Renaissance Center partners with Dickson Elementary for Value Plus Schools program

Release Date: 2/13/2007. Expired: 3/13/2007

The Renaissance Center is partnering with Dickson Elementary School as part of the school’s selection for the groundbreaking Value Plus Schools program announced recently by the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC).

Additionally, Community Arts Development of Dickson County has pledged its support to the program with a donation of $600 over the next four years.

Unveiled in December by TAC, the Value Plus Schools program is an education reform model focused on arts integration. The five-year program stresses learning through the arts by integrating performing, visual, literary and traditional art forms into non-art subjects such as math, science and language arts. Traditional arts such as dance, visual art, theater and music also are taught as core stand-alone subjects.

Dickson Elementary School (DES) is one of six elementary schools across the state chosen to participate in the program.

“The Renaissance Center wants to take the lead in community involvement in the Value Plus Schools program by partnering with Dickson Elementary,” said Bob Kucher, senior director of Fine Arts at the center. “We hope that we can be a resource for the school’s faculty for the integration of arts into all areas of education. We also want to generate relationships between our faculty and the DES faculty that will facilitate the goals of the program.”

“Any time that we partner with local organizations, it’s always a positive thing for the school, the organization and the community,” said Devin Sisco, principal of DES. “The fact that The Renaissance Center has trained professionals on staff who will be able to work with and support our faculty in integrating the arts is a very positive move for our teachers.”

Kucher said many opportunities exist for The Renaissance Center to assist DES in its efforts, including utilizing the center’s facilities and bringing new programs to the school, as well as establishing an artist-in-residence program through which center faculty and other artists will be able to work in the school’s classrooms.

At its board meeting Jan. 23, Community Arts Development of Dickson County pledged its support for DES by allocating $200 for 2007 and $100 annually over the next four years to assist in the implementation of the Value Plus Schools initiative.

“We see that (Value Plus Schools) is an asset to the whole state and how unique it is for a school in Dickson County to be chosen for it,” said Jeremy Spencer, president of the CAD board of directors. “Our pledge is for the teacher resource room that is being established at Dickson Elementary to provide books and materials to help the teachers educate themselves for the new program.”

“We hope this is just the first of many community businesses and organizations who will want to get involved in the program,” Kucher said. “The goals at the center of the Value Plus Schools program are a perfect fit for The Renaissance Center because we have been using the arts in all areas of school curriculum as part of our field trips programs since we opened seven years ago.”

As state and local officials were unveiling the Value Plus Schools program at DES in a Dec. 14 ceremony, more than 70 kindergarteners from the school were enjoying a live theatrical production of Pinocchio from the Mind Enriching Theatre series at The Renaissance Center’s Performance Hall.

“The variety of field trips and educational opportunities at The Renaissance Center has made it a popular stop for schools all across Tennessee to bring students to participate in the arts,” said Kucher, who spent a year as assistant executive director of TAC before returning to the center. “The foundation is already in place here for helping Dickson Elementary School excel in the Value Plus Schools program.”

Funded by the Tennessee General Assembly and U.S Department of Education grants, Value Plus Schools arose from a yearlong needs assessment conducted by TAC in 2004. Over the next five years, more than $2 million will be spent at the six selected schools to implement the program.

The chosen schools were required to commit to the program for five years.

“The research coming out of Value Plus will have national significance,” said Kim Leavitt, director of arts education for TAC and project director for Value Plus. “It’s important for evaluation purposes to have the schools for a minimum of five years.”

Leavitt, who was director of Theatre Education and Outreach at The Renaissance Center prior to joining TAC, said the program initially involved three schools but was expanded to six, including Dickson Elementary, when additional federal grant money was received.

“While the additional funding is wonderful, having the endorsement of the U.S. Department of Education is equally important,” Leavitt said.

“National data suggests that programs that integrate the arts into basic curriculum help reach and teach children in new and exciting ways,” said Rich Boyd, executive director of TAC. “At a time when schools are punished for not meeting state or federal benchmarks, we are delighted to be able to offer what we believe will be a helpful and innovative way to add value to our school children’s learning experience.”

Businesses and organizations that want more information on how to become involved with the Value Plus Schools program can contact Kucher at (615) 740-5565 or bob.kucher@rcenter.org. To learn more about the statewide program, visit www.arts.state.tn.us/valueplusschoolsprogram.htm or contact Leavitt at (615) 741-1701.

To learn more about field trip opportunities at The Renaissance Center, call (615) 740-5533 or visit www.rcenter.org. The Renaissance Center is a fine arts education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson.