Mississippi Arts Commission: News

Mississippi Arts commission Model Whole Schools Receive Recognition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 3, 2006

The Mississippi Arts Commission is proud to recognize the accomplishments of two model schools in the agency’s Whole Schools Initiative.  These schools represent two of only four model whole schools in the program across the State of Mississippi.

The National Association for Music Education (MENC) recently selected 12 schools nationwide that provide a Model Music Program.  Nora Davis Magnet School in Laurel, Mississippi was chosen as one of twelve outstanding schools along with schools from New York, Arizona, Vermont and several other states.  All types of programs were considered, from band to choir to general music, elementary to secondary, with large or small enrollment.  MENC received submissions from 45 states with a total of 156 submissions.  Jodie Austin, music teacher at Nora Davis, was honored for exemplary activities with the school’s music program.  The school was awarded a $1,500 grant for the betterment of their music program.  The school has purchased new instruments and music software for the teachers and students.  Austin was also awarded additional funds to assist with her travel expenses to the Model Music Educators Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah held April 19-22.   Austin stated, “My connection with the Mississippi Arts Commission through the Whole Schools Initiative has been the most rewarding time of my career.  I have had opportunities for professional development through programs offered at the Whole Schools Summer Institute and retreats that otherwise would not have been available to me.”  She believes she was selected because of Nora Davis’ innovative programs, one of them being their participation in the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Whole Schools Initiative.

The Mississippi State School Board recently recognized Pierce Street Elementary School in Tupelo, Mississippi for being one of the schools selected nationwide to be included in the Arts Education Partnership’s book Third Space: When Learning Matters.  The book tells the story of the profound changes in the lives of kids, teachers, and parents in ten communities across the country that focus on the arts as a way to create great schools. The book highlights the fact that the schools become caring communities where kids thrive and succeed and teachers find new joy in teaching. The School’s journey to this honor began in the 1994-95 school year, when they started the process of revitalizing teaching and learning through an infusion of the arts into all subjects and areas of the curriculum.  The next year they began their participation in the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Whole Schools Initiative and eventually became one of the Initiative’s Model Schools.  The school now provides high quality arts experiences for students, administrators, parents and community members. 

The Whole Schools Initiative, Mississippi’s first comprehensive statewide arts education program, uses the arts as a vehicle for promoting high-quality instruction and learning for students in all disciplines. This unique program goes far beyond “art for art’s sake” and applies the learning power of the arts across the entire curriculum.

The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency, established by the Mississippi Legislature in 1968. Its mission is to be the catalyst for the arts in Mississippi. It upholds this mission through grant programs, professional development opportunities and other services to schools, communities, arts organizations and individual artists through the state. The Commission is funded by the Mississippi legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Wallace Foundation and other private sources.

« Back to headlines

Copyright 2006–2011 Mississippi Arts Commission