George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts Welcomes Kim Leavitt as Deputy Director of Louisiana A+ Schools
Leavitt to support arts-integrated network statewide and nationally as LAA+ liaison
New Orleans, La. (July 15, 2013) — The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) is excited to announce and welcome Kim Leavitt as the Deputy Director of Louisiana A+(LAA+) Schools. In this role, Leavitt provides support to a statewide school network and liaisons nationally with other A+ states.
“I cannot overemphasize the importance of having Kim on our team,” says Jacques Rodrigue, Executive Director of the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts. “When experts in government and education heard that Kim was joining us here in Louisiana, the buzz nationally surrounding our state increased considerably. Our peers nationwide will be paying close attention to the A+ movement in arts and education now that Kim is on board.”Prior to joining the Louisiana A+ staff, Leavitt was Director of Education and Community Engagement at The Phoenix Symphony. In that capacity, she launched Mind Over Music, an unprecedented STE[+a]M initiative in which Symphony musicians team-teach alongside classroom teachers to support STEM learning.
Leavitt is also the creator and designer of two nationally known arts integration initiatives, Value Plus Schools and Arts3600, programs launched during her tenure as Director of Arts Education for the Tennessee Arts Commission. Both programs received Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants from the U.S. Department of Education and were cited by the National Governor’s Association as models for states seeking education reform through arts integration.
“I am thrilled to be working with Kim Leavitt,” says Bethany France, Director of LAA+ Schools. “She has been an expert in arts-integration nationwide for over 10 years and I consider her one of my mentors. She has hosted national conferences for thousands of attendees, and I could not be more thrilled to have her working with us in Louisiana.”
“To be part of the revolution that is coming to Louisiana education through the A+ Schools program is an honor,” says Leavitt. “I have followed A+ for many years as it grew in other states, and am thrilled to work with the George Rodrigue Foundation. A+ Schools caters to the way that all students want to learn, and I’m excited to have the chance to be a part of this education movement.”
Leavitt is the former Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Arts Education Advisory Group and has taught workshops and served as a panelist for the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Arts Education Partnership. Before joining the Tennessee Arts Commission, Kim was Managing Director of Theatre Education and Community Outreach for The Renaissance Center in Dickson, TN, a $32 million fine arts facility. While there, she worked as a professional actress, director and playwright for the Renaissance Repertory Company and Gaslight Dinner Theatre and designed and taught theatre courses for children and adults.
About A+ Schools
Started in North Carolina in 1995, A + Schools is a research-based whole school network with a mission of nurturing creativity in every learner through an arts-integrated school network. The network provides teachers with the essentials to think more creatively about how students can apply learning to the real world, and how they can present curricula to students in ways they learn best. Arts integration is achieved through continuous practitioner-led professional development, statewide support networks for teachers and administrators, and partnerships with parents, community resources, media and universities. LAA+ is available to any Louisiana school (public, private charter, birth through 12) through an application process. LAA+ will add 5-10 schools every year.
Louisiana A+ Schools is a program of the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts. GRFA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization advocating the importance of the arts in the development of our youth through a variety of art educational programs.
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