Texas Music Administrator of the Year

Please join the Round Rock ISD Fine Arts faculty and leadership in congratulating Jim Van Zandt who was named Texas Music Administrator of the Year.  The announcement was made Friday, November 19th at the Texas Music Administrators Conference in Austin.  Jim will be recognized officially during the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in February 2011in San Antonio.   This prestigious award recognizes outstanding leaders and is voted on from the at-large membership of the Texas Music Educators Association. 

Mr. Van Zandt is in his tenth year as Director of Fine Arts for the Round Rock Independent School District. In this capacity, is involved with operations, curriculum, staff development, budget, and staffing. He is also actively involved with the structure and curriculum of the district's Fine Arts Academy. As a part of his role, he is a constant advocate for the arts in education.

Jim holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education degrees from the University of North Texas, where he was listed in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. He was Director of Bands and Fine Arts Department Chair at Westwood High School (Round Rock ISD) from 1995-2001, after serving as Director of Bands at Richland High School (Birdville ISD) for the previous twenty years. He has also taught in Denton, Fredericksburg, Raymondville, and Jayton, Texas.

Jim is tireless advocate for all the arts and our faculty and leadership are extremely proud of him in achieving this well-deserved recognition.

Dia de los Muertos

Art 6 Ofrenda

Studio Art 7/8 Ofrenda

Tomorrow my students at Hernandez will be wrapping up a month long unit that focused on Dia de los Muertos. We created paper-mâché skulls and various foods to display in our classroom ofrendas. We also created festive flags and posters to create awareness, as well as tissue paper/newspaper flowers to adorn the ofrendas. We all had a lot of fun trying out new media together: paper-mâché, watercolor pencils, water soluble oil pastels, and acrylic paint. On November 2nd we will have class celebrations to remember why we started this unit to begin with. A month ago students were asked to think about someone who has passed away that they would like to celebrate and remember on Dia de los Muertos. Many students chose family members, pets, and iconic figures (Frida Kahlo, Martin Luther King, Jr....) and then wrote a short dedication.

Overall, classes are going really well and REALLY FAST! I cannot believe that we are wrapping up the 2nd six weeks already - each day seems to fly by quicker than the last. I am still staying pretty late most days of the week trying to catch up/prepare, but am hoping that soon I will start kicking myself out of the classroom at a decent hour (or at least before it gets dark outside). I am very excited for the TAEA conference next week! I'll be hanging a few pieces of student work in the student exhibit area. Which reminds me, does anyone have an extra mat cutter at their school? Cindy and I are without one and I am getting a little nervous about upcoming shows/displays. I guess I could free hand it... ahhhhhhh! hahahah :)

I hope everyone is having a really good year so far!

Sarah

Congratulations to Visual Art Faculty Sharing at NAEA

Congratulations to Round Rock ISD Visual Art faculty who had accepted for inclusion in the program for the 2011 NAEA (National Art Education Association) National Convention in Seattle, Washington, March 17-20, 2011. Tiffany Asha (Deerpark MS) will be presenting Coming to an Understanding:The Role of Art Education in Teaching about Islam.  Kara Hallmark (Union Hill ES) will be presenting E-Portfolios and Process under Best Practices.  Tim Lowke (Cedar Ridge HS) will be presenting PowerArt – Integrating Art and Math.  We are proud of these three faculty members on this prestigious, national accomplishment and their commitments to applying and sharing best visual art education practice with students, peers and the national association.

Live Oak Students Reaching Out Around the World

Live Oak art teacher, Gayle Clark, received an invitation for Live Oak Elementary to participate in providing artwork for the Miracle Foundation. This non-profit organization supports orphanages in India. Live Oak is sending student artwork to decorate the walls of an orphanage in Ranchi, India.  All artwork completed in the art club will be hand delivered to this small village.  Later our new friends in Ranchi, India will be sending their artwork to decorate the hallways at Live Oak Elementary School.   Way to go Gayle! 

TAEA Middle School Art Educator of the Year

It is my pleasure to announce to our district that Cecelia Pichini, Visual Art Faculty at Walsh Middle School has been selected the Texas Art Education Association Outstanding Middle School Division Art Educator for 2010. 

Cecelia was chosen from a statewide slate of nominees that the TAEA awards committee found powerful and thus presented an enduring challenge to the committee for their final determinations. 

Ms. Pichini is a model art educator who throughout her career has challenged and inspired students to achieve, create, think and produce to their fullest potential.  Cecelia continually shares resources and ideas with her visual art colleagues, presents professional development both on the local and state levels, has published in art education journals and hosts student teachers / observers extending her model practices beyond her art room and into the larger, visual community.  In addition, Cecelia continues to produce art of her own --- you can see her latest work in our current RRISD Faculty Show (www.rrisdfacultyshow.wordpress.com).

Please join me in congratulating Cecelia Pichini on being honored for her role and dedication to promoting quality visual arts education not only in Round Rock ISD, but in the State of Texas!

Texas Art Education Association will celebrate our 2010 Award Recipients at the Opening First General Session of the 49th Annual TAEA Fall Conference entitled Nurturing the Creative Spirit; Keep Art Weird at the Austin Convention Center, Friday, November 12, 2010, 2-4pm.

The RRISD Visual Art Faculty is EXTREMELY proud of Cecelia and this accomplishment in her career! 

For additional information on the Conference or TAEA, visit www.taea.org

Share session-Great friends

I really liked seeing everyone at our first elementary share session. Tim is so clever with his Cafe format. It was great just sharing materials and lessons. I really am so amazed with all of the super art teachers in our district.
I am glad we got a handout with the future dates and expectations but it was nice not spending time on the list. I hope this works out for everyone.
It does seem our plate fills up really fast and we never have time to do all of those amazing projects.
At school we are finishing up our projects for the fundraiser and beginning new projects. I finally have art up in the hallway-Kinder Starry Night oil pastel drawings. I am crazy but I love those funny kinder artists!!

I cannot believe that my first month in my own classroom has already flown by! I am very busy every second of the day and I LOVE IT! I feel that I am getting to know my students better and better with each class I have with them.

Art 6 is currently working on an oil pastel/painting project dealing with contour lines of animal portraits based on the artwork of Dean Russo (shown left; student artwork by James Place). I am trying to help students understand that they can take their time on projects and we will take more than 1 class period to complete an entire project. They are catching on! :)

Studio Art 7/8 is working on self portraits using grids (shown right; student artwork by Phillip Haun). Instead of smooth shading, we will be adding line patterns that vary from light to dark to add value to their portraits. I am amazed at their work so far!

If students have a spare minute in class (or even at home) they have been creating cards for the Dell Childrens Medical Center patients. I am so proud of their compassion for others and cannot wait to take the cards to the center. I've also learned about several students (or their family members) who have been patients there before. (photo of cards below)

- Sarah

WOW!!! A new school rocks!

I am really enjoying my new adventure! I am building relationships with a wonderful new community of kids, parents and staff! I have a wonderful team! I am excited about being the first art teacher, setting expectations that will last a life time, using library books, computers, art materials, everything for the very first time! It is somewhat overwhelming, but everyone is on the same page. Making policies, procedures, implementing then revising! Looking forward to the art share in October!

Faculty Art Show

Join us for the First Round Rock ISD Visual Art Faculty Show!  The opening reception is this Thursday, September, 16th from 4-6pm.  Our community, faculty staff and students are invited for food and viewing!

Summer, a time of freedom and relaxation.  For many of the Round Rock ISD visual art faculty, summer becomes a time to restore their creativity through producing personal artwork and exploration of ideas, themes and media that is not possible during the school year concentrating on student experiences and teaching.  Summer Work; The 2010 Round Rock ISD Visual Art Faculty Show is designed to highlight work by our talented faculty, educate, motivate, and inspire our students, nurture creative families by exhibiting professional work in a community setting.  The show also will serve as a forum for the exchange of art ideas and techniques within the visual art faculty.
Summer Work; The 2010 Round Rock ISD Visual Art Faculty Show is a partnership between:

• J.B. & Hallie Jester Williamson County Annex Gallery – Round Rock 
• Round Rock Area Arts Council 
• Round Rock ISD – Office of Fine Arts 
• The Round Rock ISD Visual Art Faculty

School Rules! Beginning 2010-2011

Well, I have been trying to get to post for a while to talk about the beginning of school.  Opening a new school and working on all the "stuff" it takes to get everyone else going has taken precedent.  However, I spent some time this evening reflecting on the start of school for me.  Reflection can be the most profound part of learning wherever you are as a learner (check out Marzano's work).   But what about you?  So how was the "launch" of 2010-2011 for you and your students? 
I have to say that for me, I am totally excited about this year for several reasons --- first and foremost is that I am teaching at a school that ROCKS!  There are LOTS of reasons that Cedar Ridge rocks.  I mean, seriously, who else is teaching somewhere that classes change to the sound of lightening and rain over the PA followed by different music daily (today's were TV themes!)  The rain goes with our PBIS initiative of RAIN (Respect, Achievement, Investment, Nobility).  How kid-friendly and fun is that, I ask you.  However, I will say, The Ridge is still very much a work in progress --- we still don't have all our "stuff" and the technology can go "wonky" at times, but it is like moving into a new house where you have to learn how to use everything and grow into your space to make the place a home. 
As I was leaving school today, I spent a few minutes gabbing  with one of my assistant principals about how exciting work is these days --- which for those of you who know me, know that I came from the sweetest middle school in the District (although I am not prejudice or anything).  But let's face it, school is about kids ---- everything else is helpful, but kids are kids and I am lovin my students! 
So how did I spend my first week of school?  I spent a lot of the first week working on relationships  with kids and getting them to understand we are building an artistic community together.  One class day was devoted to playing games that got them to know each other and me as a teacher.  What you see pictured is one activity where random groupings of students are challenged to build newspaper towers to see who can build the highest tower.  Through this activity, they get to learn about each other, work as a team, and get to know that my classroom is a safe place to express themselves, make mistakes and most importantly, take risks.  For me as a teacher, that is one of the most important lessons for the foundation I am building each year.
What about you?  How did you spend your first week with kids?  As I have been out and about, I have seen lots of different approaches to starting visual art with kids.  Ask yourself about what kind of tone have you set and what are your expectations for your students.  Reflect on your practice --- this will make you a stronger teacher I am sure.  See ya in the artroom.

First Day with students

It was great seeing the kids again. It is like we never left. We are starting off with portfolios and sketchbooks. Our school does not get all of those great free book covers anymore. So I am trying tag board for portfolios. It was not too expensive and definitely cheaper that poster board.

Iyiyii

Budget shock.

Job-Alike Survey

Help me plan for the future and give your feedback.  Take my four question survey.  Thanks!

WOW!

OK, the job-alike is over and I can now take a deep breath.  From my view as the leader, I felt like it was a GREAT day for the visual art faculty, but will be surveying them quickly to get their thoughts.  In looking over what was written today, the blog is capturing exactly the "voices" I felt that it would.  We are off and running and I look forward to what each of our art bloggers will continue to add to the professional learning community discussion.  Blogging live throughout the day was an AWESOME way to reflect on the learning happening and to pose other questions and ideas.  Thanks to Susan Highfield for hooking some of my folks up with netbooks to blog today so we could do this live.  BIG thanks to Pam, Sarah and Amanda for taking the risk and putting yourselves out there for your peers.  Keep up the conversation!  Pics and an evaluation to come soon.

Today I am thankful for __________.

*Everyday (or every week) I am going to have my students write this in their sketchbooks and fill in the blank... they have to AT LEAST be thankful for being alive! Or for having me as their teacher HAHAHAHA Just kidding!

I bring this subject up, because being together as a whole group I was quickly reminded of how important we all are to each other. Since I was crowned 1 of the guinea pig bloggers, I am going to use this as a platform today to say THANK YOU to a special group of people within RRISD Visual Arts!

Marisa Marsico & Elizabeth Conti - You two are the reason that I am here and EMPLOYED! I don't know how I was so lucky... TWICE! ;) You are AMAZING and UNDERSTANDING mentors! THANK YOU!!!!

Sidney Brown & Elizabeth Atherton - My two fairy godmothers! You helped me with anything and everything while long-term subbing for Marisa ... I may have fallen apart without your faith in me! THANK YOU!!!! *THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE McNEIL FACULTY! :)

Tim Lowke - You responded to every single e-mail I ever sent you (even all the ones that were just to let you know I was still available for a job ;) hahaha) THANK YOU!!!!

Cindy Lessley - You're stuck with me and you've already accepted it. THANK YOU!!!! ;)

THANK YOU to all of the art teachers that requested me to sub in their classrooms this past spring - I learned a lot from you even though you weren't physically there!

Last but not least, here is a pre-THANKS to all of my future students' past art teachers - I know that they are coming to me with prior art knowledge and experience.

After I "un-mush" my brain, I am going to post about Eric Jensen's 2 day workshop that was held at Hernandez MS. Spoiler Alert: He was INCREDIBLE!

scratchboard process...TRANSFER???

Wondering how to simplify the transfer process from the drawing to the scratchboard. Thoughts of graphite paper. Any ideas????

Service Learning Projects

Gets my wheels and gears turning! I would love to implement this in my art curriculum. Would love to have the information that was listed in the powerpoint. Great project to connect the students with their community and other cultures!

ARRC

WELL That was a big GROAN!!!-of happiness:)
It really keeps me on track and I am glad I have it. I am also very glad that we don't have to do all the same projects.

Faculty Show

I can't wait to see the faculty show! I'm so curious about what everyone is interested in within their personal work - I know it'll be an amazing exhibit. I wonder how many of you are going to display and in what medium...

info for art teachers

Jeepers!! Tim is so amazing. I don't think he sleeps or if he does he must have a note pad to write things down in his sleep. We are very fortunate to have his support and he really has our back!

ART from the STREETS

What a great idea! Need to look into that more. Pam....I'll find you later to discuss more!

Chandler Oaks Art Share!

Can't wait! Very excited to show yall the new elementary art studio! I am so lucky to be apart of this amazing opportunity! Can't wait to see everyone there!

2010-2011

My calendars [and my brain] are full... already. I hope I'm not the only one who feels this way!

November TAEA Conference

TAEA conference is really fun!! It is going to be fantastic.
Art and Soul is "my" committee. Please take time to create a mini lesson and supplies for a child. Or just bring art supplies(acrylic paint, watercolors, markers, pastels, etc) to give to Art from the Streets. There will be a place to drop off the items at the conference.

Romare Bearden

Totally siked about this exhibition at the AMoA! Did an awesome project last year with 3rd grade, focus was stringed instrument family, music, colors, and focus on Bearden! Rhythm and Movement!

AMOA

ROMARE BEARDEN WOO HOO! Great sketchbook collage project to start off the year.

P.S.
Mexic-Arte Museum = Viva la Vida Fest 2010 27th Annual Dia de los Muertos: Saturday, October 23rd from 2-10 pm, 5th Street FREE ADMISSION

Kiln safety

Hint Don't put a piece of wood on top of your kiln when it is on-it smokes and catches on fire!! The firemen are cute but your faculty always blames all funny smells on you FOREVER!!!!

The Blanton

I really need to take advantage of the teacher/school programs offered. New goal: Schedule field trips to the Blanton. Especially the the Greek Pottery exhibition!

slide shows

Window lighting seems to be an issue when showing slide shows or videos on the big screen. =) Automatic blinds would be a cool addition.

Ballet Austin info

The Pollyanna, Umlauf, Ballet Austin collaberation gave an informative presentation on their Symphony of Clouds. Interesting combination of dance that reflects Mozarts thoughts/dreams. I was tickled with the humor of the dance in the video presentations.

agenda

Excited about the upcoming events on the agenda. The service learning project introduction and the hands on projects.

Here We Go! Job Alike!

Holy cow this building is amazing!
Sharon Preston presentation on Yo Leonardo! Music and Art together is a great idea and exciting. Collaberation is such fun.

Art Bloggers

Tomorrow, we begin our blogging adventure as a faculty.  I am hoping this will extend our professional dialogue electronically.  I have invited three distinct colleagues to share their thoughts and their year with us.  Pam Arnold has been a constant in RRISD Elementary Art.  She brings her experience, humor and unique view of teaching kids that I think we will all find enlightening.  Amanda Lanahan is bringing her experience of opening a new campus to us and as someone who is early in her teaching career and extensively exploring technology and art with the elementary learner, I look forward to her observations and commentary.  Sarah Howell is a beginning teacher and is opening our newest middle school.  She will bring a fresh perspective to the conversation that I think will give us all new lenses to look at teaching through, both experienced, mid-career and newbie.  Please follow us and begin reading to be a part of the professional learning community conversation.  Everyone will be blogging at the job-alike from their perspectives --- it should be interesting.

Convocation

.Sidney Brown, Brittany Fitzgerald and Tim Lowke, Visual Art Faculty at Cedar Ridge High School

So yesterday, we gathered with all our colleagues from a cross the District at the Performing Arts Center.  It was a chance to see what a large, diverse and strong secondary school faculty we have within Round Rock ISD.  Each campus sat together and Sidney, Brittany and I donned our every growing collection of purple Cedar Ridge wear (seen above) for a morning hearing from our secondary leaders and Eric Jensen.  Mr. Jensen gave all the secondary teachers a lot to think about in regards to brain-based learning and how kids in poverty are best taught.  It was an inspiring morning and one in which a good professional dialogue continues in regards to our ever-growing, diverse student population in Round Rock ISD.  Onward to Fine Arts Job-Alike at Cedar Ridge High School!

Welcome

Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year! Join the visual art faculty and visual art curriculum specialist within Round Rock ISD as we share information via this blog during the course of the year. We hope you will subscribe and become a regular reader.