The arts are integral to our school curriculum. Every two weeks, we celebrate "30 minutes of Excellence" in a Town Meeting. At each meeting, we feature a visual artist and a writer who have been juried by either our Visual Arts Board or Editorial Board. Occasionally, musicians are featured either for an original composition or to perform a piece. Each year, we present a musical. This year's production, The Gift, A Story of a Homeless Family, was written by staff and included 106 student performers and 50 adult support personnel. We have 1.4 music staff for instrumental, choral, and general music, .4 visual arts staff, .4 dance/PE staff, .3 literacy arts staff (new program). We also have extensive after school programs in visual arts and dance.
Roger Brooks
Beaver Meadow School, Concord

The arts are an important and popular part of the curriculum at ORHS. We have two art teachers, a music teacher, a drama teacher, and an industrial Technology teacher who builds sets.
Christopher Cairns
Oyster River High School, Durham

We currently have 1.3 music and 1.0 art. We are adding a .2 drama teacher in 2001-2002. They are essential players in our school, within both the curriculum and co-curricular activities.
Jonathan Freeman
Laconia High School, Laconia

The arts are a fundamental part of our school environment. Time is built into the schedule for art, music, and PE to collaborate and infuse the arts into the four major disciplines of curriculum. We have a full time art, music, and PE teacher. Theatre is done through volunteers. dance is part of the PE program.
Rick Matthews
New Boston Central School, New Boston

What are your primary concerns when it comes time to budget for the arts?

The School District and Parent Community are very supportive. We never have enough money to support all we want to do.
RB

District funding is limited for everything. Our planned building project has taken center stage, but it fortunately includes an auditorium.
CC

Expanding the staff to meet student demand. Our teacher quality is outstanding.
JF

How do you plan and finance for the arts in your school? What are your main funding options?

Sources for staff and materials come from the Concord School District. In addition, grant monies from the NH State Council on the Arts and the NH Department of Education have supported special projects and Artists in the School programs. Private funding includes grants from foundations, parent teacher organization, professional fundraising companies, and revenue from productions. In the past ten years, the school has been able to purchase over $100,000.00 worth of sound and lighting equipment exclusively through private funding.
RB

The District General Fund provides resources to pay the above teachers and to supply materials and equipment to support the arts. Teachers submit budget requests each fall for the following school year.
CC

The school budget is the backbone of the finance system, but each group has a booster club and there is an active, community-based program.
JF

To whom do you reach out for help with funding and financial support in your school and community?

PTO, local businesses, regional and national foundations, NH State Arts Council, NH Department of Education, Concord School District.
RB

The NH State Council on the Arts and out PTO group have helped fund five residencies at ORHS. PTO also sponsors speakers and assemblies.
CC

The various booster groups are great.Marilyn Coffin (Co-Curricular Arts Department Head for the district) has been wonderful. As a new principal, I'm just starting to learn about the community.
JF

PTA.
RM

What are some successful fundraising strategies you have used to support your arts budget?

PTO and private and government grants.
RB

PTO does an Annual Auction and a mail solicitation which together net about $4,500.00 each year.
CC

Drama and music program ads, discount food cards, City Council loans for a trip to Florida.
JF

How do you "sell" or justify the arts to your school board and community?

After five years of committee work, in December, the Concord School Board adopted arts standards modeled after the National Arts Standards. Concord's Board of Education is supportive of arts education and various community groups' missions included the goal of adopting arts standards.
RB

The product and the spirit sell the program.
CC

We attend all functions and send out private invitations to the Board of Education and Council members.-\
JF

The arts are multi-sensory -- we perform -- we display -- we publicize.
RM

Contacts:
RB:	Dr. Roger Brooks
	Beaver Meadow School
	40 Sewalls Falls Road
	Concord, NH 03301
	603/225-0853
	fax:603/225-0857
	rbroo@csd.k12.nh.us
	Dr. Brooks is willing to help support other educators' arts education initiatives by facilitating visits to Beaver Meadow School and is willing to be a mentor and resource to other educators.
CC:	Christopher Cairns, Principal
	Oyster River High School
	55 Coe Drive
	Durham, NH 03824
	603/868-2375
	fax: 603/868-1355
	email: cc@orcsd.org
	www.orcsd.org/hs
	Mr. Cairns is willing to help support other educators' initiatives by facilitating visits to Oyster River High School.
JF:	Jonathan Freeman, Principal
	Laconia High School
	345 Union Avenue
	Laconia, NH 03246
	email: jfreeman@laconia.k12.nh.us
	Mr. Freeman is willing to help support other educators' arts education initiatives by facilitating visitations to Laconia High School and is willing to be a mentor and resource to other educators
RM:	Rick Matthews
	New Boston Central School
	15 Central School Road
	New Boston, NH 03070
	603/487-2211
	fax: 603/487-2215
	email: rmatthews@nbcs.k12.nh.us
	Mr. Matthews is willing to help support other educators' arts education initiatives by facilitating visits to New Boston Central School.