2014-15 K-5 Visual Arts Adoption Committee Meeting Summaries

April 29, 2015
This year, a committee has been meeting each month to conduct a comprehensive review of our K-5 visual arts program to support a long-term recommendation about visual arts. The committee has been learning about:

  • Our curriculum materials
  • How visual arts instruction is currently delivered in our schools
  • Qualities of successful and manageable visual arts programs in schools and districts
  • Our community art docent programs

At our last meeting of the year, committee members reviewed information from best practice research, comparing it to survey data that we’ve collected and to site visits that we’ve conducted. We then identified targets to guide our work for the 2015-16 school year.

In June, the Curriculum Department, along with art docents serving on the advisory, will conduct two art docent focus groups in order to:

  • Update Elementary PTSA Presidents and Art Docent Coordinators about the work of the K-5 Visual Arts Advisory
  • Gather interests about ways to support docent programs and connect to our LWSD visual arts program

The committee will continue its work next year with a focus on standards, instructional materials and resources, professional learning, and coordinating with our district’s art docent programs. By the end of the 2015-16 school year, the committee will make a recommendation about implementing K-5 visual arts curriculum and professional learning, and supporting partnerships with our docent programs.

 

April 3, 2015
This year, a committee is meeting each month to conduct a comprehensive review of our K-5 visual arts program and to make long-term recommendations about visual arts. The committee is considering our curriculum materials, identifying qualities of successful and manageable visual arts programs in schools and districts, and learning about our community art docent programs.

On April 3, committee members met to review the results of the elementary art docent program survey, debrief elementary school art program site visits and begin to develop initial recommendations.

During upcoming meetings the committee will:

  • Conduct an art docent focus group
  • Develop recommendations for 2015-16

 

February 25, 2015
This year, a committee is meeting each month to conduct a comprehensive review of our K-5 visual arts program and to make long-term recommendations about visual arts. The committee is considering our curriculum materials, identifying qualities of successful and manageable visual arts programs in schools and districts, and learning about our community art docent programs.

On February 25, committee members met to review the results of the recent K-5 visual arts survey, debrief elementary school art program site visits, and identify promising practices.

During upcoming meetings the committee will:

  • Review district curriculum materials
  • Conduct an art docent focus group
  • Analyze the district survey and docent focus group results
  • Develop initial recommendations for 2015-16

 

January 12, 2015
This year, a K-5 Visual Arts Program Review Committee is meeting each month to conduct a comprehensive review of our K-5 visual arts program and to make recommendations about visual arts in the context of the Lake Washington School District Curriculum and Assessment Framework.

On January 12, the committee met to:

  • Learn about the qualities of outstanding visual arts programs
  • Draft teacher and art docent surveys to gather information about how visual arts instruction is delivered in our schools
  • Plan for school visits to observe visual arts instruction
  • Analyze lessons from our visual arts curriculum materials

During upcoming meetings the committee will review information from our school visits and surveys, and will begin to develop a viable, long-term recommendation for K-5 visual arts for all students in our district.

Our goal is to have this recommendation for next steps by April 29, 2015.

 

November 6, 2014
This year, a K-5 Visual Arts Program Review Committee is meeting each month to conduct a comprehensive review of our K-5 visual arts program and to make recommendations about visual arts in the context of the Lake Washington School District Curriculum and Assessment Framework.

On November 6, the committee met to learn about best practice for visual arts programs and instruction, and the Washington State Visual Arts Standards. Committee members also reviewed parent and teacher survey results from last year related to the visual arts in the Lake Washington School District, to better understand perceptions about visual arts instruction in our elementary schools.

In the coming months the committee will:

  • Continue professional learning around K-5 visual arts programs and instruction.
  • Conduct a thorough program review of our district, which will include surveys, school visits, and an examination of arts materials being used.
  • Visit neighboring districts to observe and understand K-5 arts programs.
  • Analyze survey and school visit findings.

Our goal is to have a recommendation for next steps by April 29, 2015.

 

October 15, 2014
The K-5 Visual Arts Committee is composed of elementary teachers, school and district administrators, parents, and community members. Three of the parents on the committee have served as art docents in our elementary schools. This year, committee members will conduct a comprehensive review of our K-5 visual arts program and will make recommendations about visual arts in the context of our curriculum and assessment framework.

Committee members met on October 15, 2014 to develop a shared understanding of the K-5 visual arts program review and to begin to deepen their collective understanding of K-5 visual arts in our schools. The committee will make recommendations in the spring of 2015.