Connecticut Arts Administrators Association
Minutes for the meeting held on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at the Meriden Public Library
Attendance:
Rick Sadlon, Darien; M. Ribbens, Regional Center for the Arts,Trumbull; Laura White, East
Hartford; Alexis Stolann, CREC; Avid Williams, CREC; Michelle Hiscavich, Newtown; Susan
LaBarbera, Wilton; Rusty Hurd, Wilton; Cindy Parsons, Glastonbury ; Andrea Haas, Wethersfield,
NAEA, CAEA; Beverley Fisherr, RHAM;
Tracey Kane, Hartford Public Schools; Leslie Imse, Farmington; Dee Hansen, UHART; Alan
Sneath, New Canaan; Lori Eschner, Bristol; Jaclyn Sammis, Darien; Melanie Chapman, East
Hartford; Liz Morris, Weston; Pam Murphy, West Hartford; Tom Scavone, Westport; John Deeb,
Region 10; Marilyn Goodnite, Enfield; Mike Ances, Monroe; Tim Fioravanti, Waterford; Jill Russell
Benner, Danbury; Scott Ferguson, Madison; Bill Sommer, Madison; Patricia O'Connor, Norwalk;
Maureen Beresick, Retired; Shannon Gagne, Simsbury; Mark Schneider, New Rochelle, NY; Ellen
Maust, New Haven PS; Cindy Rehm, Consultant; Jill Goldberg, Consultant, New Haven; Jackie
Coleman, Ct SDe; Margaret Fitzgerald, CtSDE Teacher in Residence, Brookfield Coordinator;
Caroline Goldsnyder, CtSDE, Teacher in residence, Windsor Locks;
Membership Business Meeting
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Rick Sadlon -- Called meeting to order
Introductions
Review and acceptance of the minutes of the: March 19, 2015 meeting. Andrea will post to
CAAA website;
Treasurer’s Report: Jeffrey Spector
o $3676.90 savings
o $2353.95 checking
o All checks for CAAA membership need to be made to CAAE to be able to be
deposited -- some need to be returned and rewritten. Jeff announced several that
needed to be changed.
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President’s Report: Rick Sadlon
o Rick mentioned the outstanding level of leadership in the room and the challenges
facing the arts; commented on more persons in attendance today
o CAAA thanks Andrea Haas for website work; site looks much more information and
looks great
o Abbreviated reports today to allow for Presentation by Jackie Coleman
o Summer institute was successful and well attended. Planning on moving forward for
next year.
o 3rd party assessments are now being required by NY State for arts teachers. This
indicates the need for good solid common arts assessments in CT. This might
become critical in future.
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Vice-President’s Report: Brian Frazier.
o No new announcements
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Connecticut Arts Alliance: Jeffrey Spector
o Big event: Tuesday, March 29, 2016 will be the CAAE First Annual Conference,
“Education & the Economy: Arts, the Common Denominator;” to be held at
University of Hartford; Arts educators, State Dept. of Ed, State Bd. of Ed,
superintendents, higher ed leaders, Governor Malloy will be invited. Reception will be
held at the governor’s mansion.
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CAEA Report: Andrea Haas
o CAEA Fall Conference to be held on 10/28/15 at the Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
Robert Sabol, NAEA Past President and Mia Brownell, Artists will be Keynotes
o CAEA has a new website CAEA.net (Andrea redesigned it this summer.)
o Next meeting is on Oct. 1, at the Country Club of Farmington, at 5:00pm;
- CAEA is trying to meet a bit later, and include food to encourage better
attendance
o Scholastics Art Awards advisory meeting today in Cheshire at CAS, 4:30 pm
- Andrea is organizing an advisory board for Scholastics again to help alleviate her
of some of the work that is required with the new rules.
- This year's deadline is December 14, all registrations must be mailed by Dec.18
to Andrea. With school registration, teachers may submit up to 5 pieces per
teacher, charge of $5 per piece over that. portfolios $20 All information is
posted on the CAEA.net website.
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CMEA Report: Michael Ances
o Summer went to Wash dc to meet with legislators about arts education; Michael says
our “voice was heard.”
o The direction of CMEA encouraging – Festival participation is better
- Northern Middle School dates may be shuffled around
o School Association Fees (SAF's) need to be sent in
o Dave Weiner will be new Northern Region Director
o Cheshire HS and PD events being planned on Tuesday, Nov 3 Election Day,
partnering with CAEA to host this first-time PD event
New National Arts Standards: “Exploration and Application” 9 am - 3 pm, at
Cheshire High School
- Also, a similar event will be held at WestConn
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CSDE Arts Consultant Report: Jackie Colman
o Jackie presented her Powerpoint that she has created on the Ct. arts Standards
Adoption Initiative process. She plans to use this with the committees who will be
working with her to bring it out to districts state-wide.
- Team will visit statewide to present and get feedback before presenting to the
state bd. of Ed
o The Committee selection and the review process explained
- The review committee consisted of 59 members representing all counties, levels,
arts organizations
o The steps of review process began w/ crosswalk of 1998 content standards, and
performance standards. The 1998 document seems to be more skills based; the new
NCAS is more concept based with skilled embedded
- Reviewers also looked at format of the online standards and were surveyed on
the format.
- Includes some student work -- https://Vimeo.com/139254338
o The process of writing the NCCAS new arts standards was explained
o Major goal of the standards is to create artistically literate citizens
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The Standards Document will help all 169 Ct districts to develop new curriculum
NCAS website is interactive -- home page has links to all arts (5), 11 anchor
standards, in all 4 processes (creating, performing, responding, connecting)
What will be different?
- Larger focus on investigation, student-centered, conceptual, social-emotional
growth, higher-order thinking;
- A need to focus on making and doing; what do they mean for AP classes? Can
we make user friendly language of EUS and EQs?
Issues to consider as we move forward: conceptual thinking, articulate art-making
and -doing as a source for thinking;
CSDE plans to have a statewide rollout with PD for use at district level.
A survey of reviewers of all content areas showed: Media, Music, Theater 100%
agreed that the content of the new standards was acceptable; In dance and visual
art -- 60% agreed that the content was acceptable
- A recommendation by the committees was to adopt NCAS with online platform
and accompanying Ct position statement and standard guidance document; in
line with other CtDSE disciplines' format;
Questions/comments from CAAA:
- (Cindy Rehm) Questioned the future of archives of arts resources currently
available. (i.e. model tasks).
- Response from Jackie, is that they will be looked at once the review process
has been done to determine if they can be adapted or used within the
guidelines of the standards.
- (Brian Frazier) Questions expectations of use of the performance standards.
- Response was that these standards are to be used as a guide. District level
may be determining the level of performance.
- Some other thoughts/concerns/questions:
- The "music" content was not easily identified and asked about ways to
approach this with teachers.
- Ellen Maust mentioned that the conceptual structure follows common core
structure, and it is the approach of future in education. This is a shift that is
going to be part of the future look of how we teach.
- Rick asked if any districts are currently writing curriculum based on new
standards and several in attendance responded.
Jackie presented survey for CAAA attendees Http://tinyurl.com/CTstandardssurvey
Business meeting adjourned at: 9:55
Meeting minutes respectfully submitted by: Cindy Parsons