In the September 2008 CAPE Communiqué:				CAPE's Mission CAPE advances the arts as a vital strategy for improving teaching and learning by increasing students' capacity for academic success, critical thinking and creativity. CAPE's Vision CAPE works toward a future in which: • students are valued as creators of culture in our society; • teachers, artists and students work collaboratively to develop and share innovative approaches to teaching and learning in and through the arts in our public schools; • teachers, artists, school administrators and parents recognize the arts as a key element in transforming schools into vibrant, creative and successful learning communities; • professional colleagues and partners regularly communicate and share their practices and research in order to continually improve and evolve the field of arts in education; and • policy makers, business leaders and all citizens value the arts in education as essential to a just and equal society, a thriving economy and an inclusive democratic culture. Board of Directors Nancy Jones Emrich, Pres. Phil Cote, Vice President Paula S. Carlin, Treasurer Jan Woelffer, Secretary Richard M. Assmus Frank Baiocchi Christine K. Buck Jeffrey A. Byrnes Dawnmarie Domingo Carol P. Eastin Sean D. Egan, Ph.D. Stephen Flisk P. Loreen Mershimer Mel Smith Beth Swanson Phillip Thomas Bill Tuggle Donate to CAPE With your financial support, CAPE can bring its extraordinary teaching and learning philosophies and methods to educators and children throughout Chicago. Your gift will enable CAPE to continue to be an effective advocate for positive change in Chicago's public schools. For the third consecutive year Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent evaluator of charities. Follow this link to donate to CAPE.
	1. CAPE's Summer Blowout 2. CAPE Convergence08 3. Summer Highlights		4. CAPE at Disney 5. CAPE Goes to College 6. Research Update
	CAPE colors flew in an end-of-summer fundraising event geared to teens and produced by teens. CAPE's Summer Blowout drew 283 to an all-ages concert at Metro September 7, featuring Kidz in the Hall and Hollywood Holt & Million Dollar Mano. Conceived and produced by Latin High School students Alex Chapman, Justin Lehman and friends, the concert raised $3,500. - - - - In this Communique, we say au revoir to our beloved BCCLA Project Coordinator Erica Tryon, who accepted a position in Albany, New York. Erica has been an instrumental part of CAPE’s achievements during the past three years. She is truly one of the prime reasons the Dept. of Education BCCLA program and partnership with the Fine and Performing Arts Magnet Cluster Program succeeded so beautifully. Thanks to Erica, progressive practices in education and the arts – deep, inquiry based teaching and learning, real collaborative practices, recognition of student capability and leadership, active engagement of parents and community, and so much more – became a part of the daily fabric of so many schools and teachers. Moreover, she brought real personal change, growth, and revitalization to many Chicago Public Schools arts instructors, helping to change perceptions of themselves and what they teach, powerfully impacting professions, and lives.
	For us in the CAPE office, Erica’s personality was a transforming element. Her enthused and delightful sense of humor, her unique and refreshing perspectives, her caring and warm thoughtfulness, and her vibrant and energizing presence contributed immeasurably to our overall spirit as an organization, and as a group of people, colleagues and friends. We are not just glad to know her; we feel we are bettered by knowing her. We all join in wishing the best for Erica, and in congratulating her.
	- - - - This year CAPE Convergence went Southside. All thanks to Chicago State Univeristy and our very own Kay Dawson, Chair of the Art Department at CSU, our annual art exhibit/curriculum fair was held at the school’s University Gallery.
			Some highlights from the event included fossil paintings by students from Walsh Elementary. Led by science teacher Maggie Martinez and teaching artist Guillermo Delgado, students created technicolor renderings of fossils on acetate. The sheets of acetate were suspended from the ceiling and backlit with fluorescent tubes, creating layers of fossils that mimicked the geological strata in which they were found.
	Murray Language Academy teacher Joe Mills and teaching artist Jessi Walsh’s presentation on what creativity looks like asked a really tough question. We can talk about creativity but can we see it in action? The dynamic duo video taped their class sessions over the year and presented footage that challenged perceptions of creative processes. Well done, and something for all of us to think about for next year. Click for more on CAPE Convergence 08.
	CAPE is working closely with Walt Disney Magnet school AND with Disney II, two Chicago public schools dedicated to whole school improvement through the integration of arts and technology across the entire curriculum. Teachers from Walt Disney Magnet attended a 5 day CAPE summer institute on characteristics of effective arts integration, coordinated by Disney staffer Mark Gruntzel and CAPE Founding and Creative Director Arnold Aprill. A wonderful spirit of collaboration and innovative was generated among the teachers at the institute. Teachers composed digital music with musician Sarah Roodhouse, explored Google Earth with technology whiz Brad Fisher, danced, acted, created murals, and planned exciting arts integrated units for their upcoming school year. - - - - Through the efforts of Sherri Bressman and Chuck Sentell, professors at National-Louis University (NLU), CAPE was invited to present a three-day summer institute to NLU students and faculty on arts integration and effective arts education partnerships. Presenters included arts education legend Cynthia Weiss, CAPE master teacher Wendy Schavocky, and talented CAPE first year teachers Jessica Bortman and Tara Rhoden.
	The presenters provided a mix of lecture, demonstration, and hands-on experience. Participants sketched, made books, made memory maps, and designed power-points of their own new arts integrated curricular units. Chuck Sentell described the institute as “one of the peak experiences in my career as an educator”. CAPE Board President Nancy Emrich and CAPE Immediate Past President Mel Smith attended the institute.
	- - - - The New York State Council on the Arts convenes an annual Summer Seminar of all the state funded arts education partnerships through the Empire State Partnerships (ESP). Each July, educators and artists gather on Long Island to explore cutting edge practice in arts education partnerships by attending workshops, looking at each other’s documentation, listening to charismatic keynote speakers, making art, critiquing each other’s work through a methodology known as “peer to peer”, and eating and playing together. CAPE researcher Gail Burnaford and CAPE Founding and Creative Director Arnold Aprill are part of the ESP national faculty, and CAPE staffers Erica Tryon and Mark Diaz attended this year as participants. ESP is an extraordinary opportunity for CAPE to share with and learn from honored colleagues from across the nation. Former CAPE staffer Stephanie Pereira curated an exceptional exhibition of student artwork from all over New York State. Arnie met up with ESP artists after Summer Seminar for his first ever visit to Coney Island, just in time for the Second Annual Last Season of Coney Island, complete with fireworks, sideshows, and last ditch efforts to keep developers from shutting down the amusement park forever. - - - - CAPE teaching artists Mike Bancroft and Nick Jaffe and CAPE staffers Yanira Cirino and Arnold Aprill braved washed out roads and vague detour signs to meet the staff and faculty of Chicago's Bronzeville Academic Center Alternative High School in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for a retreat / planning day exploring arts integration from both theoretical and hands-on perspectives. Nick led the Bronzeville team through composing and recording highly original sound installations, and Mike led the group through creating visual art installations using recycled materials. - - - - CAPE Research Associate Laura Tan and CAPE teaching artist Jenny Steinman Heyden participated in the Arts, Culture, and the Community conference hosted by the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Center for Urban Initiatives and Research in cooperation with the Cultural Alliance of Greater Milwaukee. Jenny’s work at Louis J. Agassiz Elementary was featured in the keynote presentation by CAPE Founding and Creative Director Arnold Aprill, and Laura and Arnold sat in on the breakout sessions in order to identify trends for a reflection session at the end of the conference. After the conference concluded, Arnold was interviewed by Milwaukee Public Radio about strategies for creating connections between cultural institutions and communities. Click to listen to Arnie's interview.
	CAPE began a partnership with the Christopher House Logan Square community center (3255 W. Altgeld) last year when dancer Zineb Chraibi began teaching in the pre-school program and visual artist Juan-Carlos Perez began teaching in the school age program at the site. CAPE staffers Scott Sikkema and Arnold Aprill and CAPE early childhood expert Catherine Main provided professional development to the faculty on CAPE’s approach. This partnership has reached a whole new level by bringing together students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members to create a collaborative mosaic under the direction of artists Juan-Carlos, Mirtes Zwierzynski and Phil Schuster, working with Christopher House project coordinator Colleen Douglas through the generous support of the LISC/New Communities Program. The mosaic is being made using a “bricolage” technique, combining tile work with mirrors, colored grout and sculptural elements. There will an extravaganza/unveiling on October 16, 2008 from 5-8 p.m. Please join us! This collaboration promises to forge new territory in parent and community involvement in CAPE’s methodology. - - - - This summer, the BCCLA project produced its third Summer Series of workshops for Magnet Cluster Lead Teachers. Arts teachers attended workshops in all disciplines, led by working artists and artist organizations from around the city of Chicago. The series included workshops with The House Theater, Deeply Rooted Dance Company, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Mucca Pazza – a punk rock marching band, and various individual artists. In addition, for the second time, the project worked with Three Walls Gallery in the West Loop to produce Three Walls, a three week intensive artist residency for arts teachers. Six arts teachers participated this year, and displayed their work at a formal Three Walls Gallery opening on August 7, 2008. - - - - In the first portion of the summer, CAPE Research Associate Laura Tan whittled away at data with Gail Burnaford and other CAPE researchers. It was during this time that the CAPE office gradually morphed into a repository of plastic bins and student work. By the end of the summer, and with Gail’s great efforts, the SCALE (Supporting Communities Through Arts Learning Environments) report for 2007-2008 was completed as well as the final three-year report for BCCLA (Building Curriculum, Community, and Leadership through the Arts). Louanne Smolin also completed and presented the Design Seminar report to CAPE staff. PDFs of these research reports will be available on the CAPE web site soon, as will printed executive summaries of this important research.

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