Welcome to December, Arts Fam!

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As we enter the holiday month, I would like to thank you all for the thoughtful work you do.  Planning lessons for hundreds of students is no easy task, and you ROCK that job.  As we roll into December, here are some events to remember...

  • Durfee's Musical, Legally Blonde will be held on Friday, December 8th, Saturday the 9th and a matinee on Sunday the 10th.  Please support our kids by coming to see the show.  They have worked so hard!  Both Gary Bigelow and Lara Beth Terry's students are ready to "totally" wow you!
  • Durfee Faculty Meeting is Tuesday, December 12th after school.
  • The Durfee Winter Concert is Thursday, December 14th at 6:30 PM.  We have an amazing selection in store for you with some super surprises!  Get into the holiday spirit with us!
  • Durfee Department Meetings are Wednesday, December 20th after school.  We will be having a little fun with this one..  Durfee staff, stay tuned...
  • Friday, December 23rd is a release time day for staff and students, so have yourself a wonderful holiday break!
  • Middle School Concerts:
    • Kuss- 12/19
    • Talbot- 12/5
    • Morton- 12/12
    • HLCS- 12/13
    • Doran- 12/6
  • All City:
    • Band- 3/26
    • Orchestra- 4/5
    • Chorus- 5/16
    • All City Rehearsals will be starting (chorus has already started) after break!  If you know of any middle schoolers who would be interested in All City Chorus, please give them this information from Michela Gardner at Morton:

Do you LOVE to sing?
    • Are you looking for more  
      opportunities to share your voice?  
      Join the Fall River All City Chorus!
      Who: Fall River students grades 6-8
      Where: Rehearsals are held at Morton Middle School
      When: Every other Wednesday, 4:15-5:30 PM
      Directed by: Michela Gardner, Morton Chorus Director
      Performance: Wednesday, May 16th at 6:00 PM

      First rehearsal on November 29th!

      Contact your music teacher or mgardner@fallriverschools.org
      if you have any questions!
News:
  • We have received a grant from Fender Guitars- over $3,700.00 in guitars, strings, tuners and other accessories will be donated in the next week. These will go to Durfee for the guitar and songwriting program!
  • We are waiting to hear from the FRCC for the remaining grant submissions, but I hear that RPA received a grant for their arts programming!
6-12 Arts Learning Walk Information:
  • Planning ahead, I will be heading out for a grades 6-12 learning walk next week, on Wednesday morning... my goal is to look and listen to students and observe their use of content specific vocabulary in art and music classrooms. Here is a summary of the notes from the last 6-12 learning walk:
Findings:
  • In  16 out of 16 classrooms, there was evidence of an engaging task.
  • In 16 out of 16 classrooms, teacher modeled use of specific content vocabulary.
  • In 5 out of 16 classrooms, there was evidence of student use of specific content language (vocabulary/sentence/discourse levels).

Commendations:
  • In classrooms, consistent routines are in place and the environment is a safe place in which students can challenge themselves to learn new things. Reinforcement of these practices was evident.
  • All teachers are using content vocabulary in the delivery of the lesson, and postion this vocabulary on the board or in a Google Classroom so students can access it when needed. 
  • Some teachers are preparing tasks that ask the student to use the vocabulary when asked, either in written or oral form.
  • Many teachers have infused technology into their teaching practices, with the use of Google Classroom, Blendspace or other engaging examples.
Recommendations:
  • Establish the consistent practice of allowing students to use that same specific content vocabulary that you use in the lesson delivery!  This can be done during a quick turn and talk, an exit ticket, quick write, critique sandwich, gallery walk..  You pick!
As we started with this baseline learning walk, we established that our work now lies in not only having students perform and create, but also defend their choice making, their work and the work of others using this specific language, allowing for time during tasks that require students to think, and express themselves using the Elements and Principles of Design and/or Components of Musicianship.. This way, they can defend their reasoning and choice making in these processes, using specific content vocabulary will make our kids more literate in the arts!

See you next week!
Jackie

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