Program: The Arts Partnership Program (APP) is a standards-driven district program which addressed student learning in the visual and performing arts.

The program supports Saint Paul Public Schools regular education schools, Alternative Learning Programs (ALP), and Small Learning Communities (SLC) to collaborate with local arts organizations to carry out quality arts projects which expand and deepen students learning in the arts and through arts integration and improve educator effectiveness in assisting students to meet arts learning objectives. The ultimate goal of APP is to ensure that students involved have a high quality standards-based education in the arts.

This year, the Minnesota Academic Standards in the Arts that once approved will go into effect in 2010, will be used to help define APP projects. These are found at: http://www.thecenter.spps.org/Arts.html

Creating, performing, and responding to works of art engender creativity, self-confidence, and critical thinking skills – qualities central to success in school, work, and life. Research shows that arts experiences are particularly beneficial for students who learn best through hands-on experiences.

An Arts Partnership Program project is one that has specific and measurable student learning objectives in the arts, is standards-based, involves a core group of students, integrates the expertise of a local arts organization and allows students to express themselves creatively.

In order to expand the horizons and capacity of the school an APP project must be carried out in collaboration with a local 501c3 arts/community organization (not individual artist) and take place in 2008-2009. Schools and arts organizations should discuss student and school arts needs, plan the project and complete the application together.

A partial list of local arts organizations can be found at:
http://thecenter.spps.org/Community_Arts_Organizations.html

A list of Saint Paul Schools can be found at:
http://www.spps.org/Schools.html

For past partnership recipients and project synopses example see:
http://www.thecenter.spps.org/APP.html

Awards:

Projects will be awarded through a competitive process. Finalists will be selected by a panel of experts with scoring based on APP program goals and criteria.

Eligibility:

Please read the 2008-2009 guidelines and application carefully to fully understand the commitments asked partners.

Arts organizations may partner with only one school and therefore submit only one application as a partner with a school.

To encourage new school and arts organization relationships and projects, schools and organizations that have not partnered in the past six years will be given additional points on the application scoring rubric. And, schools and organization that have partnered in the past six years will be given addition points for creating a new project that has not been carried out in the school previously.

Schools that received awards in 2007-2008 are not eligible to apply. These are:

L’Etoile du Nord French Immersion
Capitol Hill Gifted & Talented
Highland Park Elementary
Franklin Music Magnet
Webster Magnet
Mississippi Creative Arts

If you have questions regarding the program after reading the guidelines and application, please contact:

Jan Spencer de Gutiérrez

Supervisor, Visual and Performing Arts

Jan.spencer@spps.org

651-793-5526 PH