District Receives $117k for the Arts

Teachers from eight Dorchester District Two schools have received 2011 Arts Curricular Innovation Grants totaling $117,528. This state grant program funded by the South Carolina Legislature assists schools in developing and implementing arts initiatives that support quality arts education program for students. 

The funding is to be used for strategic planning in the arts, effective implementation of the state arts standards, standards-driven assessment, instructional best practice strategies, and arts-specific professional development.

Successful grant proposals include dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts, and must be based on the 2010 South Carolina Academic Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts.

The grant awards, ranging from $3,500 to $20,000, will fund innovative arts programs in the following schools this school year:

• “Theory of the Arts” will focus on raising student achievement with an emphasis on the Academic Dance, Theatre, and Science standards at Eagle Nest Elementary School. The $20,000 grant written by teacher Erynn Estep will provide all faculty with professional development in arts integration and will provide field trip experiences in dance and theatre.
• teachers Angel Harris, Tara Stafford, Laura Hastings wrote the grant “Livin’ La Vida Lowcountry.” The $3,500 in funding will be used to increase student awareness of local history and to promote an appreciation of the arts. Students will take field trips, participate in art residencies, and create products that reflect local culture.
• music teacher Sandra Daubard will receive $3,500 in grant funds for her special project “Learning is More Fun When you Drum.” The grant will be used to purchase African drums for the program.
• will use the $19,128 in grant funds to implement the “Arts Alive” project created by teachers Mackenzie Clark and Carol Davis. Students will receive visual and performing arts experiences through innovative technology, artists-in-residence, performing artists, and field trips.
• Teachers Meredith Parks and Michelle Larsen at will receive $18,000 to fund the second year of their “Ready Set Action” program that infuses 7th grade social studies and English/language arts curriculum standards with performing and fine arts standards. Students write and produce vaudeville performances using American music.
• Art teacher Meg Skow will implement her “Echo” project at Rollings Middle School of the Arts with the $17,400 grant award. The grant will expand technology as a tool for instruction, assessment, documentation, and student leadership in the virtual world.
• “Branching Out to the Stage” is a theatre program that will be incorporated across the curriculum in language arts, social studies, math, and science at River Oaks Middle. Teachers Michael Benkoski, Candace McLeod, and Curt Sauer will use the $18,000 in grant funding to provide interdisciplinary approaches to instruction, student performance experiences, and arts-integrated mentorships for faculty. 
• Barbara Bassett and Brindley Lowe will be “Putting the Arts Center Stage” at Spann Elementary. The $18,000 grant will provide theatre experiences for students and provide professional development for teachers on infusing theatre in classroom instruction.
• District Fine Arts Coordinator Larry Barnfield added that two other schools received arts grants at the end of last school year. Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary received $6,000 in state funds as an official Arts in Basic Curriculum project site. The school will continue to receive this annual grant as long as they maintain their ABC status. Also, Alston Middle received a $1,500 fine arts award for their performances in the North Charleston Cultural Arts Festival Finale.