Board approves creative arts plan

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WORTHINGTON — The District 518 Board of Education approved the district’s five-year plan for quality visual and performing arts programming at its Tuesday meeting.

The district received a Comprehensive Arts Planning Program grant from the Perpich Center for Arts Education last May and a committee of teachers and other stakeholders have developed CAPP goals for each school year from 2010-2015.

Among the year one plan goals: Create a website featuring an arts calendar of events for the area; research potential artist-in-residence programs with the state dance coordinator, secure funding for residencies; develop collaboration with physical education/health and music departments; and partner with Memorial Auditorium Performing Arts Center and Eisenhower Dance Company to engage students in physical activity and nutrition awareness.

Eventually, it is hoped dance curriculum will be expanded in grades K-8.

A major program component will be incorporation of multicultural dance, or “rhythmic movement” in grades K-4.

“We decided that was the most urgent need at this point,” music teacher Jeanne Mammen told the board’s instructional committee during its May 10 meeting. “We feel that incorporating dance will bring a lot more social interaction among our students in a positive way.”

Worthington’s CAPP mission statement reads the group “Will establish a collaborative relationship with all community stakeholders to support quality in the arts.”

In other business, the board:

- Granted tenure to the following faculty and staff: Heidi Ahlers, Emily Ahlquist, Mary Brown, Chad Duffy, Holli Finke, Abbey Fischbach, Tony Hastings, Theresa Hoesing, Kerry Johnson, Chad Kremer, Melanie Kuhl, Joelle Newport, Laurie Pass, Margaret Spartz and Sarah Winters.

- Set the board member candidate filing period from Aug. 3 to Aug. 17. Three members will be elected for four-year terms during the Nov. 2 general election.

- Approved a 15-year tax abatement with the city of Worthington and Nobles County to help with redevelopment of property downtown for Astrup Drug.

- Approved an occupational therapy agreement with Sanford Regional Hospital Worthington.

- Approved the computer bid from Davis Typewriter for $230,868 for computers.

- Approved added heating, ventilation, air conditioning upgrades at WHS for an additional cost of about $65,000.

- Approved the resignation of Thongsay Chantharath as program aide with the Nobles County Integration Collaborative, of Gary Brandt as head varsity hockey coach at Worthington High School, of Carolyn Prins as early childhood education teacher at Community Education and of Cayleen Mackey as assistant dance coach at WHS.

- Approved employment of Teresa Williams as special education supplementary paraprofessional at Prairie Elementary, of Justin Spaethe as long-term substitute paraprofessional with special programs and Tessa Dierks as art teacher at WHS. Approved Steve Dudley, Bryon Spittle, Kaia Nowatzki and Al Ebbers as volunteer coaches.

Tags: creative arts, news, worthington, 518, education, plan