Regional arts leaders representing 28 school districts, arts organizations, colleges and universities came together on Feb. 9 to give high school students a peek into potential career paths available in the field of arts education.
The first-of-its-kind Orange County College and Career Pathways in the Arts event invited families to Saddleback College to meet with experts and learn about workforce opportunities.
With the recent passing of Proposition 28 — or the Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act — consistent funding will allow for new arts educator and teaching artist roles to emerge.
OCDE Arts Coordinator Scott Fitzpatrick said the event was created from collaborative conversations hosted by Orange County Music and Arts Administrators. Through multiple strategic planning sessions, school districts, higher education institutions, businesses and community advocates discussed how to raise awareness of the growing number of careers in arts education.
Nearly 600 students, teachers and parents attended the event, which featured a distinguished panel of arts education professionals as well as live music and informational booths for students to explore. The event was hosted by Saddleback College faculty including Scott Farthing, dean of the School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- With the theme “Make a Splash,” the 48th annual Orange County Arts and Disability festival is set to make waves while exhibiting artwork and showcasing the talents of students and adults with disabilities at MainPlace Mall on April 27.
- Celebrity chef Jet Tila celebrated the Year of the Dragon alongside Westminster High School students by sharing career stories and demonstrating the art of making dumplings at the campus’ Tết Festival on Feb. 8.
- The Woodbridge High School Warriors recently secured their seventh Orange County Academic Decathlon championship in eight years.
- Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice will collaborate with OCDE to host the 2024 Ensure Justice Conference, featuring experts, survivors, law enforcement representatives and more to discuss human trafficking trends, challenges and solutions.
- The 14th Creative Edge Lecture series, hosted by Arts Orange County, will present an in-person talk with best-selling author and exhibition designer Nina Simon to help inspire the regional arts community on March 5 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.
- The Orange County Department of Education is curating three model curriculum projects centered on Southeast Asian heritage and history. Once developed, they will be made available to classrooms serving kindergarten through 12th grade, according to the OC Register.
- The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing recently approved new statewide teaching standards that focus on culturally responsive teaching and family engagement, according to EdSource.
- With the primary election approaching on March 5, the LAist reported that residents of the Orange Unified School District Trustee Areas 4 and 7 will vote on whether or not to recall two district board members.
- Voters in next month’s primary election will determine who holds three seats on the Orange County Board of Education for the next four years.
- Newly-proposed legislation could incorporate the landmark Mendez v. Westminster case into social studies curriculum at public schools statewide, Spectrum News reported.
- The Los Angeles Times reported that a civil lawsuit has been filed against an Orange County Board of Education trustee following an altercation between the trustee and another driver last year.
- A crossing guard at Eastbluff Elementary School in Newport Beach was recently struck by a car while on duty and hospitalized with multiple injuries.
- Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi introduced a new bill that would make kindergarten a requirement for all California children before attending first grade.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.