The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators named 73 outstanding arts educators ahead of their 2023 awards ceremony coming up in February.
In their 30-year partnership with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the OCDE-led organization plans this annual event to recognize local accomplishments in leadership and arts instruction.
The reception will recognize elementary and secondary educators, classroom teachers, administrators and community arts advocates in four categories. Awards will be given to 30 educators next year among 73 nominees from 13 school districts.
Administered by the Orange County Department of Education, OCMAA has contributed to the development of arts education across the region while planning community collaborations and providing district arts plans.
“The Orange County Music and Arts Awards is the premier recognition for Orange County’s outstanding arts educators and is highly regarded within the community for its recognition of quality instructional service,” OCDE Arts Coordinator Scott Fitzpatrick said.
The celebration will take place on Feb. 8 at the Segerstrom Center’s Samueli Theater and will be free of charge to all attendees.
Here are the other stories we’ve kept up with this week:
- The City of Westminster, in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education, unveiled the Mendez Tribute Monument Park dedicated to the Mendez family’s fight for racial integration in California public schools. Several news outlets including the Orange County Register and NBC Los Angeles covered the opening of the park, which made its debut 75 years after the historic Mendez v. Westminster case.
- From Tustin to Placentia, schools and districts across Orange County celebrated the season of giving by hosting food drives and collecting donations to help those in need. The OCDE Newsroom compiled a list of acts of kindness from students and school staff this past month.
- In honor of National Native American Heritage Month, County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares connected with influential leaders to discuss their personal stories and passion for their communities.
- With rates of fentanyl-related deaths increasing among Orange County youth, the OCDE Newsroom has gathered information from experts to answer parents’ questions about naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
- Updated school safety plans will be implemented at Newport-Mesa Unified following a series of meetings intended to better understand community concerns.
- After an undefeated season, Marina High School senior Mika Ikemori will advance to the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation individual’s girls’ tennis championship.
- The “flower cart” program in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District encourages Seamless Transition Enrichment Program (STEP) students to flourish in their job skills while engaging in joyful tasks.
- Two Corona Del Mar High School seniors spoke at the Newport-Mesa Unified board meeting Tuesday to call for greater accessibility to menstrual products across campus.
- Capistrano Unified School District board members recently honored San Juan Capistrano resident Steve Behmerwohld with the “Extra Miler” award for his commitment to keeping kids safe as an elementary school crossing guard.
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.