Announcing: SGUSD Arts Week! March 22-26, 2021
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
SGUSD Arts Week will be the first ever, district wide Arts Festival for San Gabriel Unified. This year, the event will be virtual. Throughout the week, the arts will be celebrated and showcased, with performances, exhibits, art contests, live lessons, a Ballroom Challenge, a city-wide scavenger hunt, and educational webinars.
Interested in helping out? We are seeking volunteers! An Information Meeting will be held: Thursday, January 28, 2021 Click the logo on the left for more information.
SGUSD Receives Grants for Arts Education
LA County Arts Ed Collective Advancement Grant
For the second year in a row, San Gabriel Unified received a $23,000 grant from the LA County Arts Ed Collective to advance our VAPA Strategic Plan. The funds will pay for elementary dance curriculum, staffing for a new music class at Del Mar High School, professional development for our VAPA Staff and arts integration coaches, some supplies, and the development of our first ever district wide Arts Festival.
Out of hundreds of applicants, SGUSD was chosen for a generous Guitar Center Foundation grant this year. The foundation provided over 30 brand new, high quality instruments plus accessories to help implement a brand new guitar class at Del Mar High School as an expansion of the Music Immersion Experience Program (MIE). Virtual lessons began on November 9 and are being taught by MIE staff member, Albert Burrola.
Gabrielino High - Visual Art and Theater Collaborate with the LA Opera
During the months of September through October, Gabrielino High students in Mx. Ross' Art in Motion class, and Mr. Gafford's Drama class took part in a 5 week virtual workshop with LA Opera Artists, which resulted in a performance of Edge of a Dream, a new opera by composer Juhi Bansal, DMA, and librettist Neil Aitken, PhD.
Each week, the students received a masterclass and rehearsal with two members of the LA Opera to work on singing, costuming, staging, and performance craft. In addition, the students explored the life and work of Ada Lovelace (1815 - 1852), an English mathematician and writer who is considered to be the "mother" of computer science.
Art in Motion class are currently working on animating the final performance. Stay tuned!
Read More about the Secondary In School LA Opera Workshop...
Teaching the Arts Online
Our fantastic San Gabriel Unified Visual and Performing Arts teachers have transitioned to the virtual academy with resilience, innovation, and creativity. So how DO you teach the arts in an online format?
Click Here to see how our arts programs have pivoted during quarantine.
Gabrielino Eagle Marching Regiment Celebrates Graduating Seniors
After their highly successful 2019 competitive season, the cancellation of the 2020 SCSBOA marching band season was devastating, especially to the senior members of the Gabrielino Eagle Marching Regiment. Director, Melissa Romero kept her group together and engaged however, by focusing on the elements of music making and marching band that brought the students to the activity to begin with - leadership, music-making, creativity, and community. Ms. Romero conducted a virtual band camp, had the students work in small ensembles, brought in guests from the "The President's Own" Marine Band, and helped foster independent music making skills. Congratulations to all of our GEMR seniors! Follow @ghs_gemr on instagram to see all of the senior features.
Graphic Design Student Art Selected to Support City Anti-Hate Commission
6 Gabrielino students in the Gabrielino Graphic Design class recently participated in the LA vs. Hate campaign. The City of San Gabriel then tapped them to accompany the promotion of the HEAR commission, and also to be featured in the city's participation during United Against Hate Week, November 30-December 3, 2020.
Click Here to visit the new PRISM Blog and read the article written by GHS student and PRISM intern, Cathy Nguyen.
Virtual Performances
Here is a partial list of the various virtual performances available to the public. Check back often for updates as more performances are posted.
Gabrielino High School Orchestra - Virtual Orchestra Project
Gabrielino High School Marching Band - Gabrielino Eagle Marching Regiment Virtual Ensemble Project-Fall 2020
Gabrielino High School Choir - Holiday Concert
Gabrielino High School Drama - Microwave in the Cafeteria
Jefferson Middle School Choir - Holiday Greetings for the JMS Bulldog Family
Jefferson Middle School Choir - Eva A singing "Mary Did You Know", and Jamie & Amilie singing "Let It Snow"
Jefferson Middle School Instrumental Music - January Jammin' Party
Roosevelt Elementary (MIE Program) A Few of Our Favorite Things
Gabrielino Student Selected for MBA Extemp Round Robin - Speech and Debate
For only the 2nd time in the 27 year, illustrious and extraordinarily successful history of Gabrielino's Speech and Debate program, a student, Gabriel Frank-McPheter, has been selected for the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemporaneous Round Robin Field, one of the premier tournaments in the country. A student must demonstrate consistent, elite performance in order to be selected. Gabriel is one of 16 students from across the country who will be participating in 2021.
Join Our Facebook Group- Families for the Arts San Gabriel
Do you have a Facebook account? Stay in the know of arts happenings in our community, and engage with likeminded individuals. Help our local arts community and support network grow by joining the conversation. Click Here to join.
Mr. Nelson Kuan
Mr. Brandon Harb
Special Shout Out to Mr. Kuan and Mr. Harb
In the San Gabriel Unified School District, all students in grades TK-12 receive music instruction all year long. There are 2 full time elementary music teachers that travel to 4 of our elementary sites. In addition, the Music Immersion Experience Program is the signature program at Roosevelt Elementary, which takes place after school on a daily basis.
This year, we needed to quickly and unexpectedly find a substitute for one of our full time music teachers. To find someone who could not only manage 4 school sites, and approximately 800 students or more, but also do lessons virtually on short notice seemed a daunting task.
We not only found one, but TWO wonderful teachers who have done a magnificent job providing music education to our kinder, 4th and 5th grade students during this time. First, Mr. Nelson Kuan started our year off right, and currently, Mr. Brandon Harb is keeping things going. Both of them have not only done a great job with instruction, but have shown immense care and investment in their students. Thank you very much to Mr. Kuan and Mr. Harb!
Advocacy Resources
Article: The Importance of the Arts in the Era of COVID-19
By, Heather Wolpert-Gawron, SGUSD Coordinator of 21st Century Learning and Professional Development.
"But I would argue that this is a time when the arts are most critical. Crisis breeds creativity—and these creative bursts aren’t always just about fun ways to pass the time. They can also lead to vital discoveries. Issac Newton (pre-Sir) first mulled over the Law of Gravity when on his own self-isolation during the Bubonic Plague. And did you know that Scotch tape was born of the Great Depression as a means to repair, rather than toss out, broken and torn goods?
Creativity is a vital ingredient in innovation. And that just might be the key that saves us all."
The Arts and Social Emotional Learning
From New Jersey for Social Emotional Learning-NJ4SEL
"Arts Educators often address different aspects of the SEL in their everyday practice either through individual or across multiple competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making). In some cases, these competencies are being addressed in a tacit way, without making explicit connections to the visual and performing arts standards."
Art and Social Justice
From the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
What is the relationship between art and social justice? How have American artists over the last 100 years used their work to speak out against injustices, advocate for change, and honor the lived experiences of marginalized communities? This course uses artworks in LACMA’s collection to encourage critical thinking about historical and contemporary social justice issues, and build confidence in integrating art into interdisciplinary lesson plans that inspire real-world connections and elevate student agency.
Careers in the Arts - The Otis Report on the Creative Economy
The Otis Report on the Creative Economy is an annual report commissioned by Otis College of Art and Design since 2007 focusing on the ways in which California’s creative industries form an essential part of its overall economy. The report highlights five creative industries and eight regional snapshots with a special spotlight on Los Angeles. The Otis Report is an invaluable tool to assess the tremendous impact and influence of the creative sector on the state and regional economy.
Resources for Teachers and Families
LACMA At Home Curriculum
NAEA Remote Learning Toolbox
New Victory Theater Arts Break
Wishing Everyone a Happy Holidays, 2020
From,
The Visual and Performing Arts Department of San Gabriel Unified.