#HumanitiesED

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Teaching Artist Institute: “Children at the Center”

Tuesday, August 27th to Wednesday, August 28th at the National Building Museum, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities hosted a Teaching Artist Institute with co-hosts from the National Building Museum along with the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. There were 59 DC-based teaching artists who participated in a variety of sessions and workshops that were facilitated by 31 moderators, panelists, and staff volunteers. The “Children at the Center” Teaching Artist Institute focused on providing the opportunity for teaching artists to build skills and understanding in their field of teaching artistry.

TAI Resources: 

Informational Flyer

Session Descriptions

Schedules at a glance

Day One

Day Two

Personal Bio Descriptions of Facilitators, Moderators, and Panelists

Tuesday, August 27th Agenda

1:30pm - Registration & Welcome

2:15pm - Keynote Panel: Children at the Center

3:30pm - Coffee Break

4:00pm - Workshop Breakout Sessions 

5:30pm - Break - Journey to Shakespeare Theatre Company

6:00pm - Teaching Artist and Practitioner Speed Dating Networking Reception: Importance of Collective Impact, Hosted by DC Collaborative’s Any Given Child DC program and Shakespeare Theatre Company

Wednesday, August 28th Agenda

9:30am - Breakfast

10:00am - Keynote Panel: Program Design

11:15am - Morning Workshop Breakout Sessions

12:45pm - Lunch - Pecha Kucha Presentations

2:00pm - Afternoon Workshop Breakout Sessions

3:45pm - Keynote Panel: Assessment & Evaluation

4:45pm - Closure

Highlights: Tuesday, August 27th

Keynote Panel: Children at the Center

The TAI began with a Keynote Panel. The panel was titled “Children at the Center: Addressing the Full Humanity of Each Student.” Panelists shared how they addressed the needs of the individual students they serve and how they broadly shape their programming around the unique needs of the communities in which they work. The Panel was moderated by Erika Hawthorne from Arts Education Partnership/Education Commission of the States featuring panelists Mary Brown (Life Pieces to Masterpieces), Kahina Haynes (Dance Institute of Washington), Tara Libert (Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop), and Christie Walser (Project Create). 

Workshop A

Workshop A was facilitated by Jessica Valoris. Valoris is a DC-based multi-disciplinary artist who is a proud alum and Assistant Director of The Atlas Performing Arts Center’s City at Peace DC. The workshop was titled “Finding My Center: Devising Wellness in Community” and was targeted for teaching artists of teens and adults. This workshop focused on exploring holistic wellness practices that educators, artists, and young people can share to support one another.

Workshop B

Workshop B was facilitated by Lauren Wilson. Wilson oversees the Community Engagement team at the National Building Museum, which includes programming for teen and intergenerational audiences. Wilson’s workshop was titled “Co-Creating and Collaborating with Teens” which was directly targeted for teaching artists of teenagers. This workshop discussed strategies for sharing leadership and creativity with teens tailored to each participant’s individual work and practice. 

Workshop C

Workshop C was facilitated by Lindsey Vance. Vance is an artist, art therapist, licensed professional counselor, and educator. Vance’s workshop was titled “The Joy of Making Art: Intuitive Collage & Meaning Making” and was suitable for teaching artists of all ages. This session provided an understanding of the therapeutic power of visual arts through intuitive intelligence, experimentation, and narrative. 

Collective Impact: Speed Dating

The DC Collaborative and Any Given Child DC held a Collective Impact Speed Dating workshop for teaching artists! Participants listened to why they should be involved in the Collective Impact Any Given Child DC work and interacted with their peer practitioners. Thank you to our host, Shakespeare Theatre Company!

Highlights: Wednesday, August 28th

Keynote Panel: Program Design

Wednesday morning began with a Program Design panel titled “Positioning Everyone for Success.” The panel was moderated by David Markey who currently oversees arts education programming for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Panelists included Kristen Anclien (Bridges PCS), Michelle Edwards (Live It Learn It), Peter Guttmacher (Consultant), and Mary Lambert (DCPS). This panel discussed important considerations to keep in mind in the design of in-school and out-of-school-time residencies. 

Workshop D

Workshop D was facilitated by Nikki Kaplan. Kaplan is the Associate Director of Education at Imagination Stage. Kaplan’s workshop was titled “Game Exchange! Tools of the Trade” and was suitable for teaching artists of all ages. In this workshop, participants exchanged classroom games, exercises, warm-ups, and technique/skill-building activities to add to their tool-kits. 

Workshop E

Workshop E was facilitated by nationally recognized master teaching artist Margot Greenlee. Greenlee’s workshop was titled “Dance and Theater Practice for Children of All Ages and Abilities” and was suitable for teaching artists of all ages. Participants learned collaborative methods that invite each child’s contribution, with special attention to supporting children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Workshop F

Workshop F was facilitated by teaching artists Sylvia Zwi and Marcia Daft. Zwi holds the position of Dean and Director of Early Childhood Arts & Professional Development at Sitar Arts Center. Daft is the founder of Moving Through Math and Teaching the Music of Language. This workshop was titled “Spiral Up (It’s in the “How”)” and was targeted at teaching artists of early-elementary but was applicable to all ages. Participants were introduced to seeds of movement and music ideas to provoke a student-generated response in semi-improvisational processes. 

Workshop G

Workshop G was facilitated by teaching artist Imani Gonzalez. Gonzalez’s workshop was titled “Telling Your Story through the Blues” and was targeted for teaching artists of Grades 4-8. Participants explored the strategies that are aligned with Writer’s Workshop to engage in the composition blues songs that express thoughts, feelings, experiences, and then performed them. 

Workshop H

Workshop H was facilitated by Regie Cabico. Cabico is a poet and a spoken word pioneer having been the first openly queer and Asian American writer to win the Nuyorican Poets Cafe Grand Slam. Cabico’s workshop was titled “I’M BRAVE AS A MIGHTY OCEAN: INTRODUCTION TO SPOKEN WORD SLAM POETRY” and was designed for teaching artists of 6th grade and up, but could be modified for elementary school. Participants examined strategies to help students write through imagery and break down the components of slam poetry by demystifying the elements of a great slam poem through writing that addresses poetic devices. 

Workshop I

Workshop I was facilitated by professional teaching artist Karen O. Brown. Brown’s workshop was titled “Tricks Up Your Sleeve - for Every Teaching Artist” and was targeted for teachers of Pre-K 3 to High School. Teaching artists learned simple and effective techniques and processes to use with students. This included making handmade book structures (pictured above) and ways to use a variety of artistic expression to share strategies. 

Keynote Panel: Assessment and Evaluation

The Teaching Artist Institute closed with a final Keynote Panel discussing Assessment and Evaluation titled “What is Quality? Really?”. This panel was moderated by Kevin Cataldo who is the Manager of the Institute for Youth Development part of the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes as well as Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education. Panelists included Karen Brown, Regie Cabico, and Imani Gonzalez. This panel discussed the role that teaching artists play in the process of evaluating the quality and impact of programming and how can assessment be used for good.  

Gratitude

At the Teaching Artist Institute: Children at the Center, attendees were not only able to gain experience and methods to bring back to their classroom but also learned strategies to better themselves as teaching artists. At this two-day event, the wide range of workshops, panels, facilitators, moderators, and panelists provided a variety of artistic fields for teaching artists to explore. 

The DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative would like to thank the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the National Building Museum, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and all of our facilitators, moderators, panelists, and volunteers for making this Teaching Artist Institute as successful as it was. We hope to continue to host more institutes for teaching artists in the future! 

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Recap of Membership Meeting: Gratitude Edition

Submitted by Chin Wai (Rosie) Wong, DC Collaborative Membership & Social Media Communications Intern

June 30, 2021

Meeting Resources:

Meeting Notes 

Meeting Recording - In case you missed it! 

Meeting Powerpoint

DCPS Arts Website

GENESIS Virtual Campus 

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Website

American Alliance for Theatre Education Website 

DC Collaborative Community Glossary

Creative Spark Registration

July Membership Newsletter Submission

August Membership Newsletter Submission

Meeting Summary:

On Tuesday, June 22, the DC Collaborative held a virtual Gratitude Meeting for members, staff, board members, and the committees to share updates and gratitude for the collaboration. The meeting began with an opening message from DC Collaborative Executive Director Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe. Participants received updates from DCPS Arts, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Education Programming, Steering Committee, Equity & Justice Subcommittee, Assessment & Evaluation Subcommittee, and the DC Co-Lab. Subsequently, the updates were followed by a meeting adjournment in which Lissa expressed her gratitude for all the effort of the board, committees, staff, and members, and shared her vision of a better-informed arts and humanities education of practice in the following year. Before the meeting came to an end, participants engaged in a networking session where they shared the highlights of their work this year.

DCPS Arts Updates:

DCPS Arts Director Mary Lambert expressed her gratitude for collaborative members who have helped make arts activities possible for students in the 2020-2021 academic year. One highlight that reflects the success of arts and humanities is the virtual reality GENESIS x Hirshhorn Museum, which showcases over 1,000 pieces of art submitted by students. The design of the museum is inspired by the nature and urban scenes in DC, and participants are able to enjoy their visit through an immersive 3D experience. This project has brought together students’ diverse voices as well as the unique views of DC. Mary also shared their 2021-22 plan, which includes in-person and virtual learning, before- and after-school programs, ESSER funds to support school reopening, current guidelines for the fall, students in grades 3-12 having 1:1 devices, class schedules back to normal, and new clearance requirements. External field trips will be planned accordingly after more research of covid exposure, vaccination, and transportation is conducted throughout the summer and when teachers feel more comfortable in physical space. Moving forward, DCPS Arts stands by CDC guidelines and continues to strive for providing safe and rewarding learning experiences for students. 

As a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools, Office of Teaching and Learning, DCPS Arts works closely with all teachers, staff, and principals in the area of visual art, music, and performing art programs within the DC Public Schools. 

For more information, please contact Mary Lambert at mary.lambert@k12.dc.gov or visit their website at https://www.artsdcps.com. 

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Updates: 

Experienced in arts administration with a passion for education, Alorie Clark has served the nonprofit arts sector for more than ten years. In today’s Membership Meeting: Gratitude Edition at DC Collaborative, she noted grant applications designed to support organizations and individual practitioners in arts and humanities education, and the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE) National Conference. 

For more detailed information, please contact Alorie Clark at alorie.clark@dc.gov.

For DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities upcoming events, please visit: https://dcarts.dc.gov. 

For 2021 AATE National Conference registration and more about AATE, please visit: https://www.aate.com/2021.

Education Programming Updates:

The Education Programming team at DC Collaborative shared their achievement in the past academic year. First, the School Partnerships Manager Ashlee McKinnon thanked students, schools, and teachers for collaborating with DC Collaborative, supporting our programs, and sharing the same value as arts education providers by prioritizing students’ development and keeping arts and humanities education alive.

The Education Programs Manager at DC Collaborative Tres McMichael summarized the statistics of AHFES and celebrated the successful collaboration with consistent providers who made innovative programs and workshops possible for our students all over the District. AHFES recognizes the importance of working collaboratively and will continue to do so in the pursuit of reaching a national and international level. 

The Evaluation and Engagement Manager BoBeen Chung and School Partnerships Manager Ashlee McKinnon presented AHFES achievement through its assessment survey from teachers and students. The testimonials are valuable in strengthening the relationship among the DC Collaborative, teachers, and students, and supporting our strategic planning for future collaborations. 

For more information, please contact:

Ashlee McKinnon at Ashlee@DCCollaborative.org

Tres McMichael at Tres@DCCollaborative.org

BoBeen Chung at Bobeen@dccollaborative.org

Steering Committee Updates: 

Deputy Director Tracey Wyton introduced the goals in the 2021 fiscal year at DC Collaborative. First, defining the community is crucial for working collectively, so we are developing this Glossary designed to have our staff, members, and committees on the same page. Moreover, we aim to articulate overarching questions to help reflect on our effort and share our best practices with other organizations. In addition, The DC Co-Lab is designed to put our data together and we are excited to invite you to participate in this strategic planning process. 

For more information, please contact Tracey Wyton at Tracey@dccollaborative.org

Equity & Justice Subcommittee Updates:

Co-chair Michelle Hoffmann and Jeanette McCune noted the prioritization of students’ and organizations’ needs by refreshing and reframing our work in accordance with social justice events. Our next step is to recognize how the pandemic has impacted people’s life experiences, to continue creating conversations in the community, and to create a new norm in this recovery stage while practicing JDEIA -- justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

If you are interested in joining the Equity & Justice Subcommittee, please contact:

Michelle Hoffmann at MHoffmann@washingtonperformingarts.org 

Jeanette McCune at JSMcCune@Kennedy-Center.org

Assessment & Evaluation Subcommittee Updates:

Assessment & Evaluation Subcommittee Co-Chair Addie Gayoso, James Mitaritonna, and Wendy Wang Pisa emphasized fostering a collaborative environment by introducing meeting agreements, establishing a collective vision shared by the committee, gathering and sharing ideas to assist in our assessment, as well as taking advantage of DC Co-Lab to enhance community engagement, data collection, and analysis.

If you are interested in the Assessment & Evaluation Subcommittee, please contact:

Wendy Wong Pisa at Wendy@dccollaborative.org 

Adrienne (Addie) Gayoso at AGayoso@nmwa.org

James Mitaritonna at James.Mitaritonna@k12.dc.gov

DC Co-Lab Introduction:

Community Partnerships Manager Wendy Wang Pisa introduced the DC Co-Lab platform designed to enhance engagement plans for DC Collaborative. It allows for data collection, data visualization, as well as better strategic planning for collaborative work. An example of the data visualization of the year 2019-20 is presented as follows. 

If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Wang Pisa at Wendy@dccollaborative.org

Networking Highlights:

When asked about the highlights of their work this year, participants shared the best practices in their organizations, which we can all reflect on and practice as we move forward. The strategies include conducting surveys of program participants, practicing flexibility and creativity in our work, being open-minded in trying new things, seeking silver linings, and bringing the genuine and honest self into work. 

You Are Invited!

Celebrate the Creative Spark to help develop the creative capacity of children and youth in the district. The registration period for educators was June 14 - June 25, but the deadline has been extended. Matched programs will be scheduled between July 12 - August 6. Link to registration:  https://dccollaborative.org/content/creative-spark

Please contact our Special Projects Consultant Kai Alexis at Kai@dccollaborative.org for questions.

Stay Connected

In spite of the off-season for school, DC Collaborative communication continues throughout the summer. Please stay in touch with us and submit the content and news that you would like to share with the community in the upcoming newsletters.

For July membership newsletter submission: https://forms.gle/Yg7VPtdi8JjXB4B58

For August membership newsletter submission: https://forms.gle/ZkQ3avBhbfmHxWmC9

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DC Collaborative ZoomChat Digest

Submitted by: Kelsey Schultz, DC Collaborative Membership and Collective Impact Intern April 3 2020

Greetings friends!

In response to COVID-19, the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative is providing our community updates and opportunity to engage with their fellow community members through DC Collaborative Daily ZoomChats!  To keep the community in the loop we will be posting the recordings from each meeting, detailed notes, and these ZoomChat Digest’s every Friday.

We at the DC Collaborative would like to thank all those who have been joining us for our daily ZoomChats or supporting from afar. We are so happy to see the arts and humanities education community come together during this difficult time and support one another and our efforts to ensure that, despite this national emergency, we are continuing our mission of providing equitable access to arts and humanities education for all. 

Our ZoomChats have been amazingly informative and inspiring. This post contains the highlights from our meetings so far.

Meeting Resources/Helpful Links

DC Collaborative Distance Learning Resource Database

DC Collaborative COVID-19 Updates and Resources Website

DC Collaborative Daily ZoomChat Schedule

DC Collaborative E-List Signup

Daily ZoomChat Archive

DCPS Distance Learning Portal, CANVAS

Project Create Distance Learning Resources

Project Create YouTube content

COVID-19 Toolkit- Created by 20Degrees Shared by Maureen Dwyer

#KeepMaking Art - Campaign by Creative Generation

DC Collaborative March E-News

Equity

Throughout our discussions so far, equity has been an overwhelming topic of concern as we adapt to the effects of COVID-19. How do we get resources and arts education supplies to students? How do we reach students who have limited to no access to technology? How do we collectively provide Distance Learning opportunities for students with special needs? Here are some possible solutions we came up with:

Food Distribution Centers – Throughout our conversations we had discussed providing the various food distribution centers that are serving families and students with packets and potentially art supplies. We have yet to put this idea into action.

Radio/TV Outreach – There have been various corporations such as Verizon and Comcast that are making accommodations in these trying times. Also, local TV and radio stations such as WPFW 89.3 FM Uncle Devin’s WEE Nation Radio, Channel 4 with William Draper, and some cable channels are partnering to get information and educational content to families and their students.

Live Classrooms & Instagram Live – Some organizations have taken to Zoom, YouTube, and other formats to teach either live or recorded content. For example, Project Create has posted 15 lessons on YouTube showcasing 15 different art forms and various artists have been going live on Instagram. If you know of any events or live sessions please let us know so we can get the word out!  

Distance Learning

One of the things we as arts and humanities educators and organizations have been working tirelessly on is Distance Learning material. But what does that material look like? How do we make material prevalent and useful to teachers and their curriculum? What is the best way to make content without over-working and using excessive screen time? Here is what we discussed:

Organizational Leadership and Community Programming in a time of Social Distancing. Special Guests Maureen Dwyer, Loretta Thompson and Megan Short from Sitar Arts Center and Christie Walser and Dania Fawaz from Project Create joined us on Thursday, April 2nd, to share their organizations’ experience and resources as they pivoted from COVID-19. Maureen shared a link to a COVID-19 Toolkit created by 20Degrees. Christie shared a remote work policy guide and Distance Learning dilvery guide (for their teaching artists) created by her team as well as their YouTube content created by their Teaching Artists. 

DC Collaborative Distance Learning Resource Database The DC Collaborative’s Distance Learning Resource Database is a HUGE success! First of all thanks to every organization who has sent in content. Your commitment to equity within the arts and humanities education is inspiring! Thanks to Google Analytics, we are able to track the traffic on our website. On average, we have about 400 users visit the website daily, we have resources for all grades in every medium, and the resources come in a variety of formats including downloadable and videos. Click here to submit your content or check it out today! 

Educator Distance Learning Needs Assessment – The DC Collaborative sent out a survey to teachers asking what distance learning content would be most helpful to their classroom. Results said the highest content need is for students with special needs. The other top five answers were as follows: 1) Online or Printable Lesson Plan/ Study Guide, 2) Filmed Virtual Museum/Historic Home Tour, 3) Filmed Performing Arts Activity/ Performance, 4) Online Interactive Professional Development, 5) Distance Learning Live Classroom Lesson. Content in the areas of Arts and English/Literature were the most requested.

DC Collaborative State of Arts and Humanities Education “Town Hall” Community Conversation with David Markey & Mary Lambert. 

The past two Mondays we have had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Mary Lambert from DCPS and David Markey from the DC Commission for updates on the effects COVID-19. David gave information on the status of CAH existing grants, stating that the grants already distributed are safe. He is also curious about finding a way to measure the direct student impact from the distance learning resources being provided. Mary spoke about the learning packets being distributed to students and the arts content which is located in the very back of said packets. She also spoke on the different “Town Halls” her staff has been having with teachers and parents to discuss the students’ workload and learning status. To view the full State of the Arts “Town Halls” on 3/23 and 3/30 with David and Mary click here. David and Mary will continue to join us every Monday!

Katy Weatherly, James Mitaritonna, Lindsey Vance of the DCPS Arts Team lead participants in an overview if the DCPS Distance Learning Portal, CANVAS. View the ZoomChat recording here.

 #KeepMakingArt

On Tuesday, March 31, we heard from Jeff Poulin of Creative Generation who shared the #KeepMakingArt campaign with participants. Creative Generation launched the #KeepMakingArt campaign in response to COVID-19. Now a global movement has begun to spark joy, inspire action, and bring togetherness. View the campaign website to participate.

E-Lists and ZoomChat Scheduling

Want some more detailed information about the DC Collaborative’s ZoomChat meetings? This is the section for you!

Sign up for an E-List Today! Right now, more than ever we live in a world ruled by technology and people’s emails are piling up. After hearing your concerns, we have created Listservs so that we can limit and personalize the reminder emails heading your way! Click here to sign up today!

Check out our upcoming ZoomChat schedule here. To keep our ZoomChats timely and useful we have decided to guide each conversation with a theme. Mondays we will be speaking to David Markey from the DC Commission and Mary Lambert from DCPS, Tuesdays is an Open Forum, Wednesdays are for Teaching Artists and Practitioners, Thursdays are for Community of Practice, and Fridays are all about equity. Sign in and join!

Things to Come

These past three weeks have been extremely challenging and draining on the whole arts and humanities education community. But by connecting with one another and looking to the future we can become more united and support one another. So, we continue to converse, brainstorm, support, and plan. Here are some things to look forward to in our upcoming ZoomChats:

Lead a ZoomChat! Do you have experience or information you want to share with your fellow arts and humanities community? Sign up to lead one of the Daily ZoomChats today! Click here to fill out the form.

Parent and Educator Town Halls – Coming up we are looking to have two very exciting ZoomChat community forums; one for parents and one for teachers to connect and share. Keep an eye out for more information to share with any teacher or family close to you!

Enhanced Security– We are looking to protect your privacy. In order to prevent another hacking of our ZoomChats like the one that happened on Monday 3/30, we have upped the security of our meetings. We have created a ZoomChat waiting room so that only the people accepted by the host may attend log on. We are also looking into alternate platforms other than Zoom so if you have any suggestions we would love to hear them!

Follow us on Social Media! Email not your thing? No fear you can still stay connected and up to date with the Collaborative without overloading your inbox. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @dccollaborative. 

To view the full notes and recordings from all the meetings click here. 

Once again we’d like to thank everyone for all their support and hard work. The Collaborative would be nothing without the dedication of our whole DC arts and humanities education community. We do this all in service of you and our DC community. 

Come join in our next 11am ZoomChat: https://zoom.us/j/8531648236. We’d love to hear from you! If you have any questions feel free to email Kelsey at membership@dccollaborative.org.

Gratitude

The C Collaborative team is inspired by how the arts and humanities education community of practice is continuing to provide equitable access to the arts and humanities, even during a time of social distancing! We are particularly thankful for those who have co-lead these chats at a time when we are busier than ever. A special shout out to all of our Guest hosts:

Maureen Dwyer, Sitar Arts Center

Dania Fawaz, Project Create

Our very own- Clarissa Heartsfield, DC Collaborative School Partnerships Manager and AGC DC Equity Committee POC

Mary Lambert, DCPS Arts,

James Mitaritonna, DCPS Arts

David Markey DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities,

Jeff Poulin, Creative Generation #KeepMakingArt

Megan Short, Sitar Arts Center

Loretta Thompson, Sitar Arts Center

Lindsey Vance, DCPS Arts

Christie Walser, Project Create

Katy Weatherly, DCPS Arts

A special thanks to Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe for leading these daily conversations!

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Center City PCS Explore “The Forensics of Espionage” at the International Spy Musem

Submitted by: Renee Stinson, Communications Intern, DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

January 27, 2020

On January 24, 2020, students from Center City Public Charter School visited the International Spy Museum for a special workshop: The Forensics of Espionage, presented by Lucy Stirn. The purpose of the workshop was to show students the logistics of investigation, as well as to allow them to simulate the investigation process themselves.

Students were guided through a case based on a real one that occurred during the Cold War in which the FBI had been infiltrated by a mole. In order to discover the mole’s identity, they examined shoeprints, analyzed fingerprints, and compared handwriting samples. They were also taught about electrostatic detection, and shown how an ESDA (electrostatic detection apparatus) works to discover hidden writing.

Lucy Stirn shows Community ONE students how an ESDA works.

After the workshop, students were allowed to tour the museum, and I was granted the opportunity to speak to Lucy about the program. The primary goal of workshops like this one is to encourage critical thinking and problem solving among children and teenagers, and the way that the pseudo-investigation was structured around open discussion was meant to facilitate this. Lucy stressed the importance of getting students to be more observant citizens in the world—especially in DC, where the exchange of intelligence is everywhere. 

Students discover a hidden message within a cipher.

Lucy hopes to continue to improve the program moving forward, as she believes that there is always room for any good educator to improve. To this end, for example, the museum will soon be adding a chromatography section. In addition, she wants more people to be aware of the opportunities that the museum offers to students. Even though it is not a Smithsonian Institution, the DCPS allows schools to coordinate field trips with the museum so that students can experience it for free. In turn, the DC Collaborative will continue its efforts to bring visibility to this opportunity, as it is one that would be a shame to miss—especially since instructors and students have expressed in the past that this is one of the most exciting field trips they’ve taken. As someone who got to see it all for myself, I can’t help but agree.

On behalf of the DC Collaborative, many thanks to Lucy and the rest of the education staff at the International Spy Museum for creating such a dynamic and intriguing learning opportunity for students and teachers alike.

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Recap: State of Arts and Humanities Education Roundtable

Submitted by: Kara Hess,  DC Collaborative Programming Intern Wednesday, November 4, 2019

Resources

Watch the Roundtable

View written testimonies from the DC Collaborative Staff

Testimony Helpful Hints from the DC Collaborative

Send us your testimony! Send your testimony to Tracey@DCCollaborative.org to feature your testimonies in future posts.

Roundtable Recap

On October 30th, 2019, and on the occasion of DC Collaborative’s 22nd anniversary, more than 40 teachers, students, and community members from across the DC Arts and Humanities community met to testify on the state of arts and humanities education in our schools. Across the span of 4 ½ hours, person after person spoke on the importance of equitable access to arts and humanities education in school, out of school and farts and humanities experiential learning (field trips) opportunities for all students. The roundtable also discussed potential areas for improvement and gaps in access.

Students from Friendship Public Charter School: Woodridge Campus opened the roundtable event with a chorus performance

The day started off on a high note- a whole chorus of them actually- with student performances, from Friendship Public Charter School: Woodridge Campus and KIPP DC Public Charter School: College Preparatory Academy, demonstrating the talent of our local schools. Immediately following their musical performances, we heard straight from the students themselves about how transformative music, theater, and the arts have been in their lives. These students and their teachers brought up the need for schools to have more arts faculty, as well as the need to offer more diverse arts programming. Many of the 8th grade students testifying mentioned how they would love to attend Duke Ellington School of the Arts because of their artistic excellence. Students shared that due to factors such as distance from home, grade requirements and competition, many may need to go to different high schools with arts programs that are not as substantial as the Duke Ellington experience. The students spoke about how they wish every high school had a musical theater program which they could be a part of. 

The roundtable discussion also heard dozens of testimonies from leaders in the arts and humanities community, including many DC Collaborative members. This was a timely discussion for the Collaborative, who also happened to be celebrating their 22nd birthday as an organization. Specific requests for funding were made during DC Collaborative testimonies for DC Council to provide dedicated funding for the Collaborative’s long-standing support for arts and humanities experiential education, as well as an increase in support for the Commission’s Field Trip Experiences Grant, and expanded support for Any Given Child DC. 

Public testimonies opened with Rhona Wolfe Friedman, Ward 2 Commissioner for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and Chair of the DC Arts Education Policy Taskforce. Following testimony about the importance of DC's Arts Education Policy through the 2017 Sense of Council Resolution, leadership of the DC Collaborative provided testimony about the importance of the work of the entire DC arts and humanities education community of practice, and the work of the DC Collaborative and its leadership of the Any Given Child DC collective impact initiative. The work of Any Given Child DC was highlighted throughout the testimonies and included important updates on capacity building activities and the establishment of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion statement adopted by any Given Child DC and the DC Collaborative board and membership.

DC Collaborative staff members demonstrated the need for dedicated and increased funding from the CAH and the need for public investment in data visualization it leads to benefit all arts and humanities education stakeholders. 

DC Collaborative Asks of DC Council Committee on Education:

Supplementary information regarding these asks are in the Testimony Helpful Hints from the DC Collaborative google doc.

Request for Dedicated Funding for Arts and Humanities Experiential Education and community stakeholder backbone support through restored and increased dedicated support to the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

Expand Funding to the DC Commission District Arts and Humanities Initiative- Field Trip Experiences Grant from $1 million to $2 million dollars

Full time Arts Teachers in All Public Schools

Expanded Support for Any Given Child DC, including:

$250,000 investment for Data Visualization Platform for the entire arts and humanities community to provide a full of all arts and humanities education opportunities in school, out of school and after school

Support in on-going biannual DCPS Arts Data Collection and Social-Emotional Learning Shared Measurements

Additional Highlights

Highlights from the varied testimonies also included testimony from DC Collaborative Co-president Barbara Stauffer representing the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History who shared the exciting contributions that the Smithsonians are now piloting to eventually provide DCPS Cornerstone connected experiences to all DC Public School students at every Smithsonian unit. Logistics and assessment for current pilot and future initiative are co-produced by the DC Collaborative.

Other highlights included a spoken-word poem written by a 15-year-old DCPS student who participates in the DC Scores program (a popular initiative which combines soccer and poetry), read by Charity Blackwell. Another exceptional testimony came from an alum of the Sitar Arts Center, Tokunbo Adedeinde. Mr. Adedeinde, a graduate of the DCPS school system, spoke about his own arts education experiences with glowing appreciation for how much Sitar and the arts educational programming he was provided had truly changed his life. We also heard compelling testimonies and stories from many of our members including Washington Performing Arts, Ford’s Theatre, The Phillips Collection, Imagination Stage, Sitar Arts Center and Inner City Inner Child, along with DC Collaborative Co-president Linda Harper, and board members Terry Thomas, and Kent Withycombe, among others. There was even a student teacher reunion with one of Terry Thomas’ (Seaton ES, DCPS) former students performing and testifying!

DCPS provided government testimony and answered questions from Councilmember Grosso. We know that this was the beginning of more important community conversations and advocacy efforts needed this year.

A huge thanks to everyone who was able to attend and testify, as well as those who submitted written statements outlining their support and needs of DC’s arts and humanities education community. Thank you also to the DC Council Committee on Education and Councilmember David Grosso for holding this important discussion so that we are all able to share with DC Council and work together to continuously improve arts and humanities education opportunities for our students here in the nation’s capital. You may view the complete Roundtable hearing here.

Students from schools in DCPS area came to support and testify at the round table, showing their passion for arts in their lives

Next Steps

If you were unable to attend the roundtable last Wednesday, but would like to contribute, DC Council is still accepting written testimonies! Your words and your story are important. Written statements should be submitted to Ashley Strange, Committee Assistant, via email at astrange@dccouncil.us, or via post to the Committee on Education, Council of the District of Columbia, Suite 116 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

Stay tuned for more opportunities to work collaborative with us to share with DC Council and the Mayor’s Office the strength of our arts and humanities education community and the opportunity gaps that we can work on together through even greater public/private partnership.

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Professional Development Institute for Educators, “Unpacking a Safe Space”

Submitted by: Jake Hahn, DC Collaborative Programs and Communications Intern Tuesday, October 1, 2019

On Saturday September 21, 2019, teachers from DC public and public charter schools gathered at Friendship Collegiate Academy for a Professional Development Institute (PDI): Unpacking a Safe Space hosted by the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities and the DC Collaborative. This year the topic focused on trauma informed learning and creating a safe space in the classroom. With the multiple workshops available by grade-band, teachers had the chance to engage in activities that challenged them to step out of their comfort zones and get comfortable with their peers in interesting and fun ways.

PDI Resources:

Schedule at a Glance

Facilitator Bios

Session Descriptions

Agenda

9:00 a.m. — Light Breakfast and Registration

9:30 a.m. — Welcome, Opening Activity

10:30 a.m. — Morning Workshop Breakout Sessions

12:05 p.m. — Lunch

1:10 p.m. — Afternoon Workshop Breakout Sessions

2:45 p.m. — Group Activity

3:10 p.m. — Next Steps, Surveys, Raffles and Certificates

Highlights

David Markey, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities opened the PDI with a short speech emphasizing the importance of the arts and humanities in public school systems, as well as, in the lives of the younger generations. 

Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe and a Friendship PCS student volunteer co-led an impromptu step-dance demonstration with participants.

Jessica Valoris led a morning group session on what wellness is, and how to embody wellness in a classroom. During the session, Jessica led educators into multiple different activities; giving teachers tools to support mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being

Jared Shamberger of Young Playwrights’ Theater led a trauma-informed care session for 3rd-5th grade educators entitled Seeing the Student.

Lindsey Vance and Marla McLean led a group of Kindergarden-2nd grade educators on how to develop strategies using art, materials, and spaces to develop trauma-sensitive practices in classroom settings.   

Reggie Cabico leading a group of 6th-12th grade educators using improvisation and mirrored movements. During this session, educators shared their memories in “story nuggets” and shared their personal stories with each other. 

Lindsey Vance and ACE Fellow Mary Jo McCoy led a group session on how to use creative expression in the classroom to cultivate an emotionally safe environment. The workshop addressed many essential questions including: What does it mean to feel safe? What are the key qualities of a trauma-informed classroom? 

A full listing of the sessions can be found here.

Gratitude

With the main focus being on the well-being of the teacher and student, many of the workshops allowed teachers to open up about issues they have faced with their peers and students. Lessons focused around the sensitive minds of the youth and how to create a comfortable atmosphere and personal connection between teacher and student. 

Thank you to all the presenters and teachers for joining us for another successful PD Institute. To register for more PD events, please check out our website.

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Recap: Spring Members Meeting Gratitude Edition

Submitted by: DC Collaborative Team May 17, 2018

The DC Collaborative convened 75 members at the May 16 Spring Members Meeting: Gratitude Edition at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Meyer Auditorium. This is the most exciting meeting of the year where the Collaborative team offers gratitude to members, educators, partners, funders and board members.

Meeting Resources

Agenda

PowerPoint

Feedback Survey

Community Updates

Elizabeth Eder, Head of Education at Freer|Sackler opened the meeting by welcoming everyone to the space. 

Barbara Shepherd, The Kennedy Center, Any Given Child DC

The membership was briefed by Barbara Shepherd of The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on the Any Given Child Washington, DC Collective Impact program followed by an updated from Nathan Dimond of DCPS Arts and David Markey and Anysa Saleh of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities about upcoming grants.

Nathan Diamond, DCPS Arts

To further our gratitude/celebration theme, Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffee, DC Collaborative Executive Director gave an update on the excellent news of Arts Education Policy's approval through the DC Council “Sense of Council Arts and Humanities in Education Resolution of 2018.” Jeanette McCune then provided the DC Collaborative Collective Committee updates, followed by a Membership and Programming Committee update by Tracey Wyton and Rebekka Nickman. The DC Collaborative has seen an increase in membership and programming activity of more than one third! nearly 50,000 students were served through the Arts and Humanities for every student program due to the partnerships with members and the Field-trip Experiences grant through the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe, DC Collaborative Executive Director

Blake Rostine, Tracey Wyton, Rebekka Nickman, DC Collaborative

As the meeting host, Jennifer Reifsteck of Freer|Sackler showed a video describing their education programs and highlighted the partnership with the DC Collaborative and discussed how their outreach to DC Public and Public Charter Schools has increased by 500% through their partnership with the DC Collaborative. 

Jennifer Reifsteck, Freer|Sackler

More details regarding each of these updates can be found through the PowerPoint.

DC Collaborative Gratitude

Linda Harper, Nik Apostolides and Susan Rosenbaum of the DC Collaborative Board of Directors along with Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe, Rebekka Nickman, Blake Rostine, and Tracey Wyton of the DC Collaborative staff gave gratitude to members and partners who went over and beyond this year. 

School Awards

Most Field-trips: Lauren Leister, Creative Minds Public Charter School

Perfect Survey Response Rate: Kalik Booker, Ketcham Elementary; Rachel Heiss, Bunker Hill Elementary; Joanna Lewton, Capital City Public Charter School; Calchita Magee, Neval Thomas Elementary

Most Professional Development Session Registrations: Lucia Schaefer, Bruce Monroe Elementary School

Most Cherry Blossom Art Contest Submissions: W.B. Patterson Elementary School, Lauren Eastlack and Haywood Williams

Teacher Representatives on the Programming Committee: Maurice Douglas, National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter School; Terry Thomas, Seaton Elementary School; Carolina Clarens, Oyster Adams Elementary School

Terry Thomas, Seaton Elementary and Carolina Clarens, Oyster Adams Bilingual School

Member Awards

Most Collaborative Meetings Attended: Brian Washington, Capitol Hill Arts Workshop

1st Runner Up (Most Collaborative Meetings Attended): Paul Cohn, O Street Museum Foundation

Most AHFES Field-trips Donated: 

Avalon Theatre- Sarah Pokempner

Imagination Stage- Joanne Seeling, James Swindell

Washington Bach Consort- Marc Eisenberg and Janey Moskowitz

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Guest Story Bank Blog Writers: JR Russ, DCAYA and Anthony Setari, DCPS

Speed Dating Series Founder: Jared Shortmeier and Samantha Wyer-Bello, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Pictured (left to right): Sarah Pokempner, Avalon Theatre; Joanne Seelig Lamparter, Imagination Stage; Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe, DC Collaborative; Brian Washington, Capitol Hill Arts Workshop; James Swindell, Imagination Stage; Anthony Setari, DCPS; JR Russ, DCAYA, Jared Shortmeier, Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Connecting to Curriculum Series

Establishment and Commitment to the “Connecting to Curriculum Series”:

Nathan Diamond, DC Public Schools

Special Achievement in “Connecting to Curriculum” Program: 

Scott Abbott and Donna Phillips, DCPS Social Studies

Raymond Cummings, DCPS English/ Language Arts

Member Awards: 2017-2018 Meeting Panelists

Nik Apostolides

Lenore Blank Kelner

Dan Crane

Sarah Jencks

David Markey

Jeanette McCune

Gregory McGruder

Lorraine Robinson

Joanne Seelig Lamparter

Barbara Stauffer

Ingrid Zimmer

Sylvia Zwi

Member Awards: 2017-2018 Meeting Hosts

Art Museum of the Americas- Organization of American States- Adriana Ospina

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop- Amy Moore and Brian Washington 

Columbia Heights Education Campus- Maria Tukeva

DC Public Library- Carmen Boston

Freer|Sackler- Elizabeth Eder and Jennifer Reifsteck

GALA Hispanic Theatre- Rebecca Medrano and Mauricio Pita

Keegan Theatre- Alexis Hartwick

Shakespeare Theatre Company- Jared Shortmeier and Samantha Wyer-Bello, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Sitar Arts Center- A. Lorraine Robinson, Maureen Dwyer

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History- Barbara Stauffer

Arts for Any Given Child Washington, DC Community Arts Team

Neil Albert— DC Downtown Business Improvement District

Nathan Diamond— DC Public Schools

Akela Dogbe— Moten Elementary School

Kimberly Douglas— THEARC

Sarah Durkee— National Gallery of Art

Kehembe V. Eichelberger— Howard University

Marc Eisenberg— Washington Bach Consort

Rhona Wolfe Friedman— DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

Addrienne Gayoso— National Museum Women in the Arts

Barbara Harman— Harman Family Foundation and Catalogue for Philanthropy of Greater Washington

Michelle Hoffmann— Washington Performing Arts

Najla Husseni— Office of Family and Public Engagement, DCPS

Sakina Khan— DC Office of Planning

Sherburne Laughlin— American University

Maryann Lombardi— DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment

Chase Maggiano— Washington Chorus

David Markey— DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

Jeanette McCune— The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Gregory McGruder— National Geographic Society

Fareed Moustoufi— Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting

Laurent Odde— Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Evan Regan-Levine— JBG Smith Corporation

Anne Robinson— DC City Council

Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe— DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

JR Russ— DC Alliance of Youth Advocates

Anthony Setari— DC Public Schools

Eric Shaw— DC Office of Planning

Terry Thomas— Seaton Elementary School

Maria Tukeva— Columbia Heights Education Campus

Samantha Wyer-Bello— Shakespeare Theatre Company

Tracey Wyton— DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

Collective Impact Committee Members

Khendall Beale

Karen O. Brown

Sarah Durkee

Maureen Dwyer

Michelle Edwards

Caryn Fraim

Roberta Gasbarre

Cynthia Gertsen

Monica Lewis

Jeanette McCune*

Caitlin Miller

Sarah Pokempner

JR  Russ

Joanne Seelig Lamparter

Jared Shortmeier

Barbara Stauffer

Christie Walser

Brigitte Winter

Sylvia Zwi

Programming Committee Members

Khendall Beale

Carolina Clarens

Miriam Deaver

Nathan Diamond

Maurice Douglas

Sarah Durkee

Cynthia Gertsen

Jeanette McCune*

Caitlin Miller

Janey Moskowitz

Fareed Mostoufi

Jennifer Reifsteck

Steve Reichlen

Joanne Seelig Lamparter

Carey Stipe Lavallee

James Swindell

Terry Thomas

Arts and Humanities Education Champion and our Fearless Leader

The DC Collaborative also honored Jeanette McCune as our Arts and Humanities Education champion for her 18 years of service with the DC Collaborative.

Jeanette McCune, The Kennedy Center

A huge thanks to the DC Collaborative Board President, Linda Harper as our fearless leader this year and for emceeing the evening and keeping us on schedule.

Another thanks to Nik Apostolides DC Collaborative Board Vice President, for his service this year and adjourning the meeting.

”Sushi and Swag” Reception and Networking Bingo!

Thank you to our fabulous hosts, Freer | Sackler for providing the meeting attendees with a fabulous reception that involved sushi and fun prizes during the networking bingo!

A huge thanks on a wonderful school year from the DC Collaborative team to our members, partners, educators, funders and Board of Directors!

Quick Links

Meeting Agenda

Meeting PowerPoint

Meeting Feedback Survey

DC Collaborative Website

Freer|Sackler Website

Freer|Sackler Video

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DC Collaborative Launches its Distance Learning Resource Database

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

The DC Collaborative and its partners launch the DC Collaborative Distance Learning Resource Database!

Quick Links:

DC Collaborative Distance Learning Resource Database

DC Collaborative Website

DC Collaborative COVID-19 Resource and Updates Center

The DC Collaborative would like to extend well wishes to educators, students and parents/ caregivers as the first day of DCPS Distance Learning begins. Though these times are not normal, we are contacting you with hope and optimism that you will experience joy at home with your loved ones. 

As it is necessary for teachers to educate their students remotely and for parents/ caregivers to homeschool their children, the DC Collaborative and the greater arts and humanities education community of practice are here to assist! The DC Collaborative has rapidly responded in creating the following resource for our entire community, including students and educators in both the DC Public School and Public Charter School communities.

The DC Collaborative along with its organization and practitioner members as well as the DCPS Central Office Arts Team have compiled an online Distance Learning Resource Database, a list of online and downloadable arts and humanities education resources from our members. We already have more than 60 responses from our cultural institutions and practitioner/ teaching artist members!  These resources encompass curricular guides, virtual field trips, and other educational activities to enhance students' at-home learning experiences.

View the Database!

Equity/ Access

We are increasingly concerned about student equity and our continued digital divide, especially during our current crisis. We recognize that not all families have access to technology and the Internet, and we are working on creating equitable solutions to provide our most marginalized students with resources. For now, please include downloadable materials so schools can, if possible, distribute the resources to students who do not have online access. We are inspired by our community coming together to ensure that students still have access to the arts and humanities learning experiences, even in a time of a health crisis. The creative community looks to uplift and enrich the residents of our District, even in a time of "social distancing" and look forward to sharing our collective resources and having our institutions open once again to serve you.

Get Involved! 

Calling All Educators, Students, Parents/ Caregivers, Cultural Institutions and Practitioners/ Teaching Artists

We encourage teachers students and parents to utilize the database in their learning and for more members of the cultural community to participate!

Educators, Students, Parents/ Caregivers

View the Database! Peruse the online resources broken down by visual arts, performing arts and humanities and grade level. Each resource includes a description, the appropriate grade levels, curricular connections/ learning standards, and if the resource is printable/ downloadable.

Wish something else was included in the DC Collaborative's Distance Learning Resource Database? Fill out this survey OR email Clarissa Heartsfield, Manager of School Partnerships (Clarissa@DCCollaborative.org), to share what you would like to see included.

Complete the Survey!

Cultural Institutions and Practitioners/ Teaching Artists

Needs Assessment! We would like to hear from you regarding how COVID-19 has impacted the education programming at your organizations so far. We've been called upon by funders, public education system and DC government and other key community stakeholders to share the needs of the greater arts and humanities education community of practice. Fill out needs assessment survey here by C.O.B. Friday, March 27.

Complete the Survey! We are still collecting Distance Learning Resources! Together, let's help our schools provide digital and printable learning opportunities from our arts and humanities organizations. Submit your resources here OR reach out to Trés McMichael, Education Programs Manager (Tres@DCCollaborative.org), to brainstorm resources for inclusion in the database.

Submit Your Distance Learning Resources Here

Questions/ Suggestions?

Contact Tres McMichael, DC Collaborative Education Programs Manager- tres@DCCollaborative.org!

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Speed Dating Event:

Submitted by: Jake Hahn, DC Collaborative Programs and Communications Intern Friday, November 1, 2019

During the event, members  had the opportunity to walk around and ask specific questions about curriculum objectives at the different schools.

On October 15, 2019, D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative held a speed dating workshop for local curriculum teams and members to come together for an opportunity to learn from one another and collaborate. The event, hosted by Shakespeare Theatre Company, kicked off with short presentations given by representatives from the local schools , allowing them to give a brief description of their curricular methodologies and objectives. After the presentations, members were given a chance to rotate through conversations with the curriculum representatives  and ask questions in short “speed dating” style sessions.

Presentation Descriptions:

DCPS Secondary English Language Arts- 

The secondary ELA curriculum presentation laid out a brief overview of  the curriculum for both middle school and high school students. For middle school, the focus is understanding the qualities that make a hero in a community. High schools focus on studying the skills necessary to become a leader, weather that be in a workplace or in a classroom.Their high school experience culminates in the creation of action plans to take on projects of interest in their communities.

Abby Welsheimer from the DCPS Secondary ELA team shares about the gaps in community partnerships in various units across the curriculum.

DCPS Early Childhood Education -

The Early Childhood Education division of DCPS builds curriculum for early learners to public schools that house PreK programs. In addition to fostering a positive environment for the students to learn and grow in, they emphasize the need to provide activities promoting early literacy skills in young learners.

Members took notes on the curriculum shared by Robin Jones from the DCPS Early Childhood Education team.

Carlos Rosario PCS-

Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School provides high quality education for adults, primarily from D.C. immigrant communities. Their school draws students from all education backgrounds, and some having successful careers in the arts and other industries in their home countries. Carlos Rosario strives to offer them the credentials and experience they need to succeed here, in the new country they call home.

A representative from Carlos Roasio Public Charter School shares about the diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences their adult students bring to the school.

Friendship Schools -

Friendship PCS strives to give students the option of all arts disciplines at their schools. With a standardized programming outline, they hold classes that range from studio art to theatrical. Friendship Public Charter Schools now houses an arts magnet school, Friendship Armstrong, replacing the former City Arts and Prep school.

Teriauna Duran from Friendship Public Charter Schools shares about some of the robust arts programs that her school supports.

Capital City Public Charter School -

Capital City Public Charter School enables a diverse group of students to meet high expectations, develop creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Each grade level is exposed to the arts through various themes (social justice, immigration, etc.)

Joanna Lewton from Capital City Public Charter shares her school’s approach to arts integration.

DCPS Arts -

Mary Lambert (Director of Arts) and Katy Weatherly (Manager, Music) of DCPS gave a visual of the framework for the development of students with the arts. As well as, introducing multiple different programs that they would like to bring to classrooms.

Mary Lambert and Katy Weatherly from DCPS Arts share about their hopes for more expanded arts programs in all disciplines.

The full presentation can be viewed here. Please contact the Collaborative if you have questions about connecting to the presenters or suggestions of future topics for our “Speed Dating” events. 

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AHFES September Recap

Arts and Humanities for Every Student Fall Lottery Opens in Celebration of National Arts in Education Week

This month the Arts and Humanities for Every Student field-trip program opened in celebration of National Arts in Education Week the week of September 11! We are working hard with our members, funders and community stakeholders to collectively and equitably meet the demand of a record 50,000 ticket requests from more than a record 110 schools from every ward in the district! 

Calling All Teachers: Did your school miss out on the Fall Lottery? There are more trips available to request on our website. Do you need to check if your school is a partner? Contact Rebekka Nickman: Rebekka@dccollaborative.org or 202-470-6467 ext. 1.

September Field-trip Highlights

We are also please to announce that for the first year, we piloted an early registration lottery with trips in September. Almost 2,700 students attended Step Afrika! @ National Museum of African American History and Culture, African Roots Latino Soul with Discovery Theatre and Jazzin' InSchool Blues Workshop with DC Jazz Festival.

Field-trip descriptions are below!

AFRICAN ROOTS, LATINO SOUL Presented by: Discovery Theater This vibrant play explores what it means to be Latino, African-American, and proud, growing up in the heart of the American melting pot. How many cultures can we be? Why not all of them? Celia Cruz, mama’s kitchen, and a crowded subway make for lots of laughs and surprises. Originally written with the Young Playwrights' Theater, Latino Soul is a look into the triumphs of today’s kids. Dates: 9/25/17 Time: 10:15 and 11:30 AM Length of Event: 45 minutes Location: Discovery Theater, Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW Washington, DC 20024 Discipline: Theatre Curriculum Connections: Diversity, Urban Studies, Foreign Language, History/Geography, Civics Grades: 5th-8th grades

JAZZIN' INSCHOOL BLUES HARP WORKSHOP WITH DAVE SCHROEDER Presented by: DC Jazz Festival DC Jazz Festival presents NYU Steinhardt School Jazz Studies Director, Dr. Dave Schroeder's Blues Harp Workshop. Dr. Schroeder will guide students through an engaging and interactive lesson on the history of blues music and the blues harp. Students in attendance will receive their very own blues harp. Dates: 9/26/17 Time: 11:00 AM Length of Event: 60-90 minutes Location: NYU DC Auditorium 1307 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Discipline: Music, Music History Curriculum Connections: History/Geography, Performing Arts, Music Grades: 4th

STEPPING WITH STEP AFRIKA! AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE Presented by: Step Afrika!  Step Afrika! will offer a highly interactive performance for first grades students that highlights the rhythm, physicality and history of stepping, and culminates in a group activity to get students on their feet. The program highlights the ties between stepping, college life and academic achievement. It introduces the concepts of teamwork, discipline and commitment. Performers incorporate world traditions, demonstrated through the lively South African gumboot dance. Students enjoy learning basic step choreography and discover how dance brings people and cultures together. Program Time: 10:30am & 12:30pm Date(s): September 25, 2017 Length of Event: 45 minutes Location: Oprah Winfrey Theater, National Museum of African American History and Culture Discipline: Humanities and Dance Curriculum Connections: Diversity, World Traditions, Rhythm Grade Level(s): 1st grade

Quick Links

DC Collaborative’s AHFES Online Catalogue

AHFES Field-trips Available

National Arts in Education Week

Step Afrika!

National Museum of African American History and Culture

DC Jazz Festival

Discovery Theatre

Photo Highlights from the Month!

Step Afrika! @ NMAAHC

Photo Credit: Dominic Green for Step Afrika!

Jazzin’ InSchool Blues Workshop- DC Jazz Festival

Photo Credit: DC Collaborative Team

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Thank You Volunteers!

Thank you to Whole Foods Market, our Volunteers, Shoppers, and anyone who helped spread the word about the 5% Community Giving Program benefitting Arts and Humanities for Every Student field-trips for more students! #Gratitude-- We are so appreciative of all of the support from our community and the opportunity that Whole Foods Market afforded the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative with our 5% Day for equitable access to the arts and humanities for DC students. 

Volunteers- We could not have done this without you. Thank you for encouraging people to shop and support the #ArtsAndHumanitiesForEveryStudent program. More students are going to go on more field-trips this year and that is all because of you!

We got to meet and personally thank hundreds of shoppers, parents, teachers, media, donors and community stakeholders for supporting our mission. Thousands more who just learned about our work for the first time thanks to our friends at each of DC's Whole Foods Markets. 

We had an incredible outpouring of support from our staff, current and former board members, interns, members and educators-- volunteers who stood with us at each of the 4 DC Whole Foods Market stores getting to share the work they do and love on behalf of DC students. Thank you to each of you who helped, whether inviting and socializing the event through your work and social networks, greeting shopping, organizing a happy hour or just buying your groceries!

News4's Aaron Gilchrist, the "Theatre Kid" helped raise awareness about our work on NBC Washington, our friends at The Georgetowner taught us how to use Boomerang, and I got to welcome National Symphony Orchestra Maestro Gianandrea Noseda to the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative on the The Kojo Nnamdi Show. A Heartfelt thank you! Looking forward to continuing to support more students and teachers and the arts and humanities education community in our 20th year!

Check out Part of the Day!

View us live at H Street Whole Foods Market

Check out our Twitter Whole Foods Collection!

Check Out Some Photos!

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Expanding National Arts in Education Week, Whole Foods Market to Donate 5 Percent of Wednesday’s DC Sales to Benefit Underserved Youth’s Arts and Humanities Education

A portion of Wednesday, September 20th proceeds will fund equitable access for student transportation to arts and humanities institutions in DC 

For Immediate Release

For More Information: Todd Schrecengost Metro Marketer, Whole Foods Market 202-573-0297 Todd.Schrecengost@wholefoods.com 

 Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe Executive Director, DC Collaborative 202-470-6467 x3, or 412-952-6017 (c) Lissa@dccollaborative.org

WASHINGTON, DC (September 13, 2017) –  DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative will be the beneficiary of Whole Foods Market’s quarterly 5 percent Community Giving Day in Washington, DC on Wednesday, September 20th. Five percent of the day’s sales from all four current Washington, DC stores will benefit the DC Collaborative’s high-cost transportation needs for their ‘Arts and Humanities for Every Student’ legacy program. The funds will allow the DC Collaborative to expand their program’s reach to more DC public and public charter school students from all eight wards of the District. DC Collaborative is a Washington, DC-based non-profit that advances equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities in the arts and humanities for all DC public and public charter school students. Celebrating its 20th year, and in support of its 100+ cultural institutional members, the DC Collaborative believes that the arts and humanities, inclusive of music, visual arts, theater, dance, media arts, as well as languages and literature, and historical and philosophical inquiry into our past and human condition, are central to the education of every student. “Washington, DC is rich with world-class museums, dance, music and history that draw millions of tourists, yet so many of our youngest residents, our own DC students, may not get a chance to experience these cultural amenities,” said Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe, executive director of the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. “The DC Collaborative works closely with its members to advance and provide enriching field-trips to DC public and public charter schools​. Field-trips that its members’ produce that are tied closely to classroom curriculum.” “Do you remember the joy of a grade school field-trip to a museum, or a play, concert, or the ballet? Now is your chance to help DC students… and in the easiest way possible. Just do something you already do …go grocery shopping!” added Rosenthal-Yoffe. “The more you shop at DC’s Whole Foods Markets on September 20th, the more buses we can charter for more DC public and public charter students to experience transformative arts and humanities field-trips right here in their own hometown.” Shop Whole Foods Market Washington, DC Locations on Wednesday, September 20th:

• Foggy Bottom – 2201 I St. NW • H Street – 600 H St. NE • P Street – 1440 P St. NW • Tenleytown – 4530 40th St. NW

-###-

About DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative The DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative, together with its 100+ cultural intuitional members advocates and advances equitable access to high-quality learning experiences in the arts and humanities for all students and teachers in DC public and public charter schools. Since its founding in 1998, the DC Collaborative has served more than 600,000 public and public charter school students in all eight wards of the District of Columbia through its legacy program Arts and Humanities for Every Student (AHFES). As DC’s back-bone support arts and humanities education membership organization, the DC Collaborative leads collective impact and community awareness initiatives, professional development opportunities for educators and convenings and networking for DC’s arts and humanities education stakeholders. For information on how you can support Arts and Humanities for Every Student (AHFES) by shopping at DC Whole Foods Market stores on September 20th, please visit dccollaborative.org/wfm.

About Whole Foods Market® Founded in 1978 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFM), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company's motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, team member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s more than 87,000 team members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 19 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2015, the company had sales of more than $15.4 billion and currently has more than 455 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. For more company news and information, please visit media.wfm.com. 

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Hear Art | See Music at the Kreeger Museum

AHFES Feature

Submitted by: Annelisa Crabtree, DC Collaborative Program Intern

June 27, 2017

On June 15th, H.D. Cooke Elementary School went to the Kreeger Museum to participate in the Hear Art | See Music program.  The program highlighted the cultures of the Baga and Bamana from West Africa.

The program focuses on both visual art and music to highlight the parallels between repetition and patterns in both.  The class began in the Kreeger Library where they examined and discussed two masks from Baga and Bamana.  They focused on the use of repetition across aspects of the mask and connected it back to possible natural influences and purpose in the everyday lives of the Baga and Bamana.

 The class spent time with a Teaching Musician and a Teaching Artist.  In the drum circle, students learned dance rhythms, including the Kuku on djembe drums.  The Teaching Musician connected the repetition that they had seen in the masks in the Library to the musical repetition they were experimenting with on the drums. 

With the teaching artist, the students were asked to imagine a feeling and think of an animal that they felt symbolized that feeling.  They then created masks that were representative of the animal and the feeling.  The masks were made of wood, shells, sticks, and raffia grass.  The students were very focused in their efforts and made some pretty extraordinary masks!

  The Kreeger Museum's school programs are supported through generous donations, grants, and philanthropic institutions. To learn more about The Kreeger Museum's education programs, click here.

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Connecting to Curriculum Series: AHFES Hours at the National Museum of Women in the Arts

Submitted by: Eva Steinhardt, DC Collaborative Communications Intern June 12th, 2017

Last Tuesday, over thirty members of our community gathered at the National Museum of Women in the Arts for the first AHFES Hours session of the summer.

These sessions are designed to help guide our members in creating impactful arts and humanities experiences which can be included in our Arts and Humanities For Every Student program next school year. In the June 6th session, our focus was on curriculum connections in order to successfully incorporate the programs offered by our members into existing curriculum topics.

Our committed members learning about DCPS’s curricular priorities

We listened to presentations by our DCPS partners including Nathan Diamond (DCPS Arts), Jennifer Jump, and Raymond Cummings (from English Language Arts). Our speakers provided detailed insight into the process of curriculum creation. Through an examination of specific K-12 curricula, our members were able to come away from these presentations with a strong sense of DCPS priorities and, importantly, how to supplement those priorities through their educational programming. Following the presentations, the group split into breakout sessions where our members were able to discuss their individual programs and ask questions of the DCPS staff. 

One of our breakout sessions in NMWA’s beautiful library

The National Museum of Women in the Arts provided us with refreshments, opening remarks, and an inspiring setting in which to facilitate important conversations between DC cultural institutions and DCPS curriculum builders. Additionally, after the meeting concluded, our attendees were given the chance to explore the museum free of charge until closing.

 A huge thanks to our friends at NMWA for hosting this event!

We are so grateful to all our members who attended our first AHFES Hours. Everyone contributed to the inspiring and productive session. We were reminded once again how fortunate we are to be the facilitators of this collaborative. 

Our next AHFES Hours will focus on Social Studies curriculum and will be held at our headquarters on F Street on June 13th - please click here to RSVP.

We look forward to seeing you all again soon!

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Do More 24: Why do I support the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative?

Submitted by: Annelisa Crabtree, DC Collaborative Intern Tuesday, June 6, 2017

  Why do I support the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative?

My support for DC Collaborative officially started a little over 24 hours ago: as their newest intern!  I am excited and honored to be working at a place that is doing such important work for DC students and the arts and humanities as a whole.  I truly believe that seeing and reading and listening to art in all its mediums, in and out of the classroom, makes an impact and opens people up to different worlds and ways of thinking.

Start Your Activism @Home…

The DC area is home for me.  I grew up here and some of my most impactful experiences were related to arts and culture.  Whether it was Theater in the Woods at Wolf Trap, walking sweaty but excited through the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, visiting an instrument petting zoo at the Kennedy Center, or a new exhibit at the National Gallery of Art, the exposure taught me about other people, other cultures, ignited my imagination, and showed me new ways to express myself.

I ended up going away to college and studying music, so clearly, those excursions and experiences had some sort of impact on me.  And I recognize I was extremely lucky to not only attend those activities outside of school, but also to take part in art, literature, and musical classes and excursions through school.  After graduating, it was important for me to not only come back to this area for its rich cultural and artistic life, but to give back to the community that provided me with so much.

Make your donation now through June 8th by clicking here.

That is how I came to be at DC Collaborative.  It is incredibly inspiring to work with the staff, members, and educators to ensure quality and equitable access to the arts and humanities for students across DC.  And in doing so, I can do my part to give back to the community and work to provide others with the experiences that every student deserves and indelibly shaped me.  

Annelisa at a Kennedy Center instrument petting zoo circa 2001.

~Annelisa , Intern, DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

To donate to the DC Collaborative through June 8th: DoMore24

For more information about the DC Collaborative: www.dccollaborative.org

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Do More 24: Why do I support the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative?

Submitted by: Anna Walker, DC Collaborative Development Volunteer Images Submitted by: Anna Walker, DC Collaborative Monday, June 5, 2017

“Start Your Activism@Home” 

Why do I support the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative? 

I believe in the power of connecting classrooms with the creative community beyond the school walls. As Washingtonians, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to do more for the education of DC students. One way to do this is by participating in this year’s Do More 24 Campaign through the United Way. I’ve made my financial contribution to invest in the DC Collaborative’s work to provide arts and cultural field trips for students in our public schools and public charter schools, and I encourage you to do the same.

Start Your Activism @Home...

My commitment to the arts and humanities actually began many, many moons ago as a middle school student growing up in the inner city of Jackson, Mississippi. Our class was to join other schools in the city for a matinee performance of Verdi’s La Traviata at the Civic Auditorium. I grew up in a large family supported by my father’s modest salary as a brick mason. While struggling to provide for our basic living essentials, my parents would still gather up the necessary dollars required to have my siblings and I participate in school activities, including field trips. So, I was able to attend my first opera and I was enraptured, and the seed was planted for my lifelong advocacy for arts and humanities education.

A decade or so later, as an elementary school teacher in Jackson, many of my colleagues and I would often use our own money to make sure students whose parents could not afford to do so had the ability to go on field trips of all kinds, including arts exhibitions and performances. The joy I received in observing the light in my students’ eyes was immeasurable. Further, I noticed they demonstrated more interest and creativity in the classroom as a result of this cultural engagement. Later on my career path and life journey, I became an administrator with the local arts council and was able to use Community Development Block Grant funds to involve students from low-income families throughout the county in arts experiences in which they otherwise would not have had access.

Since transitioning to DC a few years ago, I have been thrilled to recently find the DC Collaborative, an organization whose unique mission is building connections between schools and the District’s vibrant arts and humanities institutions. It’s not just about bright eyes watching a performance; it’s about bright futures being nurtured. Let’s help families and schools not have to struggle to create these enriching educational experiences for DC students.  “Start Your Activism@Home” by contributing to the DC Collaborative through the Do More 24 Campaign. Your donation of $24 can make a difference for a DC student!

Make your donation now through June 8th by clicking here.

You could be the catalyst for bringing creative change to the education of our students and transforming a child’s life by inspiring a lifelong engagement with the arts and humanities.

~Anna Walker, Volunteer, DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative 

To donate to the DC Collaborative through June 8th: DoMore24

For more information about the DC Collaborative: www.dccollaborative.org

 Thanks Anna for sharing your story with us!

Quick Links:

Donate to the Collaborative’s Do More 24 Campaign

www.dccollaborative.org