Arts In Education Committee

Jane Brooks, Chairperson

Jane Brooks, Chair  Contact Jane
Wendy Logan, Vice Chair
Denise Bolton
Kimberlee Ormsby
Brenda Kellam, member-at-large
Missy Magerkorth, member-at-large

The Arts in Education Committee objectives are to encourage people of all ages and diverse backgrounds to enjoy and participate in the arts; to   emphasize the need for early childhood experiences in literature, arts, music, dance, and other forms of creative expression; and to encourage a school program that uses the cultural arts for classroom study as well as for extra-curricular activities.

State Committee Focus:

• To coordinate and promote statewide participation in the Reflections Program of the National PTA
• To promote and encourage knowledge of and involvement in the arts
• To monitor issues in the arts that may have legislative impact or may be of interest to local PTAs

Local Unit Focus:

• To sponsor and establish a Reflections Program for children following state and national guidelines
• To promote and encourage knowledge of and involvement in the arts for their locales through parent and community involvement
• To work with other PTAs to encourage continuous funding for arts programs in the public school board's yearly budgets

The 2010-2011 PTA Reflections Program - "Together We Can" ("Juntos Podemos.")

The PTA Reflections Program is designed to enhance a quality arts education by providing an opportunity for students to explore their artistic talents and receive positive recognition for their efforts.

Students participate in the Reflections Program by submitting entries to their schools’ local PTA or PTSA. In Virginia and nationally, the program has six arts areas—dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts—and four grade divisions—primary, intermediate, middle/junior, and senior.

Links of Interest:

Visit the Arts in Education Library. View Award Winners & download forms & rules information.

Visit the Reflections Gallery to see current and past year winners at the Virginia and National levels.

Go to National PTA’s Reflections website to see the National Gallery and more.

Are you a Reflections or Arts in Education Chair in your unit, district or council? Take 10 minutes to help us serve you better but filling out this quick survey. Thank you!    

*Artwork by 2009-2010 Reflections Winners

How to Sponsor a Reflections Program

Any PTA/PTSA in good standing is eligible to sponsor a Reflections Program. Virginia PTA defines a local unit in good standing as one whose bylaws are up to date, as of December 1, 2010 (revised by December 1, 2005), and has paid Membership dues by June 30, 2010.

General Guidelines

Please note:

• Students may submit entries only through a PTA or PTSA in good standing.
• All entries submitted must be original works and must relate to the current year’s Reflections Program theme.                                     
• Each entry must be the work of only one student. Assistance from teachers, parents, or friends is not permitted except in special cases (such as students with with physical disabilities).

A Word to Parents

As with any student activity, parent involvement and support are very important. But parents must remember that student artists need to be responsible for their own work. Children must make their own decisions about what to create and what to enter in the Reflections Program. By producing their own literature, musical compositions, photographs, films, dance routines, and visual artwork, children learn about the arts and, more importantly, they learn about themselves. Students should simply do their best; crooked lines, incorrect musical notes, or misspelled words do not disqualify anyone.

PTA's Reflections Program helps parents encourage the creativity and continuous self-discovery process of their children. Supporting the Reflections Program is one way you can support the arts in your home, school, and community.

Reflections Theme Search

Each year, the Reflections Program challenges students to create art that supports a specific theme. That theme is selected from hundreds of ideas submitted by students to the PTA Reflections Program Theme Search.

National PTA is looking for a theme for the 2012–2013 Reflections Program year. The student who submits the winning entry will receive $100, and his or her theme will be presented at the 2011 National PTA Convention. Repeat themes will not be considered. Past themes are listed in the Reflections Gallery.

Student entries should be submitted to the Virginia PTA office by October 29, 2010. Local Unit PTAs may submit up to five entries each.

Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant

A limited number of matching grants of up to $1,000 are awarded each year to local PTAs for student-centered programs focused on arts education. Special consideration is given to programs that reach large numbers of students, especially students who are at risk. At risk is the term applied to children whose environmental, familial, and/or socioeconomic situation may affect their academic success or ability to lea rn.

The grant program complements National PTA's long-standing commitment to quality arts education in public schools by providing funds to local PTAs to establish or enhance a school arts program in one or more of the following arts areas: visual arts, photography, musical composition (including dance), and literature (including theater). Local PTAs must submit applications and provide funds that match the amount they are requesting from National PTA.

Visit the National PTA website to read about past grant recipients and for more information on the grant application process. The deadline for the grant is May 1 each year.

Why the Need for Arts in Schools?

When children express themselves through words, pictures, music, dance and other art forms, they grow intellectually and socially. They learn to analyze their thoughts, feelings, and ideas; learn to look at things, people, and experiences in a fresh and exciting way; and become more interested in the ideas and works of others.

An important part of any arts committee is advocating for the arts in our schools. Virginia PTA believes that the arts, music, dance, drama, and visual arts are central to learning. Infusion of the arts in elementary and secondary education curricula is key to the development of students. We support programs that promote public awareness of the arts and arts education and the integration of the arts in school curriculum requirements -- without cutting funding from existing programs -- as part of the K - 12 curriculum at all schools.

Research has shown that “arts education increases interest in academic learning, cognitive and basic skills development, and the development of academic achievement skills”  (R.R. Konrad, Empathy, Arts, and Social Studies, 2000).

Despite these findings and the inclusion of arts as one of the “core academic subjects” in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), many schools faced with tightening budgets fail to fund arts programs.  Schools that provide little or no arts education are denying students the opportunity to master skills that will best prepare them for the highly competitive labor market of the 21st century.  Arts education is a fundamental component of comprehensive learning for grades K-12

The report from the Center for Education Policy concludes that, since the enactment of NCLB, instructional time for art and music has been reduced by 22 percent.  This at a time when parents, employers, and civic leaders are demanding improvements to the learning environment that will make our schools places where all learners will access a complete education and opportunities to succeed. These demands cannot be met without comprehensive arts education in our nation’s schools.

As part of the 2009 Legislation Program and Virginia PTA Positions, our members supported the legislation that Virginia PTA seeks legislation that funds the expansion and integration of Arts Education into all core curricula subjects beyond the Visual Arts Standards of Learning (SOL), and the position, Virginia PTA supports the expansion and improvement of activities that will prepare teachers to incorporate the arts into the curriculum of academic subjects to supplement and engage students in learning.

Parent Magazine, who partners with PTA in supporting the PTA Reflections Program, has an excellent article entitled, “Why Arts Makes Kids Smarter”. Read the article.