CCSESA

Enriched and Affirming Learning Environments

Create a safe, affirming, and enriched environment for participatory and inclusive learning in and through the visual and performing arts for every group of students.

Overview of Principle 1: Enriched and Affirming Learning Environments

Planning Tool for Principle 1: Enriched and Affirming Learning Environments

Around the state of California, students and teachers, schools and communities, are rising to the challenge of creating high-quality arts education, often in very difficult circumstances. Below are some examples of enriched and affirming learning environments.

We want to hear your story. Take a look at the overview and planning tool and share what's working in your school. Contact Us.

School/District	Description	Online resource	Contact information
Oakland Tech	Watch the video called "Exposition" to experience the rich and affirming learning environment created by the performing arts at Oakland Tech.	Click Here To View Video	Jess Berkner jessabrie@gmail.com
Rancho Rosal Magnet School/Pleasant Valley School District	Rancho Rosal offers an art program for all of their students. The teachers volunteer to teach a subject in the arts, be it visual or performing arts. As a professional learning community, Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Communication, and Collaboration are embedded into their teaching and learning.		Sue Sigler ssigler@pvsd.k12.ca.us
San Juan Arts Community	Through the work of the San Juan Arts Community, a variety of programs enrich arts education in San Juan. Programs include an art docent program, middle school band clinic, theatrical society, Latino Dreams club, and National Art Honor society. The Web site includes resources, newsletters, multimedia, news, and events.	Click Here To View Web site	Craig Faniani cfaniani@sanjuan.edu
West Palms Conservatory	Victor Elementary Teachers Association (VETA) members have made the arts a priority. They share the philosophy that everyone is good at something. And this includes teachers--who teach electives based on their expertise.	Click Here To View Story Click Here To View Web site	MelissaTheide MTheide@vesd.net
Grizzly Hill School	A small, rural school in San Juan Ridge demonstrates success in the arts. Grizzly Hill School (K-8) is the only school in California to be featured in the AEP’s report on arts success in at-risk schools, “Third Space: When Learning Matters.”	Click Here To View PDF	Robert Bullwinkel bbullwinkel@fcoe.k12.ca.us
Walnut Elementary Education Center Turlock Unified	Short video highlighting how Walnut Elementary teacher-leaders work together with administrators to engage families and infuse the arts throughout all curriculum.	Click Here To View Video	Mark Holmes MHolmes@turlock.k12.ca.us
Chula Vista High School SCPA Sweetwater Unified	Short video in-depth description of an 800-student arts “school within a school” in an inner city setting.	Click Here To View Video	Ron Jessee ronarts@sdcoe.net
San Diego Unified	Short video description of standards-based professional development for teachers delivered by teaching artists.	Click Here To View Video	Ron Jessee ronarts@sdcoe.net
Buellton Union School District	Short video highlight honoring Ron Zell, teacher of the year, who shares his thoughts and ideas on integrating the arts.	Click Here To View Video	Ron Zell rzell@buelltonusd.org

	Thorner Elementary School Thorner Elementary School's curriculum is based upon the California Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards, as found in the Visual and Performing Arts Framework, 2004.
	Garfield Elementary School Garfield Elementary School is a rural, one-school district serving a total of 61 students in grades K-6. The school offers standards-based arts instruction in all four arts disciplines.
	Los Angeles Unified School District Arts Instructional Guide The Arts Education Branch of LAUSD has completed a draft of their K-6 Arts Instructional Guides (AIG), and is piloting the guidelines this year in their 310 elementary Arts Program Schools.
	Monson-Sultana In 1994, the new superintendent, Mr. Tom Giampietro, saw that the band program was less than satisfactory for this small school district.
	Capistrano Unified School District - The MITRE Project District middle school visual arts teachers met monthly for three hours after school throughout a year to create a standards-based curriculum for our students that would have clear goals.