K-5 Visual Arts Adoption Committee Meeting Summaries

April 17, 2017
At our April meeting the committee provided Deep Space Sparkle: Art School for Kids implementation recommendations for the 2017-18 school year and drafted alignment guides, based on the field test feedback. Earlier this month, the Instructional Materials Committee (IMC) completed their review and recommendation of the Deep Space Sparkle program for approval by the Board. The Deep Space Sparkle materials are available for public review and comment from April 17-May 5 at the District office. Members of the K-5 Visual Arts Advisory will present the elementary visual arts program at the May 8 LWSD Board meeting.

February 02, 2017

The K-5 Visual Arts Committee shared status updates of the field test progress at the schools. The field test is scheduled to end the week before Spring Break. At the next meeting, the committee will analyze feedback from field test teachers to guide our next steps and inform a recommendation. The committee members also used standards rubrics to determine how well Deep Space Sparkle: Art School for Kids lessons address the new Washington State Visual Arts Standards, which are scheduled for implementation in Fall 2017.

November 14, 2016
At the November meeting, the K-5 Visual Arts Committee members made initial recommendations for management of the art mentor texts that correspond with the Deep Space Sparkle: Art School for Kids lessons. They also finalized field test survey questions related to materials management, usability, and alignment. This survey will gather feedback from the elementary teachers opted to field test the program this year.

October 19, 2016
In October, Visual Arts Committee members conducted a focus group with PTSA art docent coordinators. At the meeting docents had the opportunity to learn about Deep Space Sparkle: Art School for Kids, the program LWSD is field-testing with elementary teachers this year. We discussed ways to continue to build complementary partnerships between our docent programs and schools as the new visual arts program is implemented.

September 26, 2016
The K-5 Visual Arts Curriculum Advisory met on September 26 to provide feedback about how to support the optional use of the new Deep Space Sparkle: Art School for Kids visual arts lessons this year. Committee members also drafted initial survey questions to gather feedback about our 2016-17 lesson and art materials field testing. Information from field testing will be used to support implementation of the new visual arts curriculum and art materials next year.

First-graders smiling and touching a bronze chicken sculpture.