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Increasing enrollment through vertical articulation and advocacy in middle and

high school art programs.

Tuesday, November 20, 12

How many of us search for ways to:

-Create larger yearly enrollment in all levels of your visual art classes?

-Create continued support from administration, parents, and school community.

-Create class structures that empower students to strive to be critically aware individuals & artists?


How many of us search for ways to:

-Create larger yearly enrollment in all levels of your visual art classes?

-Create continued support from administration, parents, and school community.

-Create class structures that empower students to strive to be critically aware individuals & artists?

What do you do to make it happen?


- Strategies for increasing freshman student enrollment

-Build a comprehensive secondary level art program through collaboration with middle school feeders.

-Create methods of advocating for the visual arts in both the school and community.

-Create an awareness of WHY students NEED art!!!

OUR NEEDS & GOALS


Start small and build

on what you already do!


“Recruitment”At the Middle School Level:

-Positive Reinforcement

-Collaboration with Guidance Dept.

-Student recognition (Art Shows, Awards, etc.)

-Parent contact and follow-up

-DVD promoting the High School art program


-Guidance Registration and Elective Offerings Info Session

-Middle School Parent and Student Information Night

“Recruitment”


-Mailers sent directly to incoming 9th grade families

-Getting information out to parents, administration, and the community through different avenues...mailers/website/blogs!

“Recruitment”


Dear _________ High School Parent & Student,! Based upon a recommendation from your middle school art teacher, you are considered an applicant with strong potential for success in our comprehensive program. If you have an interest in art and perhaps may want to study an art related field in college, you should seriously consider taking Art I: Foundations of Studio Art your freshman year. By registering for Art I in yourfreshman year you are setting the foundation for your experience at _____________ High School.

The Visual Art Program is a four-year program, which will allow you the opportunity to: -Build your portfolio and resume for college applications-Hone your creative problem solving skills-Collaborate with peers-Learn a multitude of techniques in a variety of media-Build relationships with peers on all levels-Voice and embrace your personal ideas and concepts-Discuss all types of art-Apply for merit based scholarships-Incorporate reading and writing through criticism, brainstorming, sketchbook idea generation, and art history-Gain college credit through the Studio Art AP Exam

SAMPLE STUDENT/PARENT LETTER


-Middle School art teachers identified approximately five students who demonstrated the following characteristics:

8th grade work, 2009

*Strong Work Ethic *High Skill Level *Maturity

7th grade work, 2008

Advanced Class Placement - select 8th grade students are directly placed into Art 2 for their freshman year elective.


Early EXPOSURE to the Fine Arts Department

-notification & congratulatory letters mailed to art 2 placement students and parents.

-8th grade advanced placed students are invited to participate in the Awards Exhibition & CeremonyVisual Arts Awards and Exhibition


“Recruitment”High School Level:-Student course suggestion cards passed out before registration week for high schools

-Teacher and student presentations to clarify the course offerings outside of Art 1

-Student recognition for awards & scholarships


-Multiple year-round student exhibitions throughout both school and community

-Museum field trips

-Active National Art Honor Society

-Art Awards Night including selected incoming 9th graders

“Recruitment”


Results


BE TRANSPARENT!!! Get the “right” information into the hands of people who need to know!

HOW to gain the support of Administration & Guidance & Parents

Promote school/community art exhibits where your students are represented!


Student Recognition, Art Department “Brag Sheets” & Notification Emails.

Chris Bowman - High School Student, NFAA Gold Award Winner for Photography and Presidential Scholar in the Arts is recognized by our Maryland Governor -Martin O’Malley

River Hill High School Visual Arts Department Gino Molfino, Chairperson

FINE ART Departmental Goal:The goal of the RHHS visual arts program is to nurture articulate artists and appreciators of art, to prepare students for admission to top-level college visual arts programs, and ultimately, to create autonomous, caring young people, capable of pursuing their life passions.

Measurable Outcomes:1. Though enrollment school-wide has fluctuated, enrollment in our upper level courses has remained strong. We instituted new ways to publicize our program and recruit interested students from the middle school feeders to increase our foundations classes.2. We re-built our Chapter of NAHS, and had NAHS Advisory reinstated for the 08-09 year.3. Visual Arts faculty worked together as a team, built positive relationships between students and faculty in the Visual Arts4. Jenny Smith and Jacob Cecil co-sponsored the NAHS!!! I was able to help out when needed this year…yeah!5. Art department faculty participated in 9th grade team & AP Committee.6. Visual Arts students took part in 6 county exhibits and seniors and juniors took 7 of 21 (33%) awards at this year’s Howard County Public Schools Junior/Senior Juried Exhibition, an annual juried exhibition (out of 12 county high schools). 7. AP Scores, 2008: 21 students took the AP (up from 13 total portfolios the year before) 16 of 21 students earned a 3, 4, and 5. (10% earning 5, 38% earning a 4, 29% earning a 3)8. AP test enrollments 2009: 27 of 33 took the exam. (Some students didn’t register for the exam after finding out their colleges don’t accept AP scores.) 9. This year our seniors have earned over $989,000 in merit based scholarship money. 30% of seniors completing Art 3, Art 4 and Photo 3 are going on to study in a fine art or applied art major at the college level. ($750,000 was specifically for merit based portfolios!!!)10. The Fine/Performing Arts ITL position (once again) allowed the arts to have a voice in school decision-making, especially regarding scheduling, facility use, technology initiatives, field trip policy, auditorium policy, and attendance policy.11. All visual arts faculty contributed to county exhibits and curriculum development (see attached).12. The fine arts utilized the visual arts lab for the 2008-2009 school year for digital imaging, portfolio development, and AP exam registration and portfolio use. 13. The Visual Arts website was up and running in the fall of 2009. We are still working on an “almost-well-not-really-but-getting-better-paperless” system / approach to teaching in the Visual Arts!!! http://web.mac.com/ginomolfino/Site/Home.html

Recommendations and hopes for next year:1. Visual arts computer updates to include Art III/IV extended use along with continued curriculum in Photo I/II/III 2. Return to similar planning in the visual arts to help promote collaboration, more artwork installations, vertical planning, and arts advocacy3. Be sensitive to in-school-wide responsibilities (cluster / teacher accountability, 9th grade team, ITL duties). A better commitment from administration put forth for curricular initiatives, and requirements (from parents, students, administration, and faculty). There is still seems to be a perception that there is greater support of extra-curricular activities over curricular programs.4. Administrator communication and commitment

a. VP observations and presence through the building in classes to better understand building issues and “what we all do here”…accountability with observations and post observation meetings and feedback.b. Personal responsibilities and VP duties and relationships facultyc. Responding emotionally not logically to simple problem solving by some of the AP staff.

5. Guidance communication, education, and commitment about what the fine arts have to offer was much better this year! Though it still feels like a part time job to help guide students on visual arts college tracks on my end…not sure how to alter that! Just the knowledge that students all have different needs should be reinforced.


Hold portfolio and curriculum awareness meetings with school guidance counselors and administration!


The Community... Fine Arts Advocacy Council (FAAC)

Elise - Art 2

Supports programs through parent advocacy at the board level for:-funding-curriculum development-co-curricular activities-act as a community voice for all concerns-collaborate on creative solutions that the Fine Arts face.


Past Experiences with Administration & Guidance:

-Visual Arts Technology Lab and Digital Curriculum Development

-Creative scheduling and enrollment in AP advanced classes.

-Extended Course Offerings

-Support for Professional Development

-Leadership Opportunities




Now What?

Thinking Ahead...Tuesday, November 20, 12

-We found that 9th graders with a strong work ethic are more than capable of achieving success in an advanced art class.

What Worked:

-We have enrolled a larger percentage of focused and serious freshman level students

-Support from administration is collaborative and steadfast

-Students that are able to take 4 years of advanced level art are able to develop college level portfolios that garner competitive scholarships and awards.


Being flexible and willing to adapt to change and constantly learn has

proved positive!


Considerations for the Future:-Parent Q&A Event for incoming advanced placed 9th graders

-Have the Middle Schools we pull the most students from recruit more students for advanced placement into Art 2

-Beginning a Junior National Art Honor Society in the Middle Schools to serve as motivation for continuing with art in High

School

-“Evening with the Arts” event at the end of the year, celebrating students of all Fine Arts departments in the school (Dance, Music, Theatre Arts)


Documents

Increasing enrollment through vertical articulation and ...visualartshowardcounty.weebly.com/uploads/7/0/6/0/7060133/advocac… · Increasing enrollment through vertical articulation