Community Partnerships
Programs
Partnerships with District of Columbia Public Schools
DC Partnership Schools Initiative
The mission of the Kennedy Center's DC Partnership Schools Initiative is to support education of the whole child by enhancing partner schools' existing arts education programs. The DC Partnership Schools Initiative is aligned with the approach to arts education employed by District of Columbia Public Schools - experiencing the arts, learning in the arts, and learning through the arts. Each school participates in a strategic planning process to develop their own arts education vision, goals, and action plan, selecting Kennedy Center resources that align with the articulated vision, goals, and plan. Partnership schools participate in professional development for teachers and administrators, in-school lecture/demonstrations by performing artists, in-depth arts integrated curriculum residencies with teaching artists, and performances at the Kennedy Center. Participation in the program is by application.
PDF to list of 2011-12 partnership schools.
Artists in Schools Programs
- In-Depth Residency Programs. Residency programs are sequential classroom sessions led by teaching artists integrating an art form with other curriculum. There are two types of residency programs. In the student centered residency program, the focus is on increasing student understanding in and through the arts, and modeling effective arts integration for teachers. In the professional development residency, the focus is on increasing the capacity of the teacher to integrate the arts into their own curriculum. Teaching artists who lead residency programs participate in a rigorous application and review process, including participation in on-going Kennedy Center professional development.
- Lecture/Demonstration Programs. Students from partnership schools receive multiple in school performances during the school year. The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) In-School Ensembles program provides performances by small ensembles of NSO musicians to elementary schools. The In School Performing Artists program provides lecture/demonstrations by artists performing in Kennedy Center Dance, Theater and Music productions. In addition, all DC Partnership Schools may participate in the Concerts in Schools program of the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative.
Performance Attendance Opportunities
- Student Groups. DC Partnership Schools attend performances at the Kennedy Center through the Arts for Every Student Program of the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. The Kennedy Center sponsors the Collaborative's Fifth Grade Initiative, providing every 5th grader in DC public and public charter schools tickets and transportation to a Kennedy Center performance. Secondary schools also receive tickets and transportation to attend daytime performances in the Kennedy Center Jazz Club.
- Families. Each participating school selects students and their family members to attend evening or weekend performances from the Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences series.
Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators
- Teachers. Teachers from participating schools attend Kennedy Center Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers workshops held at their school site or at the Kennedy Center. In addition, teachers attend professional development workshops through the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative.
- Administrators. Participating school principals attend the Kennedy Center Principals' Arts Education Forum meetings and events to receive current information about arts advocacy, research in arts education, arts integration, and ways to strengthen school arts programs.
The Duke Ellington School Partnership
The Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a magnet high school in the District of Columbia that offers college preparatory academic instruction and pre-professional training in the visual and performing arts. The school is managed and operated by The Kennedy Center, District of Columbia Public Schools, George Washington University and the Ellington Fund through the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Project. As a member of the partnership, The Kennedy Center supports the curricula through teacher professional development, master classes/clinics, lecture/demonstrations, and performances at the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center Vice President of Education serves on the Board of Directors of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Project.
Opportunities for School and Community Groups
The following two programs provide tickets and transportation to Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences performances to underserved greater Washington, DC metropolitan area students.
America's Promise
In response to General Colin Powell's national America's Promise campaign, the Kennedy Center developed the "Get On the Bus" program. This program supports Title I schools attendance at daytime Kennedy Center Performances for School Groups.
Community Outreach Ticket Program
The Community Outreach program supports students enrolled in after school, community-based programs to attend Kennedy Center evening/weekend performances.
Opportunities for Students
Dance Theatre of Harlem Residency
2011-2012 Season Information
Due to changes in federal funding of arts education, the Kennedy Center has been forced to change the Dance Theatre of Harlem Residency program for the 2011-12 season to a series of master classes. Information about these master classes will be posted in the near future on this site.
Community Partnerships, part of the Rubenstein Arts Access Program, is generously funded by
David and Alice Rubenstein.
Additional support is provided by Capital One Bank; the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust; Harman Family Foundation;
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation; The Kiplinger Foundation; The Kirstein Family Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation;
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Newman's Own Foundation; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; and the U.S. Department of Education.
