2012-283 EDC - Arts - Glenwood Elementary School PTA for Spring 2012 Grassroots Arts Awards $ 1,000

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A Proposal to Further Multi-Cultural Education Through the Arts Glenwood Elementary School in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District is a highly culturally diverse setting which prides itself on serving students and families from all over the world. Walk through the halls at Glenwood and you will see flags flying every few feet which represent the different countries from which Glenwood students originate. We are asking the Orange County Arts Commission to assist us in our goal of continuing our multi-cultural tradition by providing us with funding for fun, educational multi-cultural arts programming at our school. Glenwood Elementary is Chapel Hill's oldest operating school with a great sense of history and community, and is home to 506 K-5 students. The school has one of the most diverse populations in the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools and hosts one of the few Mandarin/English Dual Language programs in the country. Glenwood receives funding as a Title 1 school, and over 20% of our students receive free and reduced lunch. Students come from almost every continent and speak over 15 languages. Our school is home to a diverse mixture of students including those who need ESL services as well as assistance with learning differences. Every fall we celebrate our diversity by hosting a Multi-Cultural Gala event that highlights the cultural features of all our families, bringing the community together to experience food, costumes, music and displays from around the world. In addition to our commitment to provide a multicultural education to Glenwood's students, we are committed to equalizing and closing the"achievement gap" frequently experienced by students of African American descent. One of Glenwood's highest priorities is to boost the performance of children from ethnic backgrounds who display slightly lower academic performance. We believe that exposure to and experiences with the arts in education is one key ingredient to realizing this goal. Our school prioritizes the success of lower performing students and closing the achievement gap. Our"School Improvement Plan" emphasizes the need to utilize culturally proficient instructional strategies in order to improve the learning of all of our students. Culturally proficient teaching strategies are of key importance to Glenwood teachers. Teachers have spent many hours in equity training. During the 2011-12 school year every teacher completed an equity self assessment and participated in staff activities which led to important and courageous conversations about race and cultural differences in students. We strive to make our teaching strategies culturally relevant for all students. Glenwood staff engages students in multi-cultural activities throughout the school year. Students participate in a Multi-Cultural Gala Event in the Fall during which Glenwood families showcase food and items from their cultures, in a French Cafe where students and staff participate in a French style outdoor cafe, in a Chinese New Year celebration in which art classes create Chinese art which is displayed throughout the school and in a "Beauty Breakfast" during which parents view the work of students who have described what is beautiful in themselves and others. In most classrooms, parents from different countries are invited to come in and speak about holiday traditions.