Did You Know?
ABC Institute is an Arts Grow SC collective network partner. ABC is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Registration Open
SC Arts in Education Forum
The SC Arts in Education Forum is a one-day event that invites leaders who influence and impact arts education in SC PK-12 education to:
- Explore research connecting arts learning to student development.
- Discover and learn about innovative initiatives, opportunities, policies, and practices
- Engage and connect with one another to improve the educational experience for all SC students.
When: January 24, 2025, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Where: Cooperative Conference Center, 169 Laurelhurst Ave, Columbia, SC 29210
Registration fee: $35
REGISTRATION CLOSES JANUARY 10, 2025.
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We have secured a block of rooms for those who would like to stay the night in Columbia on January 23, 2025
Hampton Inn on the Lake at Harbison
101 Woodcross Dr, Columbia, SC 29212
Rate: $124
We look forward to the conversation!
SESSION LINE UP
FEATURING KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
JOHN SPENCER
Author of the following titles featured at the conference:
Vintage Innovation: Leveraging Retro tools and Classic Ideas to Create Meaningful Learning AND The A.I. Roadmap: Human Learning in the Age of Smart Machines
John Spencer, Author
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Arts Education in Online Learning: Panel Discussion Series
There are a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to teaching the arts virtually. Even though the profession was thrust into the experience in 2020, very little guidance on virtual arts education has been developed before or since. Yet, the urgency to address virtual arts instruction is real. Thousands of SC families opted to remain in virtual education; as of September 2024 over 15,000 SC students were enrolled in a fully virtual school.
For some virtual students, arts education is a purchased, packaged asynchronous curriculum. For too many SC virtual students, access to arts education is not an option.
This multi-panel session will feature discussions among a variety of experts within the field of online learning and virtual arts instruction, followed by roundtable discussions.
ABC Institute’s mission is to strive to ensure SC students have access to arts-rich educational opportunities as a core component of curriculum. Therefore, we are conducting research on ways to serve both students and teachers in a fully virtual school environment. Join us for an afternoon of inquiry, discovery, and solutions-oriented discussions on opportunities for innovation in virtual arts education.
Unlocking Creative Futures: Exploring Creative Careers in the Arts
Creative Careers Studio (CreativeCareers.Art) is a virtual and programmatic platform to support high school students who are interested in creative or artistic fields. Featuring inspiring stories from working creatives and a career catalog, CCS offers guidance for students and resources for parents, teachers, and counselors to support young artists in pursuing creative fields.
PRESENTER
Ashley Brown, Arts Grow Executive Director and SCAC Deputy Director
South Carolina Arts Commission
Accountability and the SC School Report Card: Acknowledging Limitations and Opportunities for Arts-based Programming
We all know it – testing as a measure of accountability is limited. However, it is the reality that schools face. Join us for a deep dive into SC Report Card Ratings and school accountability. Participants will explore upcoming opportunities and contemplate, “How might arts-based programming be tailored/designed to support schools and address the changing metrics over the next three years?”
PRESENTERS
Matthew R. Lavery, PhD Deputy Director
Education Oversight Committee
Maria Earl, Instructional Specialist
South Carolina Arts Commission
Students Designing the Way Out of Homelessness
Art is meant to be shared. It tells stories, helps people express themselves, and positively impacts our communities. Our initiative encompasses an interactive session featuring an introduction to the Fine Arts Center (FAC) architecture program and a seven-year student endeavor to address homelessness in Greenville County.
PRESENTERS
Catherine Gates-Smith, EdD, Architect
Fine Arts Center
Susan McLarty, Director
Greenville Homeless Alliance
“Title” Funds and the Arts as Well-Rounded Education
The Arts are a core subject and a civil right, according to the Every Student Succeeds Act, as part of a well-rounded education. In this session, Martha Walker from the SC Department of Education will provide a basic outline of Title funds (Title I: supplements State and local funding for low-achieving children, especially in high-poverty schools, Title II: Improving Educator Quality, Title III: Language Instruction for English Learners & Immigrant Students, Title IV A: Access to a well-rounded education, Title IV B: Support for 21st Century community learning centers). Following will be a panel discussion with Ms. Walker, two ABC Principals who will share their first-hand use of Title funds, and Jeff Robinson of the SC Arts Alliance to discuss communication regarding Title funding use. Moderated by the SC Arts Commission’s Arts Learning Director, Kimberly Washburn Motte.
PRESENTERS
Martha Walker, Program Manager
Office of Federal and State Accountability, SCDE
Robert Neuner, Principal
Windsor Hill Elementary School
Jennifer Rhodes, Team Lead
South Carolina Department of Education
Melissa Willis, Principal
HE Bonner Elementary School
Kimberly Washburn-Motte, Arts Learning Director
South Carolina Arts Commission
803-323-2451
147 McLaurin Hall
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC 29733
