Rainbow Schools participate in Arts Alive! / Vive les arts!

Northeastern Ontario Regional Arts Conference

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Educators from Rainbow Schools and beyond will take part in Arts Alive! / Vive les arts!, the Northeastern Ontario Regional Arts Conference taking place at Sudbury Secondary School on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, beginning at 4 pm. Close to 100 educators from Sudbury, Espanola, Manitoulin Island and Sault Ste. Marie are expected to attend.

“Sudbury Secondary School is proud to host this annual 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.”

After four years as a Sudbury-only event, the conference has expanded to a second site. All conference activities will be repeated in North Bay on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, for 100 educators from the North Bay, Parry Sound, and Huntsville areas. The North Bay event will be held at Widdifield Secondary School, beginning at 4 pm.

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, Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, Laurentian University, Nipissing University, Learning Through the Arts (LTTA), 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).

Student Performances and Trade Fair – 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Educational resources that support the arts curriculum will be on display in the cafeteria during the registration period and throughout the evening. Drumming students from Alexander Public School, and music teacher Jeff Stewart, will entertain participants from 3:30 pm to 4 pm. Following the plenary remarks at 4 pm, Jeff Stewart will lead the participants and students in an interactive drum circle activity.
 
Workshops in dance, drama, music, and visual arts

Arts Alive! / Vive les arts! will include four workshops in dance, drama, music and visual arts for all elementary teaching divisions. Provincially-recognized arts educators representing each of the arts subject associations (CODE, OMEA, OSEA) will lead these workshops.

Acting on the Elementary Drama Curriculum
Wendie Gibbons (President of CODE; Drama Teacher, Peel District School Board)

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

Eco-Art using Digital Photography
Beryl Cohen (OSEA executive; Visual Arts Teacher, Toronto District School Board)

Engage, Have Fun and Learn with the Revised Music Curriculum!
Jane Wamsley (OMEA executive; Music Teacher, Halton District School Board, retired)

Two workshops are scheduled for Grade 7-12 music teachers.

Breezin’ ThruTM Theory
Jean McKen (Author of Breezin’ ThruTM Theory music software program)

Where to Find Jazz Band Music for your School
Peter Scherzinger (Secondary Music Teacher, Rainbow District School Board)

Two workshops will be offered for secondary visual arts teachers.
(Note: These sessions will be held at Lockerby Composite School, beginning at 4 pm.)

Collage
Bob Little (Secondary Visual Arts Teacher, Rainbow District School Board, retired)

Great Ideas for the Secondary Art Classroom
Vanessa Catto and Judy Elliott (Secondary Visual Arts Teachers, Rainbow District School Board)

-30-

Media Contact:

Ralph McIntosh, Arts Education Coordinator,
Rainbow District School Board, 705.674.7551, ext. 6850