State PTA Reflections Network National Arts in Education Week PTA.org/ArtsEdWeek

Introductions Name Title State

Program Updates Upcoming Exhibitions: Mail National Award Winning Artwork to National PTA Headquarters to prepare for exhibition at U.S. Department of Education National Awards: 2015 Awards Mailing Completed. Checks will be issued to award of excellence recipients upon submitting a completed W9 form to National PTA Support: For program support, information and questions, Ethan Clark and Quanice Floyd at

National Arts in Education Week: September 14-18, 2015 PTA’s Official Reflections Kick-Off Celebration!

In 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution #275 designating the second week of September as "Arts in Education Week." The resolution states: [...] Arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students.

PTA ArtsEdWeek Goals: To increase participation in Reflections and gain new units/members by parents interested in launching Reflections at their child’s school. To raise awareness about the value the arts bring to a high quality, comprehensive education.

Featured Presentation Jeff Poulin Americans For the Arts

What can PTA leaders do? Demonstrate Support for Arts Education Engage the media with regular updates on PTA’s arts initiatives Customize the Template Press Release announcing PTAs involvement in ArtsEdWeek Create/Update PTA position statement/resolution Talk to school and community leaders on what they can do to support arts education year-round. Recognize Student Artists Share student artwork on social media using #ArtsEdWeek and #PTAReflections Interview students about their participation in the arts and share on school/PTA website and newsletters

Promote Reflections Opportunities Host daily art making activities for the whole school, based on the program theme. Partner with school teachers and community organizations to promote PTA’s call for Reflections entries. Share Reflections (as a member benefit) with neighboring schools to start new PTA units. Seek training and resources to empower members to champion Reflections & Arts View the Reflections video training and take the eLearning Course at PTA.org/ReflectionsToolkit. Register and stay connected to the Reflections Network.

Messaging Arts education is crucial for student development. Involvement in the arts is closely associated with academic achievement, social and emotional development and civic engagement. When students are involved in the arts, they are more likely to experience gains in math, reading and verbal scores, and perform better at critical thinking. The arts provide a conduit for the creativity of childhood, helping students to enjoy school and life more – the arts help foster a child’s creativity, channeling that energy and developing the problem-solvers of tomorrow. Budgets for the arts in schools have been slipping for over the past decade. PTA’s can play a vital role in supporting the arts and creativity in learning by bringing Reflections to your school. Arts participation encourages all students—despite individual challenges—to explore ideas, express their individuality and support their peers in a positive way. Arts education provides all students with an academic advantage by increasing student engagement and teacher effectiveness, which lead to increased school attendance rates and social connectedness among students. Arts celebrations enhance family engagement by connecting families and schools to one another.