The district’s new Fine Arts Dept. is hosting the first Fine Arts Summit from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 7, at Westbury High School (11911 Chimney Rock Road, Houston, 77035).

Fine arts teachers from every grade level are encouraged to attend and hear from keynote speaker John Abodeely, chief executive officer of the Houston Arts Alliance and former acting executive director of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Teachers who attend will receive a $100 stipend. 

Something for everyone

Attendees will hear from numerous practitioners from around Texas, who will present on topics in theater education such as helping students to build and present a portfolio of their work, building sets with a limited budget, and supporting transgender students.

Led by district educators, administrators, college representatives, professors, and industry professionals, fine arts teachers will engage on relevant topics for students in kindergarten through 12th grade such as: appraisals and program ideas on a budget, starting new programs at your campus, how to reach every student on campus, mastering UIL, and even choral demonstration.

Visual arts teachers will gain experience in printmaking, using materials donated by the community. Teachers will learn how to use the donated materials and how they can apply the technique into their lesson plans. There will also be a digital art room where teachers can learn how to deliver instruction that will help students gain 21st-century visual arts skills.  Sessions will be led by HISD visual arts teachers, collegiate professors, and professional local artists.

Dance educators will explore nonverbal expression and communication through movement, dance techniques, stage lighting, lesson plans, and concepts of shaping the future of dance education.

Arts Integration Track

With many HISD teachers bringing various forms of art into the classroom, HISD Fine Arts Department has established a professional development series called Arts Integration Track. This series was created for ELA, science, social studies, and math teachers interested in adding elements of arts into their curriculum.

The Arts Integration Track will provide teachers with resources that will help them begin the journey in utilizing all four types of fine arts in the classroom to their greatest potential that benefits all students. Teachers will have the opportunity to learn more about the program at the summit.