Leadership in the Arts

A SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

The following questions are meant to serve as indicators in the development of an arts-rich school. The questions are based on our 12-year history of work with school-university partnerships, a history marked by notable successes in fostering powerful arts education infrastructure, curriculum, teacher practice, and student achievement.

See the end of this section for a full self-assessment tool that can help you reflect deeper and further your understanding of how these questions can lead to discrete steps in growing an arts-rich school.

SCHOOL

1. Does your school have an arts representative on your school community council?

2. Does your school have an arts education plan for your school?

3. Does your school have a School Arts Team that meets regularly, and includes parents, community members, and faculty who provide leadership and support of the arts at your school?

4. Does your school allocate designated spaces for arts instruction?

5. Does your school publicize arts programs, instructional focuses, and products through posters, flyers, newsletters, digital media, websites, and public meetings?

6. Does your school identify and utilize free arts resources, and apply for supplemental arts grants from state and local organizations?

7. Does your school partner with local arts organizations to bring more arts into your school?

8. Does your school select a PTA representative to coordinate and promote arts activities?

9. Does your school use research to advocate for arts education at the school, district and community levels?

10. Does your school engage parents and community members as integral players in your school's arts culture? 

TEACHERS

1. Do you encourage hiring of highly qualified arts teachers? 

2. Do you support grade-level teachers in earning an Arts Integration Endorsement?

3. Do you use arts instruction to promote and develop 21st century skills that prepare students to become active citizens in a global democratic society?

4. Do you encourage teachers to attend district level arts training?

5. Do you encourage teachers to use their own background experiences in the arts as a regular part of classroom practices?

6. Do you support a school environment in which arts specialists and grade-level teachers can collaborate to design and implement arts integrated curriculum?

7. Do you engage other teachers to join you in exploring and assessing arts skills according to state core curriculum guidelines?

8. Do you invite grade-level teachers to join you in including arts experiences daily?

9. Do you support teachers in attending professional development opportunities offered by university and community arts organizations?

Moving Forward

My strategic plan for building arts-rich classrooms, and an art rich school and community, 

1.    Arts representative on Westfield’s Community Council:

a.     attend meetings

b.    advocate for the arts

c.     find funding for paper, especially cardstock, in the classrooms 

d.    Collaborate with PTA (where is the $600 previously allocated to “Mom Art?”)

e.     encourage a balance in STEAM, making sure it doesn’t turn into STEM and that the arts gets their fair share

f.      maintain the space allocated to music

2.    Reflections Co-chair 

a.     Revamp an outdated program focused on results, awards, and the same few families

b.    Encourage participation by at least 50% of students

c.     Highlight creativity, effort, and the creation process

d.    Hold an assembly to celebrate previous creativity and participation and to encourage more

e.     Hold a night of celebration, showcasing student work, effort, and meaning. Emphasizing effort and process.

3.    Teach integrated art lessons in individual classrooms

a.     Using picture books

b.    Including movement

c.     Help art teacher prepare for art show

d.    Available to help induct new teachers to art integration