Parents for Arts in Schools

Belief Statement

10/21/04

We are Alameda parents, educators, artists and others who envision boundless opportunities for learning, self-expression and discovery in our schools through the arts.

The arts – dance, theater, visual arts and music – address the feelings as well as the minds of children, helping them engage in the process of learning. The arts enable children to find and use their own voices while working with others, allowing them to develop empathy and become contributors to our community. The arts offer opportunities for children to get messy and then create meaning from their chaos, giving them tools they can use throughout life.

We believe that the arts should have an equal place in education with other expressions of learning. We aim to bring a broad arts education to Alameda schools, for every child, every day.

Art has the power to transform lives. The arts belong in education.

Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Alexandra Saiklay at asaikley@yahoo.com or call her at 749-0675 to receive additional information.

For additional research you can visit the National School Board Association's Online Resource for Arts in Education.

In 2007, Congress will begin the process of reauthorizing NCLB for another five years. In light of the coming debates, the arts education community is currently working to gather support and develop requests to members of Congress in order to ensure high-quality, ongoing K–12 arts education for America's students.

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Last modified: December 15, 2004

Disclaimer: This website is the sole responsibility of Mike McMahon. It does not represent any official opinions, statement of facts or positions of the Alameda Unified School District. Its sole purpose is to disseminate information to interested individuals in the Alameda community.