Springfield Regional Arts Council

Springfield selected as partner for Any Given Child initiative

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Norm Ridder will announce [Feb. 2] during school board meeting a new initiative that will assist Springfield in developing a long-range arts education plan to enhance opportunities for students in grades K-8. The school board meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in the assembly room at Kraft Administrative Center, 940 N. Jefferson Ave.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has chosen Springfield as a partner city for Any Given Child, a program that will use existing resources of Springfield Public Schools, along with those of local arts organizations and the Kennedy Center to create a plan for arts education specific to Springfield.

Any Given Child seeks to bring access, balance, and equity to each child’s arts education, using an affordable model that combines the resources of the school district, local arts groups, and the Kennedy Center. With the assistance of expert consultation services provided by Kennedy Center staff and other professionals, community leaders develop a long-range plan for arts education that is tailor-made for the Springfield school district and community.

“Expertise available through Any Given Child will be invaluable to our district and our entire community as we work toward the goal of enhancing arts education offerings throughout our community,” Dr. Ridder noted.

SPS has strong partnerships with numerous private and public arts organizations, which collaborated to apply for Kennedy Center assistance through the Any Given Child program. Among those involved include the Arts Programming Sustainability Initiative, Springfield Regional Arts Council, City of Springfield and Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.