Arts in Our Schools Month

Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM) is a national initiative celebrated in March to highlight the importance of music education. As a Visual & Performing Arts Department in the Westfield Public Schools, we united our MIOSM efforts with Youth Art Month (YAM) to further raise awareness throughout the community across the arts disciplines. We had numerous events throughout March, including student performances, art displays, and a national discussion on the impact of music in schools. These well-attended celebrations showcased the talent of the young musicians and artists in Westfield and raised awareness about the benefits of music and art education.

The events planned for Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM) and Youth Art Month (YAM) advocacy initiative aimed to achieve several key objectives:

Showcase Student Talent

• The MIOSM/YAM reception and MIOSM performances provided platforms for student musicians, including jazz bands, intermediate jazz bands and modern bands, elementary music classes, and spring musicals performers and pit musicians, to perform for the community.
• The YAM display locations at Roig Gallery, Rialto Center, Westfield Library, and One Westfield Place exhibited student artwork, further highlighting our students’ creative talents.

Raise Awareness of Music Education Benefits

• The MIOSM/YAM reception and MIOSM performances allowed the community to experience music education firsthand and understand its value.
• Harmony on Capitol Hill, a live-streamed event through NAfME, aimed to raise national awareness about the positive impact of music education on students’ academic achievement, cognitive development, and overall well-being. Our District Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts, Shawna Longo, was one of three music educators from across the country selected to speak to members of Congress at this briefing in Washington, DC.

Increase Community Engagement

• The MIOSM/YAM reception at a local gallery offered a chance for community members to interact with students, teachers, and art enthusiasts.
• Displaying artwork at various key locations in downtown Westfield increased community exposure to student work.
• The MIOSM performances, particularly a Breakfast with the Bands event for the Rotary Club, fostered a sense of community by showcasing student talent.

Promote School Spirit and School Events

• The MIOSM performances, including the elementary school assemblies and spring m musicals, generated excitement and school spirit.
• The “March Mania!” Tournament, a fun activity created by The President’s Own United States Marine Band within Westfield High School and across our music department, offered students and staff a unique way to engage with the music program.

The Westfield Music In Our Schools Month and Youth Art Month advocacy initiative focused on students and community members for a two-pronged approach:

Celebrating Student Achievements: This initiative aimed to showcase the artistic and musical talents nurtured within our school system. By displaying 180+ pieces of student artwork and featuring performances by students across our K-12 school district music program, the event provided a platform for students to receive recognition from the community. This fosters a sense of pride in their accomplishments and motivates them to continue pursuing their artistic endeavors.

Building Community Support: Including the community was crucial to garnering continued support for the arts programs in Westfield schools. By inviting community members to the opening reception as well as other MIOSM/YAM events, the initiative aimed to: Raise Awareness: Showcase the value and impact of arts education on student development.

Generate Enthusiasm: Witnessing the talent and passion of young artists and musicians inspires community members to become advocates for continued investment in our arts programs.

Strengthen Ties: Creating a shared experience where students, parents, and community members come together fosters a sense of connection and underlines the importance of the arts in enriching the entire community.

In essence, focusing on students and the community creates a positive feedback loop. Students are celebrated, the community is engaged, and this combined support strengthens the arts programs within Westfield Public Schools.

As a Visual & Performing Arts Department, we began planning for our MIOSM & YAM advocacy efforts before the school year began.

Planning & Development (August – December 2024)
Our department began planning for the annual Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM) and Youth Art Month (YAM) before the school year. The new Visual & Performing Arts Supervisor researched past events and brainstormed new ideas. This year’s highlights included:

• Downtown YAM Art Display: Student artwork displayed in multiple locations.
• MIOSM Tour: Intermediate School Bands performed assemblies at all elementary schools.
• MIOSM/YAM Resolution: Board of Education resolution supporting the arts.
• WHS Spring Musical Preview: Performance at a Board of Education meeting.

We partnered with the Westfield Coalition for the Arts to support transportation and refreshments. Dates and logistics were confirmed by December.

Promotion and Events (January – March 2025)
Promotional materials were created and events were announced through social media, school newsletters, and press releases. Events included:

• March 2: “Breakfast with the Bands” featuring six jazz bands from across the district (collaboration with the Rotary Club of Westfield).
• March 5: MIOSM/YAM Gallery Opening & Reception at The Roig Gallery featuring high school music ensembles, followed by a Board of Education presentation with a WHS Spring Musical preview.
• March 8: MIOSM Tour to all elementary schools, showcasing instruments and music.
• March (variable dates): Spring Musicals at both intermediate schools and WHS. A Golden Pass is offered to local senior citizens for free admission.
• March (variable dates): Additional MIOSM assemblies featuring general music classes at many elementary schools.
• Sousa’s March Mania!: A bracket competition for WHS band students and district music teachers where the winner conducts a march performed at the WHS Band Spring Concert.

This comprehensive plan ensures a month-long celebration of the arts in our schools and community.

Shawna Longo – District Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts for the Westfield Public Schools. Provided oversight and management of the entire MIOSM/YAM advocacy initiative. 80+ Hours

Mary Ann McGann – School & Community Relations Coordinator for the Westfield Public Schools. Assisted with designing and disseminating promotional materials. 2+ Hours

Chris Vitale & Gabriel Batiz – WHS Band Directors. Planned and ran logistics for the Breakfast with the Bands Rotary Event/Performances. 30+ Hours

James Doyle – Roosevelt Intermediate School Band Director. Rehearsed and conducted 8th grade Band, 2 Jazz Bands, and Afternoon Ramble in various performances throughout the month. 30+ hours

John Scozzaro – Edison Intermediate School Band Director. Rehearsed and conducted 8th grade Band and Jazz Band in various performances throughout the month. 25+ hours

Visual and Performing Arts Educators worked tirelessly with our students to prepare for MIOSM/YAM Month.

Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, Thrillshare, Canva, Google Suite for Education, various pieces of music, press releases distributed to local media outlets

Our MIOSM/YAM advocacy initiative in Westfield Public Schools thrived using a multi-pronged approach to marketing and promoting.

Spreading the Word: Newsletters across the district, including PTO channels, kept everyone informed. We utilized social media (Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram) with eye-catching visuals and student stories to create a buzz. Press releases with interviews further amplified our message. Additionally, the WHS BDTV program created a dedicated video showcasing our initiative.

Community Champions: We partnered with the Rotary Club of Westfield, Westfield Coalition for the Arts, Westfield Art Association, galleries, the Library, and prominent locations like One Westfield Place and Center for Creativity at the Rialto. These partnerships expanded our reach and generated local excitement. Student artwork displays in these locations fostered community engagement.

Engaging Audiences: A YAM Student Artwork Competition, with winning pieces displayed prominently at the opening reception, incentivized student participation and generated excitement. Multiple small ensembles from the WHS band and orchestra performed, creating a more engaging and collaborative experience.

Measurable Success: These strategies resulted in a significant turnout at the first-ever opening reception, demonstrating increased community support. Student participation flourished, fostering school pride and encouraging artistic exploration. News articles and social media posts further elevated public awareness of the importance of arts education.

Overall, our well-rounded marketing and promotion plan significantly amplified the MIOSM/YAM initiative, solidifying its importance within Westfield.

$1,500 total for the MIOSM Tour school buses to transport the intermediate school bands to each elementary school.

Securing funding for transporting our 8th-grade bands on the MIOSM tour was seamless. The strong relationship with the Westfield Coalition for the Arts (WCA) led to them readily covering half the cost of two school buses.

However, the Youth Art Month (YAM) displays presented a different challenge. In previous years, we displayed student artwork in 30+ businesses downtown, a tradition paused by the pandemic. Reenergizing the tradition proved cumbersome. The WCA aimed to kick off a Student Ambassador program with YAM as their launch event. Unfortunately, with less than two months to go, WCA couldn’t manage such a large undertaking.

This required a swift pivot. Leveraging existing relationships, we secured prime locations for displaying over 180 artworks: The Rialto Center (featuring promotion on their marquee), the Roig Gallery, One Westfield Place, and the Westfield Library. These strategic locations, within 2 blocks of each other, proved far more successful than the previous scattered approach. The feedback from both art teachers and the community was extremely positive. The opening reception saw a remarkable turnout – students, parents, and community members admiring the artwork. This transformed challenge became a resounding success, a testament to the power of quick thinking and collaboration.

We have some evidence suggesting the initiative had positive effects in our schools, but more data could strengthen the case. Here’s what we can glean:

Positive effects
Increased community engagement: The joint opening reception at the Roig Gallery brought together students, parents, and the community with a large rate of attendance – as evidenced in the attached photos. This suggests the initiative raised awareness and garnered support for the arts programs.

Student recognition: Highlighting student artwork and featuring student musicians suggests the initiative fostered a sense of pride and accomplishment among participants.

Media coverage: News articles about the event indicate the initiative received some public attention.
For this coming year, I plan to increase our data collection for a stronger measurement of our effectiveness including:

• Attendance figures: Knowing how many people attended the reception as well as other events would show the initiative’s reach. I plan to put systems in place to assist with tracking attendance.
• Surveys: Surveying students, parents, & community before/after the initiative could gauge changes in attitudes towards the arts programs.
• Increased enrollment in arts programs: Tracking enrollment figures in music/art classes after the initiative could indicate a rise in student interest. This will take a few years to fully measure the potential impact on our advocacy efforts.
• Participation in school performances: Monitoring attendance at school concerts, plays, or art exhibits could show if our advocacy initiative led to a more engaged audience. I plan to use BookTix next year and require all VPA performances/events attendees to register for tickets. This will give us solid data to track attendance at our school concerts, plays, musicals, and events.

While the initiative’s format seems positive, collecting the data mentioned above would provide a clearer picture of its effectiveness in achieving the goals of promoting the arts and student participation.

Westfield Public School District’s combined advocacy initiative for Music in Our Schools Month and Youth Art Month had a positive ripple effect across the student body, ten schools, district, and even the local community through:

Student Engagement and Creativity

Showcasing Talent: The initiative provided a platform for students, from kindergarten to high school, to showcase their artistic and musical talents. This public recognition boosts student confidence, inspires further creativity, and encourages participation in the arts.

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Combining visual arts and music in the opening reception sparked cross-disciplinary arts connections for students.

School and District Spirit

Community Building: Events like the opening reception create a space for students, parents, teachers, and community members to come together. This fosters a sense of school spirit and elevated pride in our arts program.

District-Wide Recognition: Highlighting the arts program across the entire district showcases its value to the administration and board of education. This can lead to increased support and resources for the program in the future.

Local Community Impact

Positive Publicity: Events showcasing student talent can generate positive local press coverage. This not only benefits the schools but also raises awareness of the importance of arts education in the community.

Engaging the Community: The opening reception at the Roig Gallery drew patrons from outside the school community. This exposure helped spark interest in the arts program and lead to additional partnerships.

Overall, Westfield’s combined initiative demonstrates a commitment to a wellrounded education that includes the arts. This not only benefits the students directly involved but also fosters a vibrant and creative school environment that resonates with the wider community.

Partner schools & arts organizations to plan joint events & spread awareness. Organize exhibitions & performances featuring student art & music. Press releases, social media, & local media coverage can amplify your message. Host an opening reception or town hall to connect with parents & residents.

In reflecting upon this initiative, this coming year, I am personally excited to have completed my first year as the District Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts. I gained a lot of knowledge and experience over this past year and look forward to further developing our programs and expanding this advocacy initiative.

One thing that I will do differently, given that I now have a year of experience and deeper relationships with the various parties and partnerships involved in Westfield, is that I will be able to plan specific aspects of the initiative earlier on. For instance, all of the events are already on our VPA Department calendar and website. The opening reception at the Roig Gallery came together in early February including the student artwork competition. I will be happy to have those details sorted out much earlier in the process to ensure smoother planning and ease of promotion.