(Chautauqua, N.Y.) — A local partnership team consisting of Chautauqua Institution, Jamestown Public Schools and the Chautauqua Lake Central School District  has been named among 10 new inductees in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partners in Education Program. Leaders from the three institutions will attend the 14th Partners in Education Institute from April 27 to April 30. The Institute promotes partnerships between arts organizations and local schools in communities across the nation, focusing on the development of education programs for teachers. The Chautauqua County team joins teams from Carmel, California; Naples, Florida; Pensacola, Florida; Mason City, Iowa; Flint, Michigan; Wilmington, North Carolina; Wooster, Ohio; Houston, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas, as new inductees. 

“We are elated to be recognized by the Kennedy Center and to build upon Chautauqua Institution’s  engagement with local schools,” said Deborah Sunya Moore, vice president and director of programming at Chautauqua Institution, who has also served as a National Workshop Leader for the Kennedy Center since 2008. “Through this and projects like the Young Playwrights Project and arts-integrated residencies for students with and without disabilities, the Institution is committed to being an arts education resource in the lives of Chautauqua County children and their families. The goal for this partnership was set two years ago as a result of the Institution’s strategic plan which outlined a desire to reach our community beyond the summer season and beyond the gates. Working with superintendents Ben Spitzer and Tim Mains has been an honor and I’m excited about our joint future in serving children through the arts.” 

“We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Chautauqua Institution and to benefit from the staff development available through the Kennedy Center,” said Tim O. Mains, superintendent of Jamestown Public Schools. “By feeding our teachers new ideas and approaches, we will nourish the students they serve.” 

“The Chautauqua Lake Central School District is extremely fortunate to have a well-developed, long-standing and vibrant relationship with Chautauqua Institution,” said Benjamin Spitzer, superintendent of CLCS. “This latest partnership moves the needle from excellent to outstanding, as we bring in the expertise and unique perspective of the Kennedy Center. We are very excited to take this journey together with Chautauqua Institution and our new partners in Jamestown.” 

While at the Kennedy Center, each team develops a plan customized to their community for the partners to establish or expand arts-based professional development programs for teachers. Teams receive a detailed planning guide, attend performances, and meet with national education leaders and guest artists while at the Kennedy Center. The new teams will join the current 95 teams from 41 states and the District of Columbia already participating in the Partners in Education program, now in its 25th year. At the Institute, participants will examine the variety of educational offerings for teachers developed and refined at the Kennedy Center since 1976. 

The newly selected teams met the criteria for selection by effectively demonstrating the potential for the arts organization and school system to commence or further grow programs for teachers and the stated commitment by both partners to collaborate on developing programs. 

Since its establishment in 1972, the Kennedy Center’s Education Division believes the inclusion of the performing arts in a broad-based curriculum improves the quality of a child’s educational experience. The Kennedy Center’s Education Division is committed to its leadership role in promoting higher standards of national performing arts education programs and policy. For more information about the participating teams and the Partners in Education program, visit kennedy-center.org/partners. 

 

NEWLY SELECTED KENNEDY CENTER PARTNERS IN EDUCATION TEAMS 

Chautauqua, New York 
Chautauqua Institution 
Chautauqua Lake Central School District 
Jamestown Public Schools 

Carmel, California 
Sunset Cultural Center Inc. 
North Monterey County Unified School District 

Naples, Florida 
Artis – Naples 
Collier County Public Schools 

Pensacola, Florida 
Pensacola Opera 
Escambia County School District 

Mason City, Iowa 
North Iowa Area Community College Performing Arts and Leadership Series 
Mason City Community School District  

Flint, Michigan 
The Whiting 
Swartz Creek Community Schools 

Wilmington, North Carolina 
UNCW – Office of the Arts 
New Hanover County Schools 

Wooster, Ohio 
Wayne Center for the Arts 
Tri-County Educational Service Center  

Houston, Texas 
Alley Theatre 
Fort Bend Independent School District 

San Antonio, Texas 
The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts 
North East Independent School District 

 

The pre-eminent expression of lifelong learning in the United States, Chautauqua Institution comes alive each summer with a unique mix of fine and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship and programs, and recreational activities. Over the course of nine weeks, more than 100,000 people visit CHQ and participate in programs, classes and community events for all ages — all within the beautiful setting of a historic lakeside village. Smithsonian magazine named CHQ the No. 1 “Best Small Town to Visit in 2014” in the cover story of its April 2014 issue. 

  

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