CAAA Award of Excellence in Arts Education Presented to Bethel Schools

The Connecticut Arts Administrators Association (CAAA) is pleased to announce that the Bethel Public Schools, as well as the Wilton Public Schools, were the recipients of the Award of Excellence in Arts Education at the CAAA Arts Advocate’s Luncheon held at the Inn at Newtown on Thursday, Nov. 17.

The Excellence in Arts Education Award is presented annually to CAAA member districts that are models for arts education programs in the state of Connecticut. These districts provide a wide variety of course offering for their students, contribute and participate in state-wide initiatives and organizations, make major contributions to the culture of their schools and to their communities, provide measures of students success through a variety of quality assessments and consistently support the valuable opportunities and life-long experiences for their students that are unique to a high quality education in the arts.

Recognized from the Bethel Public School was Superintendent Dr. Gary M. Chesley and Bethel Arts leader Maureen Berescik. Accepting the award from the Wilton Public Schools was Superintendent, Dr. Gary G. Richards and Arts Leaders Rusty Hurd, Sharman Wheatley, John Rhodes and Chip Gawle.

Other highlights of the event were a performance by featured acapella vocal ensemble “Close Harmony” from Fairfield Ludlow High School under the direction of  Kevin Cotellese, and guest speaker Darby Cardonsky from the Art Department at Western Connecticut State University.

For more information on the Connecticut Arts Administrators Association and the Award of Excellence in Arts Education go to: www.ctaaa.org