Sarasota County School District to hire arts specialist

After receiving a $1.2 million grant from the federal government, the Sarasota County School District is ready to apply the funds to a new position in the district.

The district received the grant through Any Given Child Sarasota, a local branch of a national program geared toward positively influencing young adults through the arts. Project Elevate, the federal grant, aims to increase student performance in all subjects by incorporating arts-based instruction in the classroom. The $1.2 million will be distributed over the next four years.

The arts integration specialist position will provide coaching, training and mentorship to create arts integrated lesson plans for teachers at four elementary schools in Sarasota. These lesson plans will enhance the emphasis on the arts within other subjects like math and science.

The specialist will be hired for the 2015-2016 school year, and work with more than 75 classrooms at Atwater, Brentwood, Emma E. Booker and Tuttle elementary schools.

The district received the grant in October. The school board will vote to approve the job description for the new position at its meeting tonight.

The school board will also vote to approve a submittal by Alta Vista Elementary School for a $7,000 federal grant, the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. The grant would allow the school to purchase new books for the students and teachers and update the available collections in the school’s Media Center.

IF YOU GO

What: Sarasota County School Board meeting
When: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3.
Where: School Board Chambers, 1980 Landings Boulevard, Sarasota.