LA Schools Claim Victory In Efforts To Acquire New Arts Ed Funding

Los Angeles Schools are seeing a steady increase in arts education as the dual result of a long-term program and recent state funding. The Arts for All program was initiated in 2002 as a 10-year plan to restore arts education to the 80 districts of Los Angeles Schools. The project focuses on bringing music, dance, drama and the visual arts to K-12 schools in the area. Nine schools have just signed up for the 2007-2008 school year, bringing the total number of Los Angeles Schools involved up to 27.

Two of the newest participants are the Lancaster and Palmdale districts of Los Angeles Schools. Both schools completely eliminated their elementary music programs in the last decade due to budget cuts and increased pressure to perform on state tests. Major cuts first began for Los Angeles Schools with Proposition 13 in 1978. This California mandate reduced property taxes and district funds, which required all Los Angeles Schools to reduce or eliminate arts and physical education classes.

Los Angeles Schools were pleased when the state announced funding of $500 million for art, music and physical education classes in the beginning of June. Los Angeles Schools will use much of these funds for the Arts for All Program. Arts for All is built on a five-step process which, while proven effective, costs money. The five steps involved are:

1.Allocating 5% of a district’s budget to arts education 2.Having a board adopted policy 3.Creating an implementation plan with a timeline 4.Assigning a district level arts coordinator 5.Maintaining a student to arts teacher ratio of 400:1

Los Angeles Schools will pay for a program expert to guide parents, staff and community members in the creation of their implementation plan. The Lancaster district has an additional grant of $260,000 for its art and music programs.

Los Angeles Schools welcome the increased funding as a long overdue measure. Many educators in the Los Angeles Schools have lamented the loss of the arts as harmful to student development. While many of the cuts to arts education result from diverting funds to cover academic subjects needed to pass state tests, teachers argue that art actually enhances learning, allows children to make connections between subjects, and provides a much needed balance to education.

Like the rest of the country’s urban districts Los Angeles Schools are trying to meet the 2014 No Child Left Behind requirement that mandates proficiency on state tests by all students regardless of developmental delays or language barriers. Diverting funding away from the arts has put Los Angeles Schools in a situation where children as young as third grade are losing recess, physical activity and a basic arts background in a frenzied scramble to meet rising national standards.

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Overview of Fine Arts College

College is a place which is responsible for shaping up one’s career and also provides a knowledge sharing between students and the lecturer. It logically does not end with the process of knowledge sharing alone but creates a room for a person to think differently. Although there might be several colleges which provide varied different courses, the Fine Art College tops the list for the most favorable college.

According to the Senses report which came out in the year 1977 brought out the importance of Fine Art and the value of the subject. This report was prepared by the Arts, Education and Americans Panel. The second report came out in the year 1988 and was named as Can we Rescue the Arts for American Children and was prepared by the American Council for Arts. This clearly shows the importance and attention given to the courses in recent times.

Any work which has a purely aesthetic value like the works of painting, arts, sculptures and modern art are considered to be an art. As a course the fine art has many beautiful subjects which not only should be studied theoretically but can also be practically enjoyed while learn them. Fine arts primarily deal with the lateral thinking concept and make you think out of the box. It also helps in reproducing your creative ideas into a productive one. This forms the basic advantage of enrolling into the Fine Art College.

The Fine Arts College takes place through all exclusive and varied possible medium like theatre, visual, dance, and music. Each course is different and unique in its own way. Also, out of all these visual medium is the most common and widespread courses. It includes courses such as electronics, graphics and animation, portrait drawing, understanding art histories and so on. Other than regular science and math, fine arts give makes you a different personality all together. This is well proved when you scale up as a musician or a dancer. There are full time, part time, and vocational courses available for those who are interested in them.

The cost for pursuing the fine arts course can be a little overboard when compared to the other courses. But the job opportunities after completing a degree or learning the course in Fine Arts are exhaustive. The knowledge for this education is in great demand in this competitive world.

For more insights and further information about Fine Art College, Art Education Colleges and Animation School visit our site http://www.montserrat.edu

Concussion Protection For Mixed Martial Arts & Judo

Mixed Martial Arts is a dangerous sport; many fighters end up with serious brain and head injuries if they are not using the proper Concussion Protection. Mouth guards are an essential protection item for Mixed Martial Arts fighter and while most mouthpieces will only protect directly the upper jaw, fighters agree; a solid and strong mouth guard protecting the upper and lower jaw decreases the risk of head injuries, helps keeping the eyes open even during impact and minimizes the chances of getting knocked out during combat.

The WPR-300 High Performance mouth guard from Brain-Pad, for example, is a revolutionary Concussion Protection specifically designed for Mixed Martial Arts fighters. This specific mouthpiece protects efficiently the lower jaw and the upper jaw while allowing for better breathing it also absorbs blows otherwise destined for the skull or the head. Many world-renowned Mixed Martial Arts fighters have been openly advertising wearing similar mouth guards; Cung Le, Frank Shamrock, Jerome LeBanner, Jorge Rivera and Mat Horwich have all agreed that the protection offered by a type of mouthpiece like the WPR-300 is far superior to an upper-mouth only protection.

To avoid any serious head injuries related to concussive blows, it is important to wear the proper type of mouth guard when practicing Mixed Martial Arts. Effective Concussion Protection will give fighters a chance to breathe properly, to increase their chances of winning a fight instead of getting knocked out and to lengthen their career by minimizing potential injuries.

It might be a bit puzzling at times to try and find the right Concussion Protection for Judo. The ultimate goal is to find a mouth guard, or mouthpiece, that will protect you from possible head trauma and reduce the risks for brain injuries. The main feature in Judo is the competitive feature the object is to throw the opponent on the ground, by immobilize him or otherwise subdue the opponent during the combat. Such practice needs good protection; the ideal Concussion Protection for Judo will be something like the Brain Pad 3XS.

The 3XS is designed especially for athletes practicing high-impact sports. It is conceived especially to help absorb the impact of concussive blows to the base of the skull. It protects both the upper and lower jaw, which is a rare feature for any type of mouth guards but can greatly make a difference in the level of comfort of an athlete. It features high impact gel-pad inserts, extended wrap-around outer bumper and tapered channel ends to offer the maximum level of comfort, protect against impacts and blows and allow for maximum breathing through the windows at the front, unlike many other mouth guards used for Judo.

For any Judo athlete, Concussion Protection is a main concern and should not be addressed lightly. Finding the right Concussion Protection for Judo is essential head injuries can be traumatic experience and leave your brain damaged. Using a mouthpiece like the 3XS can increase your chances of winning but can also save your life and optimize your fighting experience.

For more information on high-quality mouth guards, visit BrainPads.

KC Performing Arts Hotel – Accommodations in the Cultural Center

Kansas City is a great place to visit, whether you are in town for a business trip, vacation, or other special event. When you want to be at the center of all the activity and excitement that the city has to offer, reserve your accommodations at one of the well known hotels near the Kauffman Center, which provides some of the most celebrated cultural events in the region. Famous symphony orchestras, dance companies and vocalists, and theater companies all perform at the center.

When you stay at one of the upscale, boutique hotels in proximity to the Kauffman Center, you can expect amenities including tastefully decorated suites and rooms, a hotel restaurant that serves excellent regional cuisine and has an extensive wine list, and a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment to keep you fit during your stay. Banquet and meeting facilities make it convenient for you to attend corporate meetings, conventions, or conferences while enjoying the comfort of a luxurious, Kansas City hotel. The professional staff at the hotel can also assist you in planning special events for your church or civic group, or special family events including anniversary or graduation parties, and wedding receptions.

Business guests who are staying at one of the hotels in the elegant Country Club Plaza region, will find that they will not only be able to work productively while staying in a boardroom or business suite, but will find the atmosphere conducive to relaxing after a busy day. Suites for corporate guests include oversized desks, making it easy to keep all your important documents at your fingertips. Data ports are included as amenities. Many suites provide 2 telephones with voice mail service so you do not miss important messages. Wireless, high-speed internet is complimentary in suites, so you can work uninterrupted.

Among the additional amenities which are included at boutique hotels near the performing arts center are flat screen TVs with cable, combination radio/alarm clocks with docking stations for an iPod, along with a CD player, and climate controlled thermostats in rooms and suites. Hairdryers and complimentary toiletries are provided in bathrooms. In most hotels, coffeemakers are provided with gourmet tea and coffee. Many rooms feature mini refrigerators, and in some cases, microwaves. Some hotels will provide microwaves for guests if requested. For guests who do not want to carry valuables or excess money with them, hotel safes are available. Additional guests may be accommodated on sofa beds in the rooms and suites.

A Number Terrific Motives For You To Start Studying Martial Arts

Just about everyone knows about the popular martial arts, such as Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu and Tai Chi…some people have even thought about trying out a class. Bt have you ever actually done it? Do you need a reason?

Just about everyone has thought about taking up a martial art at some point in time. Maybe as another way to stay in shape. Possibly as a means to protect yourself from the school bully. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of reasons why people choose to take up an art, but I want to take a second to outline what I feel are the most important reasons to at least try a martial art. Maybe it’s for yourself, maybe it’s for your children…whatever the reason, all martial arts contain a unique wealth of knowledge and discipline that you simply can’t get anywhere else. My hope is that this article will inspire you to get out of your chair and into a school to see what martial arts is all about.

Self Confidence
As you train in martial arts, you will notice a lot if improvements, such as your physique, balance, awareness, flexibility, and many other physical and mental characteristics. Martial Arts will teach you how to combine these capabilities and use them to succeed in competitions, attaining higher belts, building friendships and protecting yourself if necessary. The more you can do, the more confident you will be.

Self Defense
One of the most common reasons to study martial arts is to learn how to defend one’s self. A number of schools may dedicate class time and/or offer a scheduled class that strictly goes over self defense tactics. Also, depending on the MA style or school, self defense can be a large part of the curriculum, which can be beneficial to those interested in “applicable arts” (arts you can use in everyday life) as opposed to “traditional arts”.

Self Discipline
Webster defines self-discipline as the “correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement”. Whether it be trying to make a high school team or meeting company deadlines, once you learn the focus necessary to succeed in Martial Arts you can apply it to the rest of your life. Success is mental, and Martial Arts will teach you the self discipline necessary to succeed at anything you put your mind to.

Coordination
Martial arts does require a lot of hand, foot, eye, and mental coordination, but all of this is developed over time. If you consider yourself as an uncoordinated person, training in the martial arts will help you grow those skills. You’ll be amazed what your body is capable of doing! Even if you are a natural athlete, standing on one foot, while kicking with the other, and blocking with your hands is quite difficult and involves coordination.

Fitness
Martial Arts does not have to focus only on fighting or self defense as some styles are based more on fitness. Tae Bo and Tai Chi are two examples of this. However, those with an interest in the fighting & self-defense aspects of Martial arts will find their fitness levels quicly increasing as training not only develops various muscle groups, but flexibility and balance as well. One’s level of fitness can be just as important in winning a match as one’s skills and abilities.

Family Enjoyment
Most people don’t know that this is an excellent way to spend time together with your family! Some martial art schools allow families to train together and others separate classes by age groups. Regardless of how classes are segregated, families find themselves enjoying the time spent together. It is not unheard of having a family all test together for various ranks and black belts.

Meet New People – Martial Arts is for everyone…
Many martial art schools structure their classes into three age groups: Kids – usually ranging from about 5 to 11 years old, Teens – 12 to about 16 or 17, and Adults – usually starts at 18, but some schools make exceptions when necessary. Some schools also offer a “Little Dragons” program geared towards the 4 – 6 year old crowd. Age groups are then broken down into belt ranks allowing you to train with people that are relatively of equal skills and age. Often times people who begin martial arts together will develop a bonding friendship and even obtainin their black belts at the same time because they pushed one another during their tuff times.