Arts and Literary Boards

Art Boards develop the criteria by which artwork is reviewed and review art submissions to the Magical Mailbox. Selected artwork may be framed, displayed or featured at the Town Meeting's Artist's Spotlight. The opportunity to be showcased in the larger school community promotes pride and encourages creativity. Artwork may be used in publications, exhibits in the school or at the Board of Education.

Literary Boards develop the criteria by which student writing is reviewed and review submissions to the Magical Mailbox. Selections might be sent to a theater or dance group for interpretation or published in newsletters or student chapbooks and then may be featured at a Town Meeting. The cycle of generation, submission, review and presentation of student writing becomes a hub of excitement and enthusiasm for learning in a HOT School.

• Purpose: Student voice, peer critique, improved writing or artistic skills, impetus for celebration, teamwork, learning through discussion and debate

• Possibilities for Creating a Literary and/or Art Board: Application, teacher recommendation, peer selection, facilitator selection, rotating

• Set-up: Determine meeting times, select students, determine purpose

• Discuss: Good writing, genre, process of submission and review, results, develop submission and acceptance guidelines

• Determining excellence: using the elements of art and creating a process of submission, review and acceptance guidelines

• Create Forms: submission, acceptance, create form to encourage improvement

• Establish: Process for Tracking Success

• Issues and Pitfalls: Submission load, anonymity, celebration outlets, content, student response, teacher demands, process vs. product and expectation