School board to consider new fine arts director at Aug. 14 meeting
Posted By Brandon Reid On August 10, 2012 @ 11:26 am In Happening Now, Local News | No Comments
Online Staff Report
Rockford Public School leaders will recommend the appointment of Lu Ann Widergren to director of Fine Arts at the Tuesday, Aug. 14, Rockford Board of Education meeting.
Widergren served as principal of Brookview Elementary School, where she was honored by the Golden Apple Foundation of Rockford with the Outstanding Principal Award.
In moving to the newly created position of Fine Arts director, Widergren returns to a role with which she is familiar: She was Fine Arts coordinator for the district from 2001 to 2006.
During her tenure, Widergren awarded more than $1.25 million in grants and led programs including the All City Theatre, All City Music Festival and Reach for the Stars. Her new role will include assessment of data in district arts curriculum, leadership development and overseeing a partnership between 205 and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Rockford is one of 12 Partnership Teams across the nation that received a grant from the Kennedy Center to develop professional education programs for teachers.
“Lu Ann brings exactly the combination of experience and skills the job requires,” Martha Hayes, assistant superintendent for learning, said.
Not only is Widergren well-known and respected in the arts community, she has a collegial relationship with district teachers who respect her collaborative leadership style.
As a principal, Hayes said, Widergren understands what it takes to make programs succeed and has firsthand knowledge of the district’s Creative and Performing Arts Program.
Widergren said she is eager to begin building a district-wide, quality arts program. “My end goal is that students have great learning experiences in the arts so they can apply lifelong skills and appreciation in their own quality of life,” she said.
The fine arts position has been upgraded from assistant principal to director to reflect the commitment to expand, support and sustain fine arts programs within all 205 schools. That gives fine arts parity with departments such as athletics and gifted education. Widergren would make $90,000 a year.
Posted Aug. 10, 2012
Article printed from The Rock River Times: http://rockrivertimes.com
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