A Burnaby fine arts elementary school has earned a special designation from an American organization dedicated to supporting excellence in art education.
Confederation Park Elementary, the Burnaby school district’s only dedicated fine arts school, earned the “Exemplary School Designation” after an intensive self-evaluation process guided by Arts Schools Network, the largest professional membership organization of specialized arts schools in the U.S. and Canada.
“This is not a competition with another school,” Network executive director Kristy Callaway told the NOW in an email, “but measuring your school against best practices and setting a course to address those areas needing refinement and celebrate areas of success.”
Some schools take multiple years to go through the process, she said.
The Exemplary School Designation lasts for two years, after which schools re-evaluate their performance and apply for a renewal.
This year, 14 schools applied for the first time and five applied for renewals, Callaway said.
While most Arts Schools Network schools are located in the U.S. and Canada, there are some in the U.K., Europe and Singapore.
At Confederation Park, school-wide time and space are provided for students to participate in drama, visual arts, dance and music.
Through arts integration, students partner their “art” learning with subjects like language arts, math, social responsibility, science and social studies, creating lots of hands-on learning experiences.
Students also work with artists-in-residence.
“The Arts Schools Network is pleased to recognize the achievements of this stellar school and congratulates Confederation Park Education Through the Arts Elementary School for its highest quality instruction in arts education,” stated the award’s official press release.
