The Summit provided opportunities for arts educators to attend subject-specific sessions or general sessions connected with the Iowa Fine Arts Standards.
A unique aspect of this event was a survey sent to educators across the state to discover topics of interest and develop specific offerings. Many sessions were also facilitated by educators who are currently using the state standards in their classrooms.
Arts educators in attendance were also able to learn from Keynote speaker Olivia Gude, visual artist and Chair of Art Education, School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ms. Gude also facilitated the closing session.
The FFA Enrichment Center on the DMAAC Ankeny campus was an outstanding venue for this event which included performances by area student musicians and displays of student work. Participants were able to learn from dance, theater, visual art, and music professionals as well as participate in hands-on experiences. One of the most valuable parts of the day, though, was the chance to connect and reconnect with fine arts educators from across the state, including many IAAE members. The success of the Summit will be evident across the state of Iowa as the conversations and ideas that were sparked in June lead to growth in individual classrooms and rehearsals.
During this event IAAE also honored our retiring board members, Mark Lehmann and Maggie Parks.
Sarah Schaefer, IAAE Board Member
