Washington Elementary School has been accepted to the Turnaround Arts: California, program, a network of 26 schools leveraging the arts to support whole-school transformation.
The program will expand the arts throughout the school and provide professional development and financial support that helps to inspire students through new initiatives. Washington joins Abbott Elementary as LUSD schools who are a part of the network.
“We believe that the arts will create many opportunities for our students and provide them with an education that teaches them how to work collaboratively, builds their confidence, and stimulates their creativity and uniqueness,” Washington Principal Sandra Verduzco said. “Our school team looks forward to working in partnership with Turnaround Arts to build high-value arts assets to strategically address our school’s biggest needs.”
With continued commitment to the arts, Washington has established an Arts Leadership Team (ALT) composed of school leaders who will engage in learning and piloting arts strategies in their classrooms and reflect on student impact. Washington will ultimately create a multi-year Strategic Arts Plan.
With support of collaborating partner P.S. ARTS, the multi-year Turnaround Arts program provides teachers and principals with individualized coaching and professional development to help them build and implement a school-wide vision for the arts. This includes support and training to help teachers integrate the arts into core academic subjects, providing culturally and linguistically responsive entry points for learning.
TACA also provides arts resources, funding, and project planning support to help schools partner with community-based arts organizations to implement artistic residencies, family art nights, school musicals, and other projects to engage the broader school community. As part of the partnership, Lynwood Unified School District is also ensuring 45 minutes of standalone arts instruction for each student on a weekly basis.
“We look forward to working with Washington Elementary. It is now, more important than ever, to provide culturally responsive arts experiences in which students feel seen and honored,” Malissa Shriver, Turnaround Arts: California Co-founder, said. “Arts Education empowers students, teachers and principals - it is foundational to learning and enables personalized instruction and promotes social and emotional wellness.”