack Lewis playing the trumpet but the arts are still happening and they are happening in a powerful way. You have videos, musical compositions, screen shots, monologues, photography, audition recordings, dances.. PLEASE add them to this folder tonight or tomorrow morning. Now more then ever we need to remind our community that the arts are alive and well and that art education - even in a remote world- remains a jewel in the crown of our education in Framingham.

On Friday- October 23- please find a way to celebrate #ArtsMatterDayFramingham with all your classes. Make a video, create an art piece, write a song, create a scene or monologue or simply have a discussion with your classes on the importance of arts in their lives and share it with Kyle. He will add the hashtags and share it on Twitter, Facebook and our own website along with The Source and with Rochelle's help, the community.

Everything is harder this year. That includes #ArtsMatterDay. Please grab something you already have and share it with Kyle. You are already doing wonderful work. Let us help you share it.

Our after school program has gone virtual. Thank you to the dedicated teachers and advisors who just won't let kids down! We have an incredible after school program scheduled for the fall. Working in this remote world is very, very challenging and I am so grateful to this staff for taking the lead on this for our kids. Take a look at the slide show below to see our robust programming.

I am responsible for evaluations for DEP 1, 2, 3 for K-8 and DEP 1 ONLY for FHS. (The mighty Chris takes over after year 1). My staff DEP 2 staff should be working on Self Assessments and Smart Goals. By "working on" I mean thinking and reflecting on your practice. DESE plans more guidance for us as we move forward. I PROMISE to keep you in the loop.

Thank you for your active participation in our October PD and for your overwhelming positive response on the PD Survey. So- let's build on that and do it again.At the end of this newsletter is a link to a google form very similar to our October form. I took your feedback and have included apps, training and the collaboration time you requested, Once I get this information I will create a google sheet and you can once again sign up for a mini arts ed camp. Right now I expect it to follow a similar schedule to October 5. A kick off meeting, two or three workshops on a particular app or skill you would like to dig into and the an afternoon of working in a cohort with a specific topic in mind. PLEASE take time to complete this survey by Wednesday October 21.

Get some rest and enjoy your Sunday evening. Please remember to pace yourselves. Also- please remember to VOTE! This newsletter is full of links. Please click on them and complete as soon as possible.

Enjoy your week!

Donna

Director, Fine and Performing Arts Department

Email: dwresinski@framingham.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/Domain/74
Phone: 508 782 7770
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FraminghamFPA/