District art teachers present curriculum update and pilot results for Art of Ed Pro

District K-12 art staff presented an update April 14 on a new, vetted art curriculum the district is piloting and rolling out, saying the resource will provide standards-aligned lessons, professional development and resources to support teachers and students across grade levels.

Head art teacher Holly McManigle and members of the K-12 art curriculum team told the board they had piloted Art of Education's Flex and Pro offerings in elementary classrooms during spring 2024 and expanded implementation this year. They said the resource provides lesson plans, instructional videos, anchor charts and supports for English-language learners and adaptive students.

Nut graf: Teachers said the program reduces time spent creating lesson plans, supports new and adaptive instructors, and will be used districtwide in elementary classrooms next year while secondary curriculum-writing continues.

First-year art teacher Lauren Hedlund described how the Pro platform reduced planning time and gave her immediate, classroom-ready lessons. Team members highlighted student successes, including district artwork chosen for display at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and award winners in Youth Art Month at the Sioux City Art Center.

Board members asked how the platform supports students pursuing college-level fine arts or AP portfolios. The curriculum team said secondary curriculum writing is underway and that Pro contains videos and advanced resources to support portfolio development and AP coursework; they characterized secondary alignment as a work in progress.

The presenters thanked the board for initial funding and said they would return next month to request additional district support to expand implementation.

Ending: The board acknowledged the student achievement update for art; no formal budget appropriation was made at the April 14 meeting.