May 16, 2019

HELENA- The Montana Office of Public Instruction has received a two-year grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to be able to provide "Teacher Leaders in the Arts" programming. This is the fourth year that Montana has received this grant and the first time that the OPI's Content Standards and Instruction Division, in partnership with the Montana Arts Council, will be able to conduct a multi-year program. 

This year-long program develops teacher leaders who can support other teachers statewide in integrating the arts into their classrooms. The OPI is currently recruiting 18 educators to join the 36 educators who have previously completed the Montana Teacher Leaders in the Arts program. This initiative supports training cohorts of educators to serve as coaches, mentors, and advocates in their schools and communities through an arts-integrated approach to teaching and learning through a culturally sensitive lens. The program consists of a week-long residency at the Salish Kootenai College, completion of a field project (including a $300 materials reimbursement for their projects), and a final Capstone weekend in Livingston, MT in April 2020.

The Teacher Leaders in the Arts Program addresses critical issues related to recruiting and retaining high-quality educators in Montana's rural communities, implementing sustained, peer-to-peer professional development, and integrating Montana's Indian Education for All program. Additional information can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OPDJFxK89974_DxfYQx6_FqLDWJqiERj1CW2Dt1UkYo/edit.

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CONTACT:

Program inquiries: Christy Mock-Stutz, cmstutz@mt.gov or 444-0736

Media inquiries: Dylan Klapmeier, dylan.klapmeier@mt.gov or 444-3559