iLEAD Lancaster Charter School Newsletter

Kimberli Lengning spent 15 years in banking before making the decision to return to college to become... a nurse! She quickly realized that an innate squeamishness about blood and questionable odors meant taking more general education classes before committing to a career in the medical field. It was while volunteering in her children's elementary school classrooms that she heard the clarion call of education: "It hit me in the heart. I gradually came to realize that I can do this!" she recalls, chuckling at the image of herself as a brand new teacher, wielding some chalk and repeating, "Okay, okay," over and over again to a class of energetic and joyful kindergarteners. Seventeen years later, the chalk is gone but the calling, the vocation to teach, remains strong and focused.

An avid reader, writer, historian, photographer, and hiker, Kim always sought to infuse the joy of learning into the classroom - indoors and outside. Since one teacher cannot possibly teach every skill a child will need for a successful life, Kim believes the charge of education in a democratic society is to teach children to think. Problem-solvers and critical thinkers have the cognitive tools to make sense out of the world and their place within it - to great success.

Kim lives in Palmdale with her husband of many years, Dan the Fishing Man. Her two sons are married. Danny is a game warden stationed in Ventura County, married, with an opinionated toddler named Mable. Dustin, a teacher with SCVi, is the father of Mason - the child prodigy who eats his body weight daily in pureed vegetables. Always an animal lover, Kim has two rescue dogs, Eadie and Rupert, a pond filled with fish, and a cricket who lives under the refrigerator.

iLEAD Lancaster Charter School

ART: The "A" IN iLEAD

At iLEAD we believe that the arts are the cornerstone for all learning. Art instruction is not be a "stand alone" subject. iLEAD students experience a curriculum in which the process of art will be woven into all subject areas. iLEAD students innovate, create and explore the world through the artistic experience. A student's individual artistic talent is celebrated and developed.

WHY INCLUDE THE ARTS?

The power of the arts-- to touch the whole human being - mind, body, spirit - makes it the most consequential tool we have for reaching children during the most important years of their learning lives. That makes arts integration a powerful tool for teaching students in the curricular areas that are tested.

Benefits of Arts Education

*Stimulates and develops the imagination and critical thinking, and refines cognitive and creative skills.

*Has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries.

*Strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement and school success.

*Develops a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and goal-setting-skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

*Teaches children life skills such as developing an informed perception; articulating a vision; learning to solve problems and make decisions; building self-confidence and self-discipline; developing the ability to imagine what might be; and accepting responsibility to complete tasks from start to finish.

*Nurtures important values, including team-building skills; respecting alternative viewpoints; and appreciating and being aware of different cultures and traditions.

(Source: Americans for the Arts, 2002)

"Arts education aids students in skills needed in the workplace: flexibility, the ability to solve problems and communicate, the ability to learn new skills, to be creative and innovative, and to strive for excellence."

- Joseph M. Calahan, Director of Cooperate Communications, Xerox Corporation

In addition, Art in school:

*Plays a central role in cognitive, motor, language, and social-emotional development.

*Motivates and engages children in learning, stimulates memory, facilitates understanding, enhances symbolic communication, promotes relationships, and provides an avenue for building competence.

Provides a natural source of learning. Child development specialists note that play is the business of young children; play is the way children promote and enhance their development. The arts are a most natural vehicle for play.

(Source: Young Children and the Arts: Making Creative Connections, 1998, Introduction)

See below for videos for examples of Art integration and for information about the importance of integrating Art in educational experiences:

THE ROLE OF ART IN EDUCATION

Art Works: Integrating Creativity in the Curriculum

Music and Dance Drive Academic Achievement

WHAT ART INTEGRATION LOOKS LIKE: A WALDORF SCHOOL

Although we are not a Waldorf School--we use similar techniques to integrate the arts and other subject areas

ART: PREPARATION FOR THE "CREATIVE ECONOMY"

"It is in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough-it's technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing."

-Steve Jobs, in introducing the iPad 2 in 2011

"Art does not solve problems, but makes us aware of their existence," sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz has said. Arts education, on the other hand, does solve problems. Years of research show that it's closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.

(Source: Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best

Art and music are key to student development. BY FRAN SMITH)

At iLEAD our students will be prepared to innovate solutions, to think critically and to create their future!

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

The iLEAD Lancaster Founding Team