Pomona USD Arts Education School Board Surveys 2009
Pomona USD Candidates
Click for arts education survey responses.
| John Avila | Frank Guzman | Adrienne Konigar-Macklin |
| Nancy Matarrita | Hank Mollet |
Adrienne Konigar-Macklin
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2009 ARTS EDUCATION CANDIDATE SURVEY
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Candidate: Adrienne Konigar-Macklin
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| District: Pomona USD |
Website: akmacklin4kids.org |
| 1. | |
| Your district has embarked on a ten-year initiative to restore meaningful sequential arts education back into its core curriculum. What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the plan?
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The plan takes into consideration that the arts are an important aspect of our society and our children should have exposure to as many genre as possible. The funding from the state is insufficient to allow expansion. |
| 2. | |
| If you are not familiar with the plan, what do you think your district can and should do to make this work more visible? | Partner with other organizations, introduce the arts more fully to all children. |
| 3. | |
| What role do you think the arts can play in supporting key priorities of the district such as reducing the dropout rate, closing the achievement gap, and preparing more students for college eligibility? | The arts promote expression and creativity. Art can serve as an outlet and career path for students who are non-traditional learners and serve as a basis to stay in school and focus on a talent. |
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| In light of the current budget crisis, the state is now allowing local school districts flexibility to redirect their allocation from the “art and music block grant” to fund other local priorities. How would you balance the need to invest in arts education with the other financial challenges facing your district? | I would look at the programs within the District and attempt to allocate funding to all after having focused discussions on the needs of each. Secure private funding and partnerships. |
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Did you have meaningful experiences with art (visual, dance, drama, music) growing up? Please tell us about that experience. |
Yes. I was a member of a dance group. We traveled, so as an inner city student I got to experience a different world of possibilities. |
| 6. | |
| Please take a moment to include any additional comments. | I am a patron of the arts. I cannot envision a life without the arts. Children have a natural creativity and we should do everything possible to encourage them to express themselves and share theri talents with others. But we have to support them and see the Arts as a true part of the academic and educational process. |
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For more information about arts education, please visit the following websites: L.A.U.S.D. Arts Education Information Arts for All: LA County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education California Alliance for Arts Education Arts for LA is a 501(c)(3) arts advocacy organization working to foster a healthy environment in which the arts and culture may thrive and be accessible to all in Los Angeles County. The objective of this survey is to help inform candidates as well as community stakeholders about arts education related issues. It is not an endorsement of any one candidate. |
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Frank Guzman
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2009 ARTS EDUCATION CANDIDATE SURVEY
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| Candidate: Frank Guzman |
Email: electfrankguzman@live.com |
| District: Pomona USD |
Website: www.electfrankguzman.com |
| 1. | |
| Your district has embarked on a ten-year initiative to restore meaningful sequential arts education back into its core curriculum. What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the plan?
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I am not familar with the plan. |
| 2. | |
| If you are not familiar with the plan, what do you think your district can and should do to make this work more visible? | The district needs to make such a program visable to all of its constituents. We need to be part of the plan and have imput in the plan. We need to be sure that such a plan is executed. |
| 3. | |
| What role do you think the arts can play in supporting key priorities of the district such as reducing the dropout rate, closing the achievement gap, and preparing more students for college eligibility? | The arts play a major role in the development of students. Self expression helps the children feel confident in themselves. The arts encourage self expression. When children are encouraged by others and themselves they succeed. This definitely helps to reduce the drop out rate, and give children the motivation to want a college education. |
| 4. | |
| In light of the current budget crisis, the state is now allowing local school districts flexibility to redirect their allocation from the “art and music block grant” to fund other local priorities. How would you balance the need to invest in arts education with the other financial challenges facing your district? | We are faced with many financial burdens. But we can't take from the programs that students need. I strongly feel that students need the arts in their education. We continue to take from such programs, however, we need to stop. We need to audit each department and see where the waste is going and we need to stop taking it directly from the classroom and the students. The arts need to be a priority in this district. The audits would help us eliminate our waste and put the funds into the classroom and valuable programs such as the arts. |
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Did you have meaningful experiences with art (visual, dance, drama, music) growing up? Please tell us about that experience. |
Yes. During my middle school years I participated in band and during high school I took drama as an elective. These experiences helped me to appreciate the "arts". These are valuable programs that students want and need. I certainly enjoyed my years involved in these programs. |
| 6. | |
| Please take a moment to include any additional comments. | I am a product of the Pomona Unified School District. My children are now students in Pomona USD schools. I have also worked for Pomona USD. Having gone thru the education system here in Pomona, being and active parent and serving as a consultant, I have seen Pomona U.S.D. from the inside and out. Pomona U.S.D. needs change. Because I have seen Pomona from within and as an outsider, I feel I can produce positive change. We can no longer be stagnant. Our kids deserve someone who will fight for them til the end. A vote for Frank Guzman is a vote for change. Pomona children deserve the best, now it's time to give them the best. |
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For more information about arts education, please visit the following websites: L.A.U.S.D. Arts Education Information Arts for All: LA County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education California Alliance for Arts Education Arts for LA is a 501(c)(3) arts advocacy organization working to foster a healthy environment in which the arts and culture may thrive and be accessible to all in Los Angeles County. The objective of this survey is to help inform candidates as well as community stakeholders about arts education related issues. It is not an endorsement of any one candidate. |
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Hank Mollett
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2009 ARTS EDUCATION CANDIDATE SURVEY
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| Candidate: Hank Mollet |
Email: mrmollett@gmail.com |
| District: Pomona USD |
Website: mollet.wordpress.com |
| 1. | |
| Your district has embarked on a ten-year initiative to restore meaningful sequential arts education back into its core curriculum. What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the plan?
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The district has formed a committe which wrote a report on Arts for All. I have not had the opportunity to read the plan, since I had not heard of it till I started this survey. According to the district office, the plan is currently on hold for budgetary reasons. I have asked for a copy of the plan, so I can review it. |
| 2. | |
| If you are not familiar with the plan, what do you think your district can and should do to make this work more visible? | I think the district should publish the plan and speak to it at board meetings. |
| 3. | |
| What role do you think the arts can play in supporting key priorities of the district such as reducing the dropout rate, closing the achievement gap, and preparing more students for college eligibility? | Arts can be a reason for kids to stay in school. Kids that sign up for arts tend to do better in school. If we can grab the kids with programs like art, we can teach them the other things they need to know while they are in school. |
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| In light of the current budget crisis, the state is now allowing local school districts flexibility to redirect their allocation from the “art and music block grant” to fund other local priorities. How would you balance the need to invest in arts education with the other financial challenges facing your district? | Unfortunately, the ability to balance funding among the many programs in a school has nothing to do with educating children. There is not enough funding to adequately teach the majority of children. The district needs to find creative ways to raise funds and spend funds to allow every student access to the arts. |
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Did you have meaningful experiences with art (visual, dance, drama, music) growing up? Please tell us about that experience. |
Yes. I moved a lot while growing up. In the third grade I was selected to learn the violin, then we moved. In junior high school I was the bugler for the boy scouts until we moved. In high school, I was chief photo editor for my school paper. |
| 6. | |
| Please take a moment to include any additional comments. | Thank you for taking the time to consider my responses. |
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For more information about arts education, please visit the following websites: L.A.U.S.D. Arts Education Information Arts for All: LA County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education California Alliance for Arts Education Arts for LA is a 501(c)(3) arts advocacy organization working to foster a healthy environment in which the arts and culture may thrive and be accessible to all in Los Angeles County. The objective of this survey is to help inform candidates as well as community stakeholders about arts education related issues. It is not an endorsement of any one candidate. |
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John Avila
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2009 ARTS EDUCATION CANDIDATE SURVEY
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| Candidate: John Avila |
Email: john.avila@pusd.org |
| District: Pomona USD |
Website: N/A |
| 1. | |
| Your district has embarked on a ten-year initiative to restore meaningful sequential arts education back into its core curriculum. What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the plan?
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Strength: We are able to maintain a paid professional to coordinate and integrate student art (Pre K-12) throughout the community and maintain communication between grade levels. Weakness: State budget cuts have been so severe that "back filling" appears to be 5-10 years away. |
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| If you are not familiar with the plan, what do you think your district can and should do to make this work more visible? | Conduct "best practices" workshops for teaching art in the classroom. Certificated Art teachers can be trained for this purpose and allow teachers strategies to implement the required art curriculum. Follow-up classroom observations and conferencing is important to evaluate and assist teachers in those learned strategies. |
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| What role do you think the arts can play in supporting key priorities of the district such as reducing the dropout rate, closing the achievement gap, and preparing more students for college eligibility? | Evaluating student success includes an assessment in the visual and performing arts. Gifted and talented students need to be assessed in the context of their given talents. Interest and performance in the artsattracts and maintains a students' interest and focus on all subjects. Student interest in the arts maintains a general focus on all school related programs and activities. |
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| In light of the current budget crisis, the state is now allowing local school districts flexibility to redirect their allocation from the “art and music block grant” to fund other local priorities. How would you balance the need to invest in arts education with the other financial challenges facing your district? | Establish and maintain a dialogue with the superintendent and colleagues on the Board on the importance and "as-soon-as-possible" return of adwquate funding of the arts. Lobby the state's legislators to discontinue the district's flexibility to redirect our allocation from the "art and music block grant." |
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Did you have meaningful experiences with art (visual, dance, drama, music) growing up? Please tell us about that experience. |
Yes. Having attended parochial scchools, I participated in drama with all other parochial schools (6). for three years in an annual Shakespear slection. I grades 4-8, I participated in orchestra and band while attending annual youth concerts given by the Denver Symphony Orchestra. I particpated in arts and crafts through the Denver'sParks and Recreation Department. |
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| Please take a moment to include any additional comments. | Public education needs to step up and address basic academic skills and student achievement. Without the arts, I don't believe we can meet the challege! |
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For more information about arts education, please visit the following websites: L.A.U.S.D. Arts Education Information Arts for All: LA County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education California Alliance for Arts Education Arts for LA is a 501(c)(3) arts advocacy organization working to foster a healthy environment in which the arts and culture may thrive and be accessible to all in Los Angeles County. The objective of this survey is to help inform candidates as well as community stakeholders about arts education related issues. It is not an endorsement of any one candidate. |
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Nancy Matarrita
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2009 ARTS EDUCATION CANDIDATE SURVEY
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| Candidate: Nancy Matarrita |
Email: nancy4pomona@gmail.com |
| District: Pomona USD |
Website: www.nancy4pomona.20m.com |
| 1. | |
| Your district has embarked on a ten-year initiative to restore meaningful sequential arts education back into its core curriculum. What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the plan?
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It is a wonderful goal to restore meaningful sequential arts education back into the core curriculum of Pomona Schools. I am concerned, however, that teachers and administrators feel pressured to concentrate on subjects like English and Math which are being tested and used to judge school performance, rather than restoring arts education. I am also concerned that the teachers may not have the arts background necessary to thoroughly teach art in an impactful way. |
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| If you are not familiar with the plan, what do you think your district can and should do to make this work more visible? | Other than just a proclamation, we need a plan to implement the arts into the classroom, and not just in token efforts. The district should utilize excess facilities for arts education, such as theatres and paint studios. Take inventory of the arts experience of our teachers and use those strengths to teach a higher quality, more personalized art education. |
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| What role do you think the arts can play in supporting key priorities of the district such as reducing the dropout rate, closing the achievement gap, and preparing more students for college eligibility? | Fine arts and performing arts are often the major attractions to keep students in school. Art can also be an effective medium to distract from and to refocus problem behavior into something constructive and beautiful. Arts can also help to close the achievement gap as low performing students buld confidence in something they are good at. |
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| In light of the current budget crisis, the state is now allowing local school districts flexibility to redirect their allocation from the “art and music block grant” to fund other local priorities. How would you balance the need to invest in arts education with the other financial challenges facing your district? | I would want any "redirection" of funds to include an art component, even if it is to purchase reading books - make them about music, painters, dancers, singers and how-tos. New curriculum need to encompass the arts in daily living, even as math problems. |
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Did you have meaningful experiences with art (visual, dance, drama, music) growing up? Please tell us about that experience. |
Yes. Growing up I was in numerous school drama productions, including as Helen Keller in the Miracle Worker. In addition, my parents were very much into art such as oil and watercolor painting, ink drawings, clock building, landscape design and bonsai plants as well as sculpture and metal work. They not only collected pieces, but always had a number of pieces that they were working on. We would tag along for art shows and explore galleries, and we would submit our own pieces to the county Fair for judging. Music, however, was never stressed, but I have made sure that each of my own children took music lessons, usually starting in a PUSD Elementary school. Art was an excuse to learn about history. My parents would drive out to a California mission or Gold mine, just to take some pictures that they could paint. I still have a number of those painting in my own home. |
| 6. | |
| Please take a moment to include any additional comments. | Thank you for the opportunity to share how important the arts are in our lives and how necessary they are for an excellent education. |
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For more information about arts education, please visit the following websites: L.A.U.S.D. Arts Education Information Arts for All: LA County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education California Alliance for Arts Education Arts for LA is a 501(c)(3) arts advocacy organization working to foster a healthy environment in which the arts and culture may thrive and be accessible to all in Los Angeles County. The objective of this survey is to help inform candidates as well as community stakeholders about arts education related issues. It is not an endorsement of any one candidate. |
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