To: Valley Central Board of Education and Administration
From: Valley Central All District Arts and Music Committee (ADAM)
Date: October 13, 2013
Re: Expectations for Art and Music program donation
The ADAM committee was formed in July of this year by a group of concerned parents and community members, following the eliminated of art and music education in the Valley Central elementary schools. From the beginning, our primary goal has always been to advocate for art and music instruction by certified teachers, as we believe that these programs are essential to providing a well-rounded education for our students. We have been clear from the start, that our fundraising efforts are strictly to support art and music programs during the 2013-2014 school year, and we fully intend to continue to advocate for the restoration of certified art and music instructors in next year’s school district budget.
Since its formation, ADAM has worked hand-in-hand with the community, which has enthusiastically supported ADAM’s mission through their volunteer work, messages of support and encouragement, and their monetary and in-kind donations. To date, ADAM has raised $32,000 for music and art programs in our elementary schools, and we expect that our continued fundraising efforts through the end of this calendar year will raise that amount to over $50,000.
While these funds are not enough to provide certified instruction, our students should not go without the benefits of art and music this school year. We therefore hope to reach a mutual understanding as to how this money should be most effectively used for the benefit of almost 1,900 elementary school children in the Valley Central School District. We intend to gift the funds we have raised to the school district, to provide in-school programs, during the school day, including:
a) High impact, high quality assemblies focusing on music and the fine arts
b) Hands-on art workshops
The enrichment opportunities presented in this proposal are based on meetings that we have had with the Valley Central administration, elementary school principals, and the leadership of the Valley Central Teachers Association; who also provided feedback from the elementary school teachers. While we presented many ideas for art and music enrichment, our current proposal encompasses the only alternatives supported by all parties. This proposal reflects the collaborative efforts of these groups and individuals, and we appreciate their willingness to work with the ADAM committee to ensure that our children will benefit from some music and art enrichment this school year.
We propose that ADAM’s donation be accepted based upon the criteria outlined below. We respectfully ask that the Board of Education agree to abide by these guiding principles, and that the school district implement these programs, in consultation with the ADAM Committee.
1. High impact assemblies focusing on high quality, music and fine arts, incorporating a hands-on component with pre- and post-lessons (especially in the case of art assemblies) should be scheduled equally for all four schools. The funds should be maximized through economies of scale by scheduling the same assemblies for all four schools in close proximities of time. We believe that there will be sufficient funds to schedule at least six assemblies per school during this school year, and it is our expectation that the district use these funds for a minimum of six assemblies per elementary school.
2. Art workshops that will be organized hands-on activities. We are sensitive both to the limitations of our budget, and also the concerns that these programs not appear to be replacing certified teachers. With that in mind, we recognize that these workshops may not be frequent or regularly scheduled programs. Nevertheless, it is our expectation that the donated funds be utilized so that every elementary student has the opportunity to attend hands-on workshops during this school year.
3. The proposed assemblies should not replace regularly scheduled assemblies, or those already scheduled, even if the already-planned assemblies have a music and / or art component. ADAM’s funds should be reserved for additional programs.
4. Any and all programs should serve all the students in the elementary schools, during the school day, with equivalent programs at each elementary school.
At this time, we ask that the Board of Education (a) accept these principles that will guide the implementation of ADAM’s donation, and (b) assemble knowledgeable educators who can research and schedule the high quality assembly programs, as well as develop a plan for the art workshops. We believe that the research, planning and managing of these programs will be most effectively be done by the district’s educators and administrators, in order to best serve all of our elementary students. The ADAM committee members are willing to serve in a consultation capacity, and would like to be kept informed, merely to be assured that selected programs stay within the agreed upon guiding criteria.
ADAM will donate the necessary funds to commence these programs in early November, once the Board approves these guiding principles. We ask that the district immediately begin looking through their catalogs of suitable vendors, and make the necessary contacts and arrangements so that these assemblies can begin within the next few weeks. As we move forward through this school year, ADAM hopes to be able to enhance these programs and fund additional programs as more donated funds become available. We fully expect that all donated funds will be dedicated solely to the purposes outlined above, and that all funds will be expended for these purposes by the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Should any funds remain at the close of the school year, they shall be returned to the ADAM committee.
We would be pleased to discuss this donation, ADAM’s vision and guiding principles for the use of these funds with you, and we appreciate your careful consideration.
Sincerely,
The ADAM committee
Jane Samuelson, Chair
Jennifer Burke
Lori Cunningham
Jennifer O’Brien
Tara O’Connor
From: Valley Central All District Arts and Music Committee (ADAM)
Date: October 13, 2013
Re: Expectations for Art and Music program donation
The ADAM committee was formed in July of this year by a group of concerned parents and community members, following the eliminated of art and music education in the Valley Central elementary schools. From the beginning, our primary goal has always been to advocate for art and music instruction by certified teachers, as we believe that these programs are essential to providing a well-rounded education for our students. We have been clear from the start, that our fundraising efforts are strictly to support art and music programs during the 2013-2014 school year, and we fully intend to continue to advocate for the restoration of certified art and music instructors in next year’s school district budget.
Since its formation, ADAM has worked hand-in-hand with the community, which has enthusiastically supported ADAM’s mission through their volunteer work, messages of support and encouragement, and their monetary and in-kind donations. To date, ADAM has raised $32,000 for music and art programs in our elementary schools, and we expect that our continued fundraising efforts through the end of this calendar year will raise that amount to over $50,000.
While these funds are not enough to provide certified instruction, our students should not go without the benefits of art and music this school year. We therefore hope to reach a mutual understanding as to how this money should be most effectively used for the benefit of almost 1,900 elementary school children in the Valley Central School District. We intend to gift the funds we have raised to the school district, to provide in-school programs, during the school day, including:
a) High impact, high quality assemblies focusing on music and the fine arts
b) Hands-on art workshops
The enrichment opportunities presented in this proposal are based on meetings that we have had with the Valley Central administration, elementary school principals, and the leadership of the Valley Central Teachers Association; who also provided feedback from the elementary school teachers. While we presented many ideas for art and music enrichment, our current proposal encompasses the only alternatives supported by all parties. This proposal reflects the collaborative efforts of these groups and individuals, and we appreciate their willingness to work with the ADAM committee to ensure that our children will benefit from some music and art enrichment this school year.
We propose that ADAM’s donation be accepted based upon the criteria outlined below. We respectfully ask that the Board of Education agree to abide by these guiding principles, and that the school district implement these programs, in consultation with the ADAM Committee.
1. High impact assemblies focusing on high quality, music and fine arts, incorporating a hands-on component with pre- and post-lessons (especially in the case of art assemblies) should be scheduled equally for all four schools. The funds should be maximized through economies of scale by scheduling the same assemblies for all four schools in close proximities of time. We believe that there will be sufficient funds to schedule at least six assemblies per school during this school year, and it is our expectation that the district use these funds for a minimum of six assemblies per elementary school.
2. Art workshops that will be organized hands-on activities. We are sensitive both to the limitations of our budget, and also the concerns that these programs not appear to be replacing certified teachers. With that in mind, we recognize that these workshops may not be frequent or regularly scheduled programs. Nevertheless, it is our expectation that the donated funds be utilized so that every elementary student has the opportunity to attend hands-on workshops during this school year.
3. The proposed assemblies should not replace regularly scheduled assemblies, or those already scheduled, even if the already-planned assemblies have a music and / or art component. ADAM’s funds should be reserved for additional programs.
4. Any and all programs should serve all the students in the elementary schools, during the school day, with equivalent programs at each elementary school.
At this time, we ask that the Board of Education (a) accept these principles that will guide the implementation of ADAM’s donation, and (b) assemble knowledgeable educators who can research and schedule the high quality assembly programs, as well as develop a plan for the art workshops. We believe that the research, planning and managing of these programs will be most effectively be done by the district’s educators and administrators, in order to best serve all of our elementary students. The ADAM committee members are willing to serve in a consultation capacity, and would like to be kept informed, merely to be assured that selected programs stay within the agreed upon guiding criteria.
ADAM will donate the necessary funds to commence these programs in early November, once the Board approves these guiding principles. We ask that the district immediately begin looking through their catalogs of suitable vendors, and make the necessary contacts and arrangements so that these assemblies can begin within the next few weeks. As we move forward through this school year, ADAM hopes to be able to enhance these programs and fund additional programs as more donated funds become available. We fully expect that all donated funds will be dedicated solely to the purposes outlined above, and that all funds will be expended for these purposes by the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Should any funds remain at the close of the school year, they shall be returned to the ADAM committee.
We would be pleased to discuss this donation, ADAM’s vision and guiding principles for the use of these funds with you, and we appreciate your careful consideration.
Sincerely,
The ADAM committee
Jane Samuelson, Chair
Jennifer Burke
Lori Cunningham
Jennifer O’Brien
Tara O’Connor