National School District

SDAN Contact: Clint Taylor Title: Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator Mailing Address: 1500 N Avenue National City, California  91950 Phone: (619) 336-7738

2008-09 Program Highlights

• Updated and revitalized Visual and Performing Arts 7-year plan for its 2nd year of implementation 
• Established a task force to closely coordinate the efforts of the agencies involved in the implementation of the VAPA plan
• Extensive after/before school project-based offerings, culminating in celebrations of performances, exhibits, and displays of student VAPA activities
• San Diego County Office ITV production of a “Best Practices” video to promote arts-driven after/before school programming 
• Developed VAPA standards-based arts lessons for each grade level for interactive Promethean Boards, available to all teachers on the district website at www.nsd.us
• Implemented “Arts Brake” curriculum in each library, available to all grade levels
• Variety of assemblies at each site encouraging the arts
• Networking with City of National City Community Development Department
• Numerous dance, music, theater, and visual arts performances at city events

Resources

• Young Audiences, www.yasandiego.org, (619) 282-7599
• Border Voices (Veronica Cunningham, contact person), (619) 287-3200
• Edudance, www.edudance.net, (619) 729-1722
• CoTA (Colaboration of Teachers and Artists) (619) 549-4891
• San Diego State University (“Picture This” and “Picture These” projects http://picturethese.sdcoe.net  (858) 569-5488

Other Information
The National School District has implemented the 2nd year of its 7-year Visual and Performing Arts plan. Extensive staff development took place to train a cadre of teacher leaders who will further arts integration throughout the curriculum.  This is also an intentional effort to accelerate English language acquisition. That cadre will grow each year.  Each grade level, k-6, emphasized one of the disciplines. As students progress through the grade levels, they receive a comprehensive program that is aligned with the standards.  Young Audiences of San Diego provides teaching artists for all district teachers at each grade level.  The following is a brief description of the program:

Kindergarten - Dance and Movement
Students explore their bodies, self-space, movement, energy, and timing through individual and collaborative games and dances. Students will use Total Physical Response as it relates to language learning.
1st - Music
Students learn songs, rhythms, and musical games from around the world while exploring basic music elements.
2nd - Theater
Students learn to work individually and as an ensemble to create and improvise, using rhythm and music, rhyme, storytelling, role-playing, and movement.
3rd - Visual Art
Students learn elements of line, shape, form, color, texture, and value. They will also study perspective and conceptualize spatial relations.
4th - Visual Arts and Poetry
Through the medium of visual art, specific scaffolding is provided to support English language learning and make language as comprehensible as possible, helping students develop voice as they participate in related writing activities.    
5th – Theatre
Students learn acting practices and techniques. They learn how to create and cultivate a class script or individual monologues for performances. There is a direct literacy connection.
6th - Ballroom Dance
Students learn smooth and rhythmic dances including Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Cha-cha, Rumba, and Swing. They gain self-esteem, confidence, social awareness, and poise. They also learn to apply etiquette, respect, courtesy, and teamwork.