Celebrate: A Commissioner and the Arts

Rachel Wise, District 3, Nebraska State Board of Education (December, 2013)

By Rachel Wise

Rachel Wise

This month I will focus on two topics that are near and dear to my heart. First, is the selection of the next Nebraska Commissioner of Education. Secondly, I want to celebrate the arts, or more specifically, the fine arts standards which are in draft form, ready for public input.

Speaking of public input, let’s start with the selection of our next Commissioner. On December 11, interviews were held with four finalists for the Commissioner of Education. These interviews were conducted in a public meeting. All four finalists brought tremendous strengths to the position and the interview. The finalists, Norm Ridder, Virginia Moon, Matt Blomstedt and Michael Sentance have exceptional qualifications and diverse background experiences. On December 12, the State Board of Education had a significant discussion on the strengths of the candidates and the priorities and needs for educational leadership in Nebraska. The State Board voted to offer a contract to Dr. Matt Blomstedt of Central City. Blomstedt has leadership experience with the Nebraska Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council and the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association.

On to the celebration of fine arts! The Nebraska Department of Education was fortunate to receive funding from the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment to develop fine art standards. Over 50 PK-16 teachers and local artists were engaged in the development of the draft fine arts standards. These standards include the strands of dance, music, theater, visual and media arts. The fine arts standards were developed in grade bands, such as K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. This will allow for greater flexibility in the development of curriculum and the integration of standards at the local school level

Celebrating the blending of the arts and education is great for the future educational experiences of Nebraska students. A comprehensive educational experience is the foundation of a well-rounded individual. If we narrow our focus to core subjects (reading/language arts, math, science and social studies), I believe we miss the opportunity to engage students in areas of interest and talent that are essential to student success.

So, why I am writing about this? Obviously, you have just read my opinion regarding the importance of fine arts, but I would also like to share information about the next steps in the development of the fine arts standards. The State Board of Education and the Nebraska Department of Education values and requires public input. From December 16-January 17 the public may complete an electronic survey at: http://www.education.ne.gov/standardssurvey/.  The public may also comment now through January 17 at the NDE website: http://www.education.ne.gov/FineArts/index.html.  A final opportunity for public input will be to provide testimony at a January 16 public hearing.

Finally, the fine arts are important to student achievement and student success. According to Americans for the Arts, participation in the arts:

• Stimulates and develops the imagination, critical thinking, problem-solving and refines cognitive and creative skills.
• Develops a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and goal-setting—skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

‘Tis the season to enjoy the arts…..celebrate by attending a concert in your community or your school and thank teachers for their dedication to enriching the lives of students through the arts!!

You can find additional information about our new Commissioner and the fine art standards at the NDE website: www.education.ne.gov. If you would like to contact me, feel free to do so at rachel.wise@nebraska.gov.