Sigma Alpha Iota

MUSIC MEDLEY Officials Speak on Music Education O ARTS ARE NOT A FRILL n September 15, Dorothy Kittaka and Linda White met with Doug Herbert in Washington, DC to talk about the ways that SAIs can be informed, through the National Department of Education, about the state of the arts in education in the coming year. Herbert serves as Special Assistant, Office of Innovation and Improvement, with the Department of Education. With our new Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, there is hope that he will be a leader as a positive supporter of the arts. "The arts can no longer be treated as a frill…. It is the time to rethink and strengthen arts education." Secretary Duncan made this remark at the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) this past April (see Well-Rounded Curriculum, page 5). Doug Herbert also writes updates on education and the arts at the national level. "…The UCLA researchers found the students engaged in the arts were more likely to be employed in jobs with potential career growth and more involved in volunteerism and the political life of their communities." In reply, Secretary of Education, Duncan said, "These are big effects… (that) we would like to see more schools replicate." Please log on to www.ed.gov and subscribe (free) by clicking About Ed – then Publications (in the blue box to the left) – then Ed Newsletters (blue box, center) — then choose "Education Innovator" for the newsletter, which comes out 10 times a year." TOOT YOUR OWN HORN On September 17, we spoke to Chris Woodside, Assistant Executive Director at the Center for Advocacy, Public Affairs, for The National Association for Music Education (MENC). We discussed the state of the arts in education and what MENC is doing to help support arts educators. It is time that SAIs think inclusively when it comes to the arts. We, as music educators make up an important part of the arts education genres. Individually we have a role as advocates, but we also have responsibility to support and advocate for the survival of the whole arts education community. Woodside indicates that MENC has pledged itself to be a strong voice for arts advocacy and in the coming months will be sponsoring workshops and webinars. To learn more about this, please log on to MENC.org and go to the advocacy section. You can keep up to date with local and federal government policy issues and legislative memos. MENC has many online resources to make your case for the arts. Database of anecdotes, facts, quotes, research and statistics on music education is available along with other supportive materials. TOOT YOUR OWN HORN. Let everyone know what a great music 4 PAN PIPESfall 2010sai-national.org In September, Dorothy Kittaka and Linda White spoke with Doug Herbert of the Department of Education (above, center) and with MENC official Chris Woodside (at left). program you have. Share what you are doing with parents, colleagues, administrators and your community. If you already are doing this, you are a music advocate. Woodside is available to discuss your advocacy situations in your school and community. During our interview with him, we felt that he is genuinely dedicated to music advocacy both locally and nationally and will welcome your comments and scenarios in your location. SAI and MENC would like to hear about your success and concerns. There is a forum to share on the MENC website or by emailing Roz Fehr at rozf@menc.org or share info at dkkittaka@frontier.com. "Music educators play a major role for their students, teaching them that music is magic and passion and joy. There are few things in life that are better than that. If we give each student a way to find that magic and passion, we have done our job." — Michael A. Butera, Executive Director of MENC

• Cover