WELCOME TO ART!: FYI

HMS is honored to provide students the opportunity to participate in the visual arts! Jefferson County has the largest visual art program in the state of Alabama and we are proud to be members; we are very fortunate to be able to give our kids the opportunity to exercise the creative parts of their brains! It has been proven in study after study that kids do better on standardized tests and are more motivated to come to school and learn if they have art classes! Also, today's employers are looking for people who are problem-solvers, highly creative, and who have the ability to work with others. These are all skills that kids learn while participating in art classes. Many studies have shown that students who have art classes have better literacy skills, score higher on critical thinking tests, and have lower dropout rates and discipline problems. They also have higher I.Q. scores and their ability to concentrate is improved!

Every single product being purchased right now was designed by an artist. Every article of clothing, jewelry, video game, toy, piece of furniture, automobile, building, etc. was invented, designed, and marketed by ARTISTS.

TO BE HUMAN IS TO CREATE!

Encourage Creativity: Teach the Arts, Americans For the Arts, Youtube

The Importance of Art Education, National Geographic, Youtube

OUR ART SHOWS!

Here at HMS, we have an annual art show that is displayed in our cafeteria, thanks to our gracious lunch ladies who allow us to borrow their space!

• The Art Show competition and event is open to any H.M.S. student, whether or not the student takes an art class. However, artwork will not be accepted if it is wrinkled, torn, folded, on lined paper, or without a name.

• Students help to hang the artwork as well as dismantle the show.

• We welcome parent participation and we need your help! Parents, if you would like to help with this year's art show, please call me at 379-5150 or email me at anichols@jefcoed.com .

• The event lasts for one night only, from 5:00 until 6:00 p.m., but the 2-dimensional art pieces remain on the walls for one week.

• Students are welcome to take their artwork home after the art show, and current art students will receive theirs during art class.

• Students not enrolled in art must come to the art room to pick up their pieces.

Students who participate in the annual spring H.M.S. art show have the opportunity to win various prizes for the categories of Drawing, Design, Sculpture, Mixed Media, and Painting.

The winner of the "Best of Show" award will receive a gift certificate to spend at Alabama Art Supply.

First place winners in each category will also receive a gift certificate to Alabama Art Supply.

• All year long, we display exemplary pieces in the glass display case by the front office and we honor students weekly with the "Student Artist of the Week" easel.

• We also display projects on the school hallway walls throughout the year.

• On occasion, the Hueytown Public Library invites us to display our work.

• The Jefferson County Secondary Art Show is an annual event honoring the best student art pieces in the county, and H.M.S. is invited to submit 4-5 pieces for this show at the Botanical Gardens.

• Sometimes we enter various art competitions throughout the year.

HMS 8th graders have the opportunity to apply to the Visual Arts and Communications Academy (a Jefferson County magnet school, tuition free.) This school offers students training in visual art careers such as photography, graphic design, and animation.

Students interested in applying will be required to prepare a portfolio of 10 of their best art pieces, an essay about why s/he wants to attend school at the Academy, 2 teacher recommendation letters, and the completed application and school transcripts.

Mrs. Nichols is available to help any student wishing to apply; please let her know at least 2 weeks in advance of the portfolio due date. Applications and portfolios are traditionally due in February.

ART CLASSROOM RULES:

1. BE RESPECTFUL

Obey the first time without arguing or talking back.
Speak at appropriate times and do not cause distractions.
Raise your hand and wait to be called upon to speak – do not interrupt the teacher.
Be positive, courteous, and polite – choose to use kind words.
Treat others the way you want to be treated

2. BE RESPONSIBLE

Take care of the art materials and equipment – use materials appropriately!
Stay on task; do not wander around the room, talking or playing instead of working.
Keep the art room clean

3. BE SAFE

Use materials appropriately – follow directions!
Keep hands, feet, and all objects to yourself – no horseplay.
Move around the room carefully – be mindful of others and their work.
Do not eat, drink, or chew gum in the art classroom.

CONSEQUENCES:

1^ST OFFENSE: warning

2^ND OFFENSE: isolation table and/OR separation

The student will quietly complete his/her “paper/pencil” work while in isolation. The student will complete the “Think Sheet” and/OR a writing assignment on days when art materials such as paint, plaster, paper mache, printmaking, collage, etc. are in use.

3^RD OFFENSE: parents contacted &/OR discipline assignment

The student will also remain separated the rest of the class period or the entire class the following day if the misbehavior happened at the end of class.

4^th OFFENSE: OFFICE REFERRAL

After the student’s parents have been contacted twice, s/he will be referred to an administrator.

In cases of severe disrespectful behavior or fighting, parents will be contacted and/or the student will be referred to the office IMMEDIATELY.

If a student needs to be referred to an administrator, s/he will be separated, without art privileges, for 3 days following the referral.

Art projects will be graded based on 3 main criteria: "creativity," "craftsmanship/neatness," and "effort/participation." Students will have many opportunities to succeed in this class, no matter their skill level or particular talent! Students will receive a rubric or checklist for each project so there is no mystery about how they will be graded. Parents, if you would like to see your child's current rubric, please email me at anichols@jefcoed.com

Some of the skills and techniques that will be taught are drawing from observation (including accuracy, shading, and realistic space techniques) as well as creative drawing, 2-d and 3-d design, painting, printmaking, clay techniques, portrait drawing, color theory, and much more. Students will have the opportunity to practice many different kinds of art!

"CREATIVITY" - Students are encouraged to create original artwork, not tracing or copying others' ideas but at the same time being inspired by important artists and artworks from history. Original ideas are celebrated here, as are innovative ways to solve problems.

"CRAFTSMANSHIP" - Students are expected to do their best work possible, following directions and taking care of the materials (without rushing through projects) as well as practicing problem solving skills throughout the process. For each project, I emphasize a skill or technique for students to practice. Middle school students are not expected to "master" a skill, especially if it is their first year in art class, and I try to remind them that there is "no such thing as PERFECTION in art." Written tests will be given occasionally to assess student understanding of art related vocabulary.

In addition, students will be challenged to learn characteristics of art styles from history as well as learn to analyze the design of various artworks.
There is a close relationship between art and language - visual art is another way of communicating! Students will be required to write reflections about their projects, both the completed pieces as well as the process.
When students leave my art classes, it is my hope that they will have learned new skills and techniques as well as gained an appreciation for art in our daily lives. I also hope that each student will gain confidence in his/her own ability to create! Every man-made object that we use and enjoy was originally designed by someone, whether the cars we drive, the jewelry and clothing we wear, or the furniture in our homes; an artist has created it!