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Schenectady High School

Schenectady’s Sayles School of Fine Arts
Receives National Arts Education Award

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced today that Schenectady High School’s John Sayles School of Fine Arts (SSFA) has been selected as one of five schools in the country - the only school in New York State - to receive the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education Award for their work during the 2007-2008 school year.  The award recognizes schools that have made the arts an essential part of their students’ education.  SSFA will receive a monetary award to support the fine arts education program.  This exciting news comes just six months after The Kennedy Center Education Network and National School Boards Association presented Schenectady’s Board of Education with a national award for support of high quality arts education.

“This is exciting news,” said Superintendent Eric Ely.  “We are very proud of our fine arts program in Schenectady.”  He added, “The school’s success and this recognition is a testament to the talent and dedication of our staff and students.”

The New York State Alliance for Arts Education nominated the Sayles School of Fine Arts for the award.  Selection criteria at the national level included a review of the ways in which arts education is an essential component of the school curriculum; how the program creates and uses imaginative learning environments for teaching and learning in, through and about the arts; how the arts program provides opportunities for parent involvement in education; how the program provides opportunities for learning about other cultures through the arts; and how the program links arts education to community cultural resources.

“I am so proud and honored by this award,” said Peg Normandin, house principal of the Sayles School of Fine Arts. “It is great to see this national recognition of our fine arts students, teachers, and administration for the outstanding things that occur in the John Sayles School of Fine Arts every day.”  Normandin added, “To be named one of five schools in the country to receive this honor is a tribute to the talent, support, and dedication of our community.”

The John Sayles School of Fine Arts is one of five smaller learning communities at Schenectady High School.  Students who attend SSFA have the opportunity to study visual arts, music, dance, media arts, and theatre.  Course work is taught during the school day and includes acting, tap, jazz dance, drawing, piano, filmmaking, chamber choir and International Baccalaureate music and art.  The state-of-the art facilities include the Black Box Theatre, dance studio, video production studio, media arts lab, piano lab, music studios, art studios and a gallery. 

The awards program is an initiative of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network (KCAAEN), a coalition of 32 statewide, not-for-profit organizations that work with the Kennedy Center. 

Other recipients of the award are Berlin Intermediate School (Berlin, MD), Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School (Silver Spring, MD), Normal Park Museum Magnet School (Chattanooga, TN) and Winters Mill High School (Westminster, MD).

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Daily Gazette 09/24/08
Fine Arts program selected for education award  Schenectady's Sayles School nets national honor  READ