May 2021
Advancing the heART of Education
A monthly newsletter about Fine Arts Education in Iowa

Register today for the Iowa Fine Arts Education Summit!

The Arts & Social
Emotional Learning

June 17, 2021 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Hosted on Zoom

This year’s summit theme was selected in recognition of the new Iowa Social-Emotional Learning Competencies. Join Iowa arts educators, artists, teaching artists and others as they gather virtually on June 17, 2021, for the Iowa Fine Arts Education Summit. This year’s summit will explore how all fine arts educators can deepen social and emotional learning connections within arts education.

As defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, social emotional learning "is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” 

This year’s summit theme was selected in recognition of the new 
Iowa Social-Emotional Learning Competencies. In addition to learning more about the social emotional learning competencies, attendees will get practical tips on how to develop students' self-management, social awareness, self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making -- all to increase their chances for success in the fine arts classroom and beyond. 

Meet Our New Executive
Board Members
Kris VerSteegt is a music specialist dedicated to developing the musical and aesthetic potential of children, educating pre-service teachers and those currently serving the profession regarding the concepts and content of music education, and educating teachers and pre-service teachers regarding how an education with music can both support and elevate work in the general education classroom.
 
Kris is an elementary general music specialist who lives in Ames with her husband Travis and two sons (Jake, 21 and Lincoln, 17). She teaches K-5 vocal/general music for Ankeny Community Schools, teaches Music in Elementary Education at Iowa State University, and served on the Drake University Summer Music Institute faculty.
 
Kris received her Bachelor of Music degree from Iowa State University and her Master of Science in Education: Teacher Effectiveness and Professional Development degree from Drake University. Mrs. VerSteegt has just completed her coursework in the Drake School of Education’s PhD program and expects to complete her dissertation within the next year.
 
Kris holds a mastery certificate in the Kodály Approach to music literacy and national certification in Orff Schulwerk; she has completed three levels of study in each methodology. Kris has also completed training in Conversational Solfege, First Steps in Music, and Comprehensive Musicianship. 
Kathleen Sweet currently resides in Decorah, Iowa with her husband, 15 year old son and four pets. She received a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from Savannah of College of Art and Design, her teaching license in Art Education from Metropolitan State University of Denver, and a Masters (MEd) degree from Lesley University.

She has taught Preschool through twelfth grade in various settings over the last 27 years. She has been teaching Kindergarten through Sixth-grade art and Kindergarten through twelfth-grade ELP (Extended Learning Program for Gifted and Talented) at Starmont for the last 15 years.

She is currently serving as the Starmont’s K-12 Student Improvement Coordinator, TLC Coordinator, and K-12 Gifted and Talented Coordinator. She has been part of a national research group called The Innovation Collaborative that focuses on STEAM education and transdisciplinary creative teaching, and was awarded Iowa Art Educator of the Year in 2015. She loves all things art related and her art consists of drawing, painting, collage and jewelry making.
Creativity in the Time of COVID-19

The Iowa Alliance of Arts Education is collecting descriptions of the amazing work that arts organizations and educators have been doing this year as they adapt to our new reality.

Please help us collect stories about what is happening in our state by filling out this GOOGLE SURVEY.

This information will be used to highlight programs, for arts advocacy and to inspire others to build on what is being done. Thank you!
The Alliance is supported by the contributions of members like you.
Please join us in our mission to support arts education.
Need more information about the Alliance and our programs?

Contact our Executive Director: Leon Kuehner 641-425-0959 leongkuehner@gmail.com

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