I am a big believer in each of us being our own advocate; for our selves, for our students, for our programs, for our communities, for our association, and for our national arts causes. So I stepped up and posted the letter below int he local Ojai Valley News, our once-a-week newspaper.
Open Letter to Ojai Unified School District April 2016
Ojai Valley News
I am a long time Theatre educator, serve on the national Educational Theatre Association board, the CA Educational Theatre Association board, the Drama Teachers Association of SO CA, and founder of CA Youth in Theatre. Presently I am working with Theatre and Dance associations to help Senator Ben Allen’s SB 916 TADA! Theatre and Dance Act get passed. I have had the privilege of directing and working with the Theatre students at Nordhoff High School, and the NHS Thespians. As you can tell I have a vested interest in supporting arts in the schools.
One of my goals is to become a resource for OUSD to help the district to develop plans to establish itself as an arts district.
Imagine people moving into the Ojai Valley or requesting inter district transfers so that students could attend pre-K through 12 Ojai schools, because the OUSD board has adopted the national Visual and Performing Arts Standards. Adoption of the Visual and Performing Arts Standards would be public acknowledgement that OUSD values the arts and is willing to focus on arts integration in each classroom pre-K through 6.
I can cite all of the benefits for a student being involved in the arts; many include engagement in school and skills which CEO’s value in employees.
In my ideal Ojai arts world, OUSD would have an arts specialists in each elementary school for Music, Art, Theatre, and Dance in pre-K through 6; the four arts offered in the seventh grade as part of the Wheel; then dedicated courses in Theatre, Music, Art, and Dance for at least one semester in eighth grade. We already have discreet Visual and Performing Arts courses in the high school curriculum. And I give a standing ovation to OUSD for providing the arts coursework at NHS. Our local high school could be designated as an Arts Academy.
I understand the possible challenges in progressing the arts in OUSD. I recognize the tasks of working with standardized tests, state-mandated exams, Common Core, and the new ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Act). I know that it would mean branding and marketing OUSD as an arts district. Yes, there will be challenges. Yes, there will be costs. Yes, there will be long term benefits to the students, teachers, and community.
I would hope that the OUSD board can think proactively and see that the costs can be balanced along with the possibility of increased enrollment, status among the county and state, and a school district which embraces the arts as a way of life for our students, pre-K through grade 12.
“Earth without ART is Eh.” It may be cliché but I believe in the value of the arts.
Gai Jones
Gai Jones - national workshop leader for theatre education
P.S. We will see if or when I receive a reply from the school board.
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Gai Jones
gai.jones@sbcglobal.netgai@gaijones.comwww.gaijones.comCo-Founder/Faculty Member Summer Theatre Teacher Bootcamp
Inspirational Speaker for PD, Student Leaderships, Conferences
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