ARMSTRONG MIDDLE TEACHERS ATTEND SUMMER PROGRAM - Faculty members of Armstrong Middle School who attended the 2019 Louisiana A+ Fellows summer program on the school campus were, bottom row, from left, Rachel Lock (LAA+), Jessica Offord (AMS teacher), Mellanie Lemelle (AMS teacher), Raven Woods (AMS teacher), Brittany Guidry (AMS teacher), Shelly Nork (AMS teacher), Jamie Hipp (LAA+); second row: Kelly Broussard (AMS teacher), Rebecca Comeaux (AMS teacher), Ashleigh Monceaux (AMS teacher), Simone Stutes (AMS teacher), Maria Dupont (AMS teacher), Bonnie Austin (AMS teacher); third row, Josh Chambers (LAA+), Ericka Buller (AMS teacher), Rebecca Orillion (AMS teacher), Juliet Kring (AMS teacher), Catherine Bearb (AMS teacher); top row, Cissy Whipp (LAA+), Angie Roussel (LAA+), Marcus Leleux (AMS teacher), Matthew Credeur (AMS teacher), Melanie Alexander (LAA+). (Acadian-Tribune Photo by Lisa Soileaux)
‘Summer Institute’ held at AMS; prepare for new school year
RAYNE - Once again, Louisiana A+ Fellows were at Armstrong Middle School, a Louisiana A+ school, in June to train teachers how to integrate the arts into the curriculum.
Teachers have been trained to incorporate music, dance, drama, and visual arts into their subject areas. This training was a follow up to a week-long training that was completed last summer, in addition to training and observations completed during the 2018-19 school year.
Louisiana A+ Schools began in 2013 as an initiative of the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA). In 2017, after several years of success, the Rodrigue family transitioned LAA+ into its own public non-profit organization to ensure the growth and long-term sustainability of the mission.
LAA+ is supported by GRFA and the leadership of a diverse statewide board. Fellows provide ongoing, year-round professional development in arts integration to LAA+ Schools.
LAA+ Fellows conducting the training this summer were Mary Nunnery Williams, Founding Fellow and Administrative Assistant of LAA+Schools from Baton Rouge; Angie Roussel, math teacher from St. James Parish School District; Jamie Hipp, professional actress and an adjunct professor of education at Louisiana State University; Cissy Whipp, performer, choreographer and dance educator from Lafayette; Melanie Alexander, elementary music specialist from Baton Rouge; Rachel Lock, LAA+ Program Director from Lafayette; Alexis Minor, Social Media Coordinator for LAA+; Josh Chambers, an accomplished artist from North Louisiana.
Visual artist Josh Chambers volunteered his time during the training program to create a mural for Armstrong Middle. The unique and visually appealing mural incorporates the 7 Leader in Me Habits and Art Integration.
During the training, teachers painted wooden butterflies depicting their artistic strength, which were added to the completed mural.
Chambers holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Louisiana Tech University and a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. He began teaching for the Talented Arts Program after serving as a museum educator for two art museums in North Louisiana.
He actively engages in the local and regional arts community by serving on the board of directors of the Bossier Arts Council and providing workshops and other services throughout the region.
Maintaining an active career as a gallery artist, Chambers’ work has been published in New American Paintings, Creative Quarterly, and Studio Visit Magazine. His work can be found in Graphite Galleries in New Orleans, Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge, and The Agora Borealis in Shreveport. His works are also in the permanent collections of the Masur Museum of Art in Louisiana, the Lessedra Gallery in Bulgaria, and numerous private collections.
Artists (visual, musical, dance, or drama) interested in volunteering to work with or share their talents with students during the upcoming 2019-2020 school year, can contact Theresa Higginbotham at Armstrong Middle, 337-334-3377 or thigginbotham@acadia.k12.la.us.