A Creative Start to the School Year

A Creative Start to the School Year

Earlier this week, our LAA+ Schools team was on the road in Northern Louisiana to visit Homer Elementary School in Homer, Grace Episcopal School in Monroe, and South Highlands Elementary Magnet in Shreveport. We loved seeing all of the creative, arts-integrated projects in the classrooms!

Two LAA+ Schools Win Art Education Grants

Congratulations to two of our Louisiana A+ Schools! Rollins Place Elementary in Zachary and St. Helena Arts & Technology Academy in Greensburg have been awarded Community Partnership Grants from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. The schools will use the grants to implement in-school or after-school education programs that support music and arts instruction.

Celebrating 20 Years of A+ Schools

A+ Schools Host 20th Anniversary Conference in North Carolina

Earlier this week, our Louisiana A+ Schools team headed to North Carolina to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of A+ Schools. North Carolina began its A+ program in 1995, and since then, the national network of A+ Schools has grown to include four states and over 150 schools.

The three-day conference celebrated the importance of arts in education and featured keynote speakers and sessions by industry leaders. To learn more about the National A+ Schools Consortium, visit nationalaplusschools.org.

(Top left) The LAA+ Schools team attended the anniversary conference in North Carolina. Pictured: Deputy Director Kim Graham, Professional Development Manager Kathleen O'Shaughnessy, GRFA Executive Director Jacques Rodrigue, Director Bethany France. (Bottom left) John Brown of the Windgate Foundation, Vincent Marron ("The Godfather" of A+ Schools), and Jacques Rodrigue. (Right) LAA+ Director Bethany France addresses attendees.

Week Two of the 2015 LAA+ Summer Institutes

Last week, GRFA hosted our second week of the Louisiana A+ Schools Summer Institute at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Entire faculties from seven LAA+ schools attended a week of engaging professional development in arts integration in the classroom. Click here to read The Advertiser's coverage of our Summer Institute.

Click here to view photos from Week 1 of our 2015 Summer Institutes.

Louisiana A+ Schools Summer Institute

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