Schools of Excellence in Arts Education Award Nomination Questions

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1 Schools of Excellence in Arts Education Award Nomination Questions 1. Arts Education as an essential component of Seattle Academy s Curriculum. The arts department, which encompasses theater, music, dance, visual arts, and media arts, champions what Seattle Academy calls its Culture of Performance and is grounded in the premise that all students are intrinsically creative. Our mission is to create an environment, curriculum, opportunities, and experiences that are conducive to the development and growth of that creativity. Seattle Academy was founded in 1983, with only 87[??] students, grades A focus on the arts was essential in the early years, when both facilities and resources were scarce. But despite our limited resources a piano was our music, a table our visual arts studio, and a warehouse our theater the school learned how vital the arts are to education; the arts were the school s default extracurricular and elective program. After 30 years of growth we have never forgotten or abandoned that lesson about the importance of the arts in education. Among many other things, we learned that the arts taught a multitude of skills and perceptions that were transferrable into both academic and diverse extracurricular activities. Many of those skills and capacities are (and always have been) what the education world today talks about as key 21 st Century Skills. Our image of a student s arts instruction is a triangle: the three sides of the triangle are Skills, Intellect, and Emotion. What we know about learning and artistic development involves all three components, which inhabit all our arts classes. In the center of the triangle is Intuition, those qualities that each individual student brings to his or her art form that makes his/her work unique. Next, we believe that artistic endeavors require the development and integration of four complex skills and processes. The first is engagement. In this phase, students become acclimated to the creative environment and begin to recognize and exercise their natural creativity. Second is the development of vocabulary and technical skills. Vocabulary both supports the student in dialogue with artists, peers, and teachers, and begins to shape a worldview in which the arts is in an integrated element. The development of technical skills allows students to excel in artistic expression. Third is performance and exhibition. Students must be able both to apply (in the creative process) the skills that are required and also to integrate those skills in an exhibition or performance. Fourth is evaluation and reflection on both the product and the process. Students must develop the critical skills both to assess their own individual development and to provide constructive feedback to peers. Seattle Academy is unusual in that the arts are one of the four key pillars of the school (arts, academics, athletics, trips/service), as opposed to being an adjunct or only extracurricular subject. The arts integrate into our complete school program, at times in a purposeful and planned manner, and at other times (every single day, in fact) in spontaneous and surprising ways. For instance, as part of our final exam process three times per year, students in performing arts classes from grades 6-12 perform for the entire school community (about 850 people) as their final assessment. In addition, high school graduation requirements include nine arts credits, including at least one arts credit from each discipline. In a more informal way, our professional arts staff is a resource for the rest of our faculty, in all departments. An example of this concept is the development of our Making Things Initiative, which is an integration of arts, engineering, and technology. The purpose of this initiative is to support our faculty in finding alternative ways to communicate and engage students in academic curriculum material. Ultimately, Seattle Academy conducts learning in a Culture of Performance in all disciplines (academic as well as arts). Students demonstrate what they are learning or have learned in front of audiences, whether their classroom, a whole grade level, the whole school, or an audience beyond the school walls. They are challenged to take risks in front of these audiences, which requires them to combine disparate skills in moments of action in order to learn and communicate complex ideas. With performances, there is a natural, built in motivation to the learning process. Students invest their effort 1

2 so that other people will recognize them for their accomplishments, and performance allows a broad definition of what accomplishment is and can be. Learning through performance is learning that shapes one s identity in a productive way, and it fosters independence and integrity, the ability to collaborate and take risks, and the capacity to cope with change and ambiguity. Ultimately, we believe that Seattle Academy s Culture of Performance develops a spirit of inquiry and engagement that results in empathy for the human condition, an understanding of the meaning of excellence, and an opportunity to achieve success in all domains. Arts education is a foundational and integrative element in this way of teaching. Arts Course - Theater Frequency per week Regular Elective 1. Beginning Acting 5/1 trimester/during X 2. Intermediate Acting 5/2 trimesters/during X 3. Advanced Acting 5/3 trimesters/during X 4. Improvisation 5/1 trimester/during X 5. Advanced Improvisation 5/1 trimester/during X 6. Acting for Musical theater 5/1 trimester/during X 7. Mask 5/1 trimester/during X 8. Technical theater 5/1 trimester/during X 9. Costuming 5/1 trimester/during X 10. Stage Combat 5/1 trimester/during X 11. Stage Direction 5/1 trimester/during X 12. Beginning Production 5/1 Trimester/during X 13. Musical Production 5/1 trimester/after X 14. Advanced Production 5/1 trimester/after X 15. Shakespeare Production 5/1trimester/After X 16. 6th grade theater 5/1 trimester/during X th grade production 5/1 trimester/during X th grade technical theater 5/1 trimester/during X th grade production 5/1 trimester/during X th grade technical Theater 5/1 trimester/during X 21. Middle School Musical 5/1 trimester/during X Arts Course - Dance Frequency per week Regular Elective 1. Ballet 5/1 trimester/during X 2. Modern 5/1 trimester/during X 3. Jazz 5/1 trimester/during X 4. Dance for Musical Theater 5/1 trimester/during X 5. Advanced Dance 5/3 trimesters/during X 6. 6 th grade Dance 5/1 trimester/during X 7. 7 th grade Dance 5/1 trimester/during X 8. US Dance Company 5/3 trimester/after X 9. Seattle Academy Dance Project 5/3 trimester/after X Arts Course - Music Frequency per week Regular Elective 1. Beginning Vocal 5/1 trimester/during X 2. Vocal Revue 5/2 trimester/during X 3. Choir 5/2 trimesters/during X 4. Jazz Choir 5/3 trimesters/during X 5. Vocal Ensemble 5/1 trimester/after X 6. Vocal Showcase 5/2 trimesters/during X 7. Jazz Choir II 5/2 trimesters/during X 2

3 8. 6 th grade music 5/1/2 trimester/during X 9. 8 th grade music 5/1 trimester/during X 10. 8th Grade Vocal Ensemble 5/1 trimester/during X th Grade Vocal Ensemble 5/1 trimester/during X th grade Band 5/3 trimesters/during X th grade band 5/3 trimesters/during X th grade band 5/3 trimesters/during X 15. Band 1 5/3 trimesters/during X 16. E Block Advanced Band 5/3 trimesters/during X Arts Course Visual Arts Frequency per week Regular Elective 1. Beginning Studio 5/1 trimester/during X 2. Intermediate Studio 5/2 trimester/during X 3. Advanced Studio 5/3 trimester/during X 4. Ceramics 5/1 trimester/during X 5. 3-D studio Art 5/1 trimester/during X 6. Sculpture 5/1 trimester/during X 7. Advanced Sculpture 5/1 trimester/during X 8. 6 th grade visual 5/1 trimester/during X 9. 7 th grade visual 5/1 trimester/during X Arts Course Media Arts Frequency per week Regular Elective 1. Beginning Film 5/1 trimester/during X 2. Animation Film 5/1 trimester/during X 3. Advanced Film 5/2 trimester/during X 4. Beginning Film: Documentary 5/1 trimester/during X Style 5. Digital Media Photography 5/1 trimester/during X 6. Experimental Photography 5/1 trimester/during X 7. Black and White Film 5/1 trimester/during X Photography 8. Intermediate Photography 5/1 trimester/during X Total Number of Arts Teachers in the School Discipline Full time Part time Total FTE Dance Music Theater Visual Arts Creative Approach to learning Program Design There are a few specific tenets that link our diverse disciplines. We believe that students are not risk-averse and thrive in environments where they are creatively challenged. We believe that all students should have access to and have extensive requirements in the arts and arts-related programming. As well, there are a number of driving values to which all of our disciplines adhere. First, access to the arts both in classroom activities and in extracurricular activities is of ultimate importance. We have a no cut policy, which means that any student interested in an art form or performance opportunity will be included. The only consideration is resource limitation e.g. media labs can only support a limited number of students. Our no-cut policy and the sheer volume of classes in the arts support this value. We have over 50 distinct performance events each year. In all the art forms, we encourage risk-taking and creative expression. (And in addition to our no-cut policy, we 3

4 support the development of excellence, through advanced levels of instruction and performance ensembles in all program areas.) Though these are important values, each discipline focuses on a systematic process of development involving discipline and collaboration, in an effort to seek a balance between excellence in product and process. Though our approaches may differ, each discipline (theater, music, dance, visual and media arts) attempts to address individual student needs and appreciate the importance of a holistic approach involving physical, visual, and emotional development. The school s mission is to prepare students for college and life. We see the arts as lifelong skills, and the participation and appreciation that students of Seattle Academy gain through classes and participation sets the tone for lifelong involvement in the arts as practitioners, audience members, purchasers, and donors. As well, the values of creativity, risk-taking, and a disciplined approach to work set the tone for success in post secondary endeavors. 3. Parent participation and cultural awareness Parent participation is a key to our success. Parents participate in all levels of arts activities. Parents make up the production team in the Performance Events. Each show has a parent producer who coordinates all activities, from taking cast headshots to advertising to box office management. We are fortunate to have both a full time costumer and technical director, though parents support both areas by sewing, procuring and organizing props, assisting with construction and strike. They also chaperone students on arts retreats and events outside the school community. In visual arts, parents hang shows and provide expertise as guest artists, as we are fortunate to have a number of internationally recognized artists in our parent community who openly share their knowledge with students. Cultural awareness varies by discipline. In theater, visual, and media arts, students have the opportunity to explore, dialogue, and present material in multiple genres. Based on the openness with which we can create our classes, faculty get to select material which is appropriate and timely for their students. In many cases, students have the opportunity to self-select material, which they feel is both challenging and relevant. We also bring in professional artists to speak and demonstrate, who are from diverse art backgrounds and disciplines. In the theater, we attempt to select material from different time periods and diverse settings. Recently, we partnered with our diversity club to present the musical Hairspray and used the event to focus classroom discussion in both English and History classes. In visual and media arts, students receive in-depth exploration of diverse historical periods and styles, as a global perspective is critical to understanding the art form. In dance, students have the opportunity to explore diverse styles of movement including ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, African, etc. We introduce students to dance styles that cross cultural and ethnic boundaries. Music lends itself to a similar form of exploration, although within the context of music and dance, class work tends to be generated from the teachers, and is curriculum-based on the immediate needs of their students. Aside from the integration of cultural awareness in classwork, Seattle Academy is dedicated to cross cultural experiences. Both the 6 th and 7 th grade have a SEE trip where students depart school for a week to explore diverse parts of Washington State. There is the 8 th grade challenge where the entire 8 th grade takes to the streets of Seattle for 3days and two nights, working in shelters with the homeless, sleeping in churches or community shelters. Our 9 th grade, in the Fall, goes on the Odyssey Trip which is a wilderness experience with minimal supervision. The experience is based the students reading of The Odyssey. Our Upper School students have a variety of potential experiences. Our annual Zambia Trip where student work with students at a school in Zambia where Seattle Academy has built and developed a technology Center. 4

5 During the spring and summer, we offer trips for both Upper School and Middle School students to China, India, Nepal, Italy, and Turkey designed to provide students with an in depth cross cultural experiences. In the summer, an Alaska Trip where students kayak the Yukon River for 3 weeks. Seattle Academy is dedicated to the premise that these experiences are available to all students, and has a community fund to support student who might otherwise not have sufficient resources for these experiences. Partner with USA Ready study, which will bring 20 Chinese students into the Seattle Academy community to experience and understand out culture. 4. Arts and the Community Seattle Academy is an urban campus and is dynamically linked with both the 12 th Ave. community and Metropolitan Seattle and Bellevue communities. Examples: Currently partnering with Seattle based Improv Company to present joint performance at SAAS. We provide free tickets to local neighborhood organizations to attend SAAS performances. We loan our vast costume stock to local school and theaters for productions. We partner with the Paramount Theater to provide rehearsal space in exchange for master classes for touring Dance companies. IN the past we have had the Bolshoi Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company and the Cast of WICKED on campus. We annually send many classes to both the Seattle Repertory Theater, and the Seattle Opera. We partner with ACT Theater in a playwright program. We currently partner with the U of Washington Dance program on student visits and faculty support. Both our Dance Company and Award winning Jazz Choir have performed for visiting national conferences and our visual art was recently displayed at the National Business Officers Association Convention. Our dancers have performed with Pacific NW Ballet and at the Experience Music Project. We had Liz Lewis, the potter from Vashon, in to do a demonstration and talk about the history of making pots. Students visited local artist Catherine Skinner's studio, an artist who does encaustic work. Chris Pye, a wood carver from England visited, lectured, and showed slides and his work. He is in the service of the Prince of Wales. Our students have attended summer art programs at California College of the arts, Maryland Institute College of Art, RISD, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Bellevue Art Museum. Our photography classes take field trips to local neighborhoods to photograph their surroundings in an attempt to create a visual document of areas they spend time in, and these have included collaborative projects photographing inside neighborhood coffee shops, book stores, retail stores and restaurants. Students attend gallery openings locally, including events at Seattle University, The Seattle Art Museum, The Henry Gallery and The Photographic Center NW, a non-profit photographic education institution SAAS partners with. Students attend lectures of internationally known photographers held at Benaroya Hall. Several seniors have completed senior projects internships at PCNW, and several also have completed internships with local photographers. 80% of our seniors do Senior projects which, in some cases, require them to support local arts organizations or arts related projects e.g. a visual art student developed an entire book of bird 5

6 sketches for the Audubon Society. This spring many of our Seniors will be doing internships with ACT Theater, Paramount Theater, and a production assistant for a new feature film produced by local filmmakers. This spring as well, two of our students competed in the Kobe Jazz Queen competition and one student Sofia Smith will represent Seattle at the Kobe International Jazz Festival. During the spring we take a three day break from classes and all upper school students participate in 2 activities. One day of community service with over 50 different Seattle organizations. The following two days are spent in small groups 5. Academic Ranking, Enrollment and Demographics. 100% of the Class of 2011 s college applicants gained admission to college, typical of Seattle Academy graduating classes. While several graduates elect a gap year prior to college, generally 98% of graduates enroll directly, while 100% of all Seattle Academy alumni enroll in four-year colleges and conservatories within two years of graduation. Though we do not have data comparing our students to others, we have provided data regarding our students using national standards. Student-teacher ratio is 9:1, with 653 students in grades Data: Class of 2011: Average GPA: 3.47 on a 4.0 unweighted scale; ACT Composite: 25 (mean); middle 50% (21-29); SAT Composite: 1841 (mean); middle 50% ( ) ; SAT Critical Reading: 620 (mean); (middle 50%); SAT Math: 594 (mean); (middle 50%) ; SAT Writing: 627 (mean); (middle 50%) SAT Subject Tests Most Frequently Taken: Math II 665 (mean) English Literature 632 (mean) 1 In , students of color will make up 27% of the school s student body. Seattle Academy completed an endowment campaign for financial aid ($8,000,000) in 2009 to support socio-economic diversity. Socio-economic diversity is supported by the Board-mandated goal of providing financial aid to 20% of our student population; in , 21% of the student body received tuition-based financial aid. The school s overall commitment to tuition-based financial aid exceeded 13% in , and the Board has committed to a minimum of 12% of tuition revenue dedicated to financial aid. Seattle Academy admits and supports students with a range of physical and learning differences and/or disabilities. The Learning Support Program supports diversity in learning styles and learning needs by providing intensive support for individual students, while also providing invaluable resources to the entire faculty in determining effective teaching strategies that are beneficial for all students. The school s curriculum is continually reviewed and revised to provide for a global perspective, to identify cultural bias or blind spots, and to provide opportunities for input from the community. The school works to promote tolerance and understanding without regard to religion, creed, and philosophy, qualities that befit citizens in a pluralistic society; the arts curriculum is an important vehicle to achieve this objective. 6. Evolution of arts programming and impacts attributed to arts learning programs. As stated previously, when Seattle Academy was founded, the arts were the default extracurricular and elective program. As the school evolved, so did the arts. In 2002, the department moved from its warehouse building to the school s new Arts Center, which now houses all the arts with 2 theaters and a state of the art dance studio, visual arts studios, film and animation studios and metal sculpture studio; Jazz Ensemble studio for Instrumental Music, a vocal studio, and associated practice rooms. Our evolution and growth has been both curricular and extracurricular based on an 1 Institutional Data provided as an appendix which may be used for additional information 6

7 overwhelming commitment to arts programming from faculty, administration and the parent community. What makes Seattle Academy s Culture of Performance unique? In 2004, we invited Robert Sternberg to visit us. Sternberg was a psychology professor at Yale and the president of the American Psychological Association at the time of his visit, and he has written extensively on the nature of intelligence. In his book, Successful Intelligence, Sternberg argues for three types of intelligence: Analytical intelligence, Creative intelligence, and Practical intelligence. He defines practical intelligence as the ability of an individual to create an ideal fit between oneself and one s environment through adaptation, shaping, and selection. In simple terms, it s street smarts. We felt that our teaching in a Culture of Performance successfully taught those skills, and so we were interested in Sternberg s assessment. He came, toured the school, and met with department heads. Walking out of the school, Sternberg paused and said, It looks like you re really putting my theory into practice! Department heads later asked him what other schools around the country we could visit to learn more. Sternberg replied, Frankly, I ve never seen another school do what you are doing. You re it. He was commenting not on Arts per se but rather the unique process of education where arts and performance are integral to all learning cross curricula creating confident, creative learners. In fact, the school regularly invites outside experts to visit and give us feedback on our program. In 2011, two individuals, the Executive Director of Executive Director of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and her husband, a retired history teacher came for a full week to observe anything they wanted to and to talk to whomever they wanted From our side, we were especially interested in what The Culture of Performance looked like to two outside expert educators who had looked closely and critically at hundreds of national and international schools. These experienced educators knew that they would be seeing performance, but they were surprised and impressed by what performance meant to our teachers and students, and how performance led to academic excellence in all academic areas and at each grade level. Clearly, The Culture of Performance is embedded in every aspect of Seattle Academy, they wrote in a follow-up letter to school head Joe Puggelli. It is the central pathway to the demonstration of excellence in what SAAS students learn and come to understand During their week with us, the educators observed classes on all grade levels, sat in on and participated in the junior American Studies final presentations, saw presentations of junior biology research projects, attended presentations by seniors on their internship projects, met with students, faculty, parents, trustees, and alums, saw the exuberance of Curtain Call (our spring end-of-tri performance). Again, their words say it best: [NAIS] has identified a fairly long list of essential capacities for 21 st century learning, and we ve seen nearly all of them on display during our visit. Your students have learned them, and are able to exhibit them in challenging environments. If there is another school in the country that is developing those capacities as well as you are, we aren t aware of it. We believe that the arts are central to the development of these capacities. Students develop skills in their arts classes and performances and, perhaps most importantly, they integrate and apply those skills both spontaneously and intentionally in all their other subject areas and in all areas of their lives. 7