CAP News from Richmond Consolidated School
CAP is what we call the “Creative Arts Project” Program at Richmond School. Begun in 2000-2001, The CAP Program was developed by Supt. Bill Ballen and School Committee member Rita Bleiberg to address the requirements of the Massachusetts State Frameworks. CAP was created to add residencies in the creative arts such as theatre, dance, visual arts, music, world music, movement, design, puppetry, and storytelling. CAP is designed to promote learning in the wide spectrum of the Arts, to enhance classroom curriculum, and to give children a wide variety of experiences with artists. Every student at Richmond School, K-8 has a CAP class on Tuesday.
During these ten years, the CAP Program has changed and developed. Richmond School is proud to have received the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Creative School Grant 3 times, each for a 2-year cycle. We were the recipient of the MCC’s Creative School Grant in it’s first 2 year cycle, and more recently in 2006-2008 and again from 2008-2010. This grant has allowed us to to bring in such programs as Shakespeare & Co., Nikki Hu and guy Van Duser, Ann Jon from “Sculpture Now”, and Gray Simons III and Travis Daly from the Berkshire Theatre Festival.
As our third MCC Creative School Grant cycle closes, we would like to acknowledge the Massachusetts Cultural Council and thank them for their continued efforts to bring the arts to the children of Massachusetts. Please read more about the MA Cultural Council and their opportunities at www.massculturalcouncil.org, and support their programs. The opening quote on their web page says,
“Imagine a world where children go to school and learn to create; where inspiration, innovation and adaptability are leaned alongside facts and figures. Picture the child who finds difficulty with standardized tests and other traditional models of assessment, but whose love of learning is reawakened by a visual arts-based science project, or by participating in a school play.”
This is the vision and the reality here at the Richmond School with the CAP Program. Our Program has developed into a true learning experience in the Arts. Richmond School is proud of its commitment to education is the broad spectrum of the Arts. Over the past ten years, this Program has developed and changed, and we have brought back Artist in Residence Programs in 2 or 3 year cycles. This connects the artists with our students and the school. Artists write curriculum, connect to the Frameworks, and assess learning through various evaluation tools.
Our Artists include Amy Brentano in Theatre; Fran Steinert and Kristine Waterman in Dance; Aimee Gelinas and Kim Waterman in Afro-Caribbean Dance and Drumming; Eugene and Carolyn Langley in Dulcimer Building and Playing; Senta and Cliff Brodeur in Squaredancing; Ann Jon in Sculpture. Berkshire Theatre Festival is with us in Grade 6 for their Playwriting Residency and again in Grade 8 for Theatre. Shakespeare & Co. joins us in Grade 7 for 8 weeks. Nikki Hu and Guy Van Duser have brought excellent programs in Dance and Movement, such as “Respect”. In the last 2 years, Brad Doerle, Tricia Harrington and Mrs. Campbell have brought the Solar Car Program to Grade 6. In addition, Mrs. Joy Mullen, CAP Coordinator for Grades K-4 teaches Orff Music to Grades K-3, including recorder in Grade 3, in the CAP Program. Mrs. Mullen teaches Chorus 3-5 for 12 weeks. Many of the residencies culminate in a performance for the school.
Many of the CAP teachers have attended the “Cultivating the Field” workshops at Lesley College where Artists in Residence work to develop written curriculum in line with the MA Standards. We have developed written curriculum, evaluation, and assessment in CAP to ensure there is real learning in line with the MA Frameworks.
If you are interested in learning more about our CAP Program, if you have suggestions for future arts residencies at the Richmond School, or if you would like to be part of the discussion about the program, please contact me at my email address below.
Again, Thank you to the MA Cultural Council for your support. Thank you to the Richmond School Committee and Supt. Ballen, as well as the Town of Richmond, for their belief and support in the importance of the Arts in education. I am so proud to work in a community like Richmond, which values the teaching of the Arts in all its forms.
Sincerely,
Ellen Campbell
CAP Coordinator 5-8