October 3 and 4: Northeastern Ontario Regional Arts Conference

Arts Alive! / Vive les arts!

Educators from Rainbow Schools and beyond will take part in Arts Alive! / Vive les arts!, an expanded Northeastern Ontario Regional Arts Conference taking place at Sudbury Secondary School this Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4, 2008. Close to 150 educators from across Northeastern Ontario are expected to attend.

“Sudbury Secondary School is once again proud to host this arts extravaganza for elementary and secondary educators from across Northeastern Ontario,” said Ralph McIntosh, Arts Education Coordinator with Rainbow District School Board and Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee. “Educators will gain practical strategies they can introduce in their classrooms to expose students to dance, drama, music and the visual arts.”

McIntosh commended the various sponsors for coming together to make this two-day conference possible. “This is a wonderful example of partnerships in action for the benefit of arts education and students in our schools,” he said.

Arts Alive! / Vive les arts! is being sponsored by Rainbow District School Board, Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Near North District School Board, Laurentian University, Nipissing University, Learning Through the Arts, Prologue to the Performing Arts, the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators (CODE), the Ontario Music Educators’ Association (OMEA), the Ontario Society for Education through Art (OSEA), the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF).

Keynote Speaker – Dr. Fiona Blaikie

The conference will kick off on Friday, October 3rd at 7 pm in the Sheridan Auditorium with a keynote address by Dr. Fiona Blaikie, entitled “The Teacher as Artist / Transformer of Students’ Lives”. Dr. Fiona Blaikie is an Art Education Professor, Faculty of Education at Lakehead University, and author of a new educational resource for teachers, Canadian Art/Works: A Resource for Primary, Junior, Intermediate and Senior Teachers.

School and Community Performances

Following Friday’s keynote address, participants may take part in a drum circle gathering in the gym (at no cost) or attend the second act of a jazz concert featuring vocalist Angela Scappatura at St. Andrew’s Place, 111 Larch Street for only $5 (pay half price for half the show). All of Friday night’s activities are open to the general public.

Workshops in music, drama, dance, visual arts

Arts Alive! / Vive les arts! continues on Saturday, October 4th from 9 am to 4 pm at Sudbury Secondary School. Over 30 workshops will be presented in music, drama, dance, and visual arts for all teaching divisions. French-language workshops will be presented for elementary Core French and French Immersion teachers.

Dance, Dance, Dance!
Meagan O’Shea (Toronto)

Improvised Character Creation
Jessi Linn Davies (Toronto)

La musique pour tous!
Jayne Evans (OMEA, Niagara Catholic District School Board)

Start with a Picture Book…
Jane Wamsley (OMEA, Halton District School Board)

Water Jug Drums
Guy Campeau and Steve Sheehan (Rainbow District School Board)

Culminating Activities for the Music Classroom
Mary Thornton (Faculty of Education, Nipissing University)

Canadian Artworks: A New Teaching Resource
Dr. Fiona Blaikie (Faculty of Education, Lakehead University)

An Aboriginal Dance Experience
Devan Kicknosway (Kahnawake and Walpole Island First Nations)

Creating the Drama Community
Wendie Gibbons (President of the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators (CODE);
Drama teacher, Peel District School Board)

Dynamic Stage Environments
Jessi Linn Davies (Toronto)

Attention, concentration, action (French)
Hélène Dallaire (Sudbury)

Music for All!
Jayne Evans (OMEA, Niagara Catholic District School Board)

Everything You Wanted to Know About Drum Set, But Were Afraid to Ask…
Philip May (Rainbow District School Board)

Working with the New Arts Curriculum: Grades 1-8
Mervi Salo (Ministry of Education)

Integrating Dance and Drama
Dre’ Gravelijn (CODE Vice-president, Drama/Dance Teacher, Toronto District School Board)

La danse, c’est moi!
Emily Caruso Parnell (Rainbow District School Board) and Line Roberge (CSPGNO)

Bringing Text Alive with Music
Jane Wamsley (OMEA, Halton District School Board)

Guitar Education: Advocacy and Teaching Tips
Gary DiSalle (Rainbow District School Board)

Singing World Music in Band Class and Elsewhere!
David Buley (English School of Education, Laurentian University)

Making Polyfoam Puppets
Marlene Lee (Sudbury Catholic District School Board)

Mixed Media – Past and Present
Paul Ostrander (Rainbow District School Board)

B.E.S.T. Elements of Dance
Dre’ Gravelijn (CODE Vice-president, Drama/Dance Teacher, Toronto District School Board)

The December Concert: Delegate and Celebrate!
Heather Rowell (Rainbow District School Board)

The Reluctant Drama Teacher: Practical tips for teaching Drama
Heather Down (Barrie)

Plastercraft (French)
Nicole Rocheleau (Rainbow District School Board)

A Progressive Approach to Teaching Rhythmic Skills
Philip May (Rainbow District School Board)

Creating a Middle School Choral Program
Adam Adler (Faculty of Education, Nipissing University)

Jazz Techniques and Improvisation
Peter Scherzinger and Marc Taillefer (Rainbow District School Board)

The Artsy Mathematician or the Mathematical Artist?
Laura Stirrett and Lianne Raymond (Sudbury Catholic District School Board)

Graffiti Art
Sue Bechard (Rainbow District School Board)

-30-

Media Contact:

Ralph McIntosh, Arts Education Coordinator,
Rainbow District School Board, 705.674.7551, ext. 299