Arts
visual arts • drama• music • literary arts • dance
Why are the arts important in education?
You can probably answer this question already. But let’s just remind ourselves about some of the valuable things a great arts education can do for our kids:
- the science says it all: it’s been proven that early exposure to the arts actually promotes activity in a child’s brain.
- seeing through a new lens: learning through the arts strengthens critical thinking and problem solving skills, and helps a child understand other subjects more clearly.
- it feels good: any teacher can tell you: arts in the classroom nurtures self-esteem, self discipline, and self-motivation.
- hear me out: the arts give everyone a voice and in some cases it may be the only way a child is able to communicate.
- reflects our world: involvement in the arts teaches a child to be more aware and open through a greater exposure to multicultural and historical perspectives.
- Oh yeah, and let’s not forget, it’s a lot of fun!
Why are the arts important at HMCRA?
When we think about our school’s mission: to celebrate diversity; teach tolerance and non-violence; emphasize global awareness and student activism; and to empower our children to be an asset to self, family, community and society, the integration of a high quality arts education seems to go hand in hand. Through-out history the arts have been used to communicate these very same values: everything, from a world-touching peace song by John Lennon to a soul-touching self portrait by Frida Kahlo.
What is an arts committee anyway?
So let’s get down to business. What exactly is an Arts Committee and what would it do at HMCRA? Basically an Arts Committee is there to assess, plan, fundraise, and oversee the current and future arts programming for the school (almost like an HMCRA fairy godmother of the arts!). It will be made up of teachers, parents, artists, the principal, anyone with an interest in seeing the arts flourish at HMCRA
MISSION:
Our mission as the HMCRA Art Committee is to nurture each student’s natural creativity and imagination. We achieve this by providing exposure to the Arts in the classroom, by creating opportunities to experience the Arts in our school’s broader community, and by offering support and resources for parents and teachers. We value the importance of visual arts, drama, music, literary arts, and dance in our student’s education because we believe every student deserves a chance to find their voice through the Arts. HMCRA produces children who are able to see good in all people and in all situations. The Arts are a vehicle to portray this learning to our community and our world; to make it a better, more meaningful place.
What’s next?
We need your help! We’re really excited to get together with anyone interested in giving some time and input towards the Arts at HMCRA. We believe that you’ll be getting a lot out of this too, by helping our children grow and expand through the Arts, we know that you will also grow. There’s no limit to what we’re able to accomplish!
We are looking for help in 3 main ways:
- Do you want to join the committee? Come to our meetings each month. Help us work on our mission and our goals. (Our major work happens in November with the Design Bazaar where we raise funds to provide a visual artist in each classroom for 10 weeks. Kids love art projects and it was a huge success last year. This is where we will need most of our help from the committee. ) Help us eat cupcakes.
- Do you have some ideas about the Arts at HMCRA that you’d like to see happen? Give us your ideas, thoughts, creative energy, we need it all. Come to the meetings or send us an email or write us a poem, whatever works for you.
- Do you have any contacts in the Arts community who you think would be interested in partnering with HMCRA, or helping out? Please call in those favors, let’s get the whole community excited about helping our children!
OUR MEETINGS:
Third MONDAY of every month, 3:45-5pm. Check the HMCRA google calendar to confirm!
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NOTES from 2010:
Our Arts Committee helps support a wide range of visual and performing arts activities for all grade levels in addition to SFUSD’s choral and instrumental music programs.
The committee has raised funds for projects and hired two art teachers to teach 10 weeks to all classrooms.
Everyone at HMCRA is surrounded by stunning mural artwork created by students with our Artists In Residence.
The San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Symphony visit our school and work with our students each year.
Fundraising
Holiday Art Bazaar
Holiday Art Bazaar
Drawing Out Young Artists. Art rally fundraiser at Rosewood.
Artist Beth Weintraub at Drawing Out Young Artists. Art rally fundraiser at Rosewood.
Arts
Create Peace Project did a workshop at Harvey Milk. The children created Art postcards with their message of peace that were taken to students in India who will, in turn, create postcards for them, spreading peace and hope in colors across the globe. 10,000 postcards have been created by students across the globe.
