Advocacy Dennis Argul dennisargul@gmail.com
On Monday, November 16, 2020, ArtsEdNJ sent a memo to All New Jersey Arts Educators, Administrators, Principals, Superintendents, Executive County Superintendents, School Board Members, Health Officers, Governor Phil Murphy, Commissioner of Health Judith M. Persichilli, Acting Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan, New Jersey State Board of Education President Kathy Goldenberg, LEE Group, and the NJDOE Reopen Team. The memo provided updated guidance and key findings from the University of Colorado COVID-19 Aerosol Dispersion Study Preliminary Findings #3 November 2020. It provided important information relative to the following areas: Guidance for Instrumental Music (Wind Instruments); Guidance for Vocal and General Music with Singing, Theatre, Speech and Debate, and Dance; Rehearsal Space Recommendations; General Procedures; and Guidance Regarding HVAC for All Spaces. It also referred all to the following document: https://www.artsednj.org/wp-content/uploads/NJ-September-Ready-Arts-Ed-Guidance.pdf If you have not yet read and reviewed the information provided in this document, I would suggest that now it a good time to do so. As we approach the season when budgets are discussed for the next academic year and, at the time of this writing, there are concerns from the membership regarding the role of music education and music educators in our various districts and schools, using the information included in this document can be a resource and tool as we continue to advocate for our craft and programs. Here are the September Ready Key Principles: 1. Sequential Arts Education Must Continue for ALL Students in ALL Instructional Models. As defined by the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in the Visual and Performing Arts and reaffirmed with the June 2020 adopTEMPO
tion of these standards by the New Jersey State Board of Education and outlined in The Road Back, Restart and Recover Plan for Education, sequential arts learning aligned to standards must be maintained regardless of the instructional delivery models (in-person with restrictions, hybrid, or in the event health consideration require, remote). Arts educators demonstrated the ability to provide continuity of instruction during the Spring of 2020. This provides a level of confidence in the ability of New Jersey’s 8,000 arts educators to operate in any model, with the proper planning and professional development. 2. Proper Staffing and Support Must Be Provided to Allow Continuity of Instruction Based on Health and Safety Requirements. Arts Education programs will require the proper staffing and support to ensure continuity of instruction. This includes maintaining certified arts educators to provide sequential instruction, materials and supplies to allow for the instruction based on health and safety requirements, recommendations, and best practices. 3. Arts Educators and Administrators Must be Included in the District Planning. Arts educators and arts administrators have been closely reviewing and staying up to date on all of the latest research, strategies, and best practices both nationally and internationally. The collective knowledge will be a critical asset to school administrations and board members as they prepare to reopen schools this September. 4. Schools Must Prioritize the Making and Creating of the Arts Together. While there are many aspects of arts education that have been successful in remote environments there is one very critical aspect that was not: creating dance, music, theatre or visual art together. This is what students identified as missing the most when they were suddenly out of their schools. As districts contemplate various models of return, when the students are in school, the emphasis should be placed on creating artistic works together and focus on those artistic elements that cannot be done remotely. 14
JANUARY 2021
