Media Center
Posted by Seven Hills Foundation
Sep 17, 2024
Posted by Seven Hills Foundation
Open Door Arts’ (ODA) School Programs will provide accessible and engaging arts instruction to approximately 800 students with and without disabilities in grades K0-12 (up to age 21) and expand the capacity of eight Boston Public Schools to create inclusive and creative spaces for all students. Our qualified team of teaching artists will provide in-school instruction in visual arts, drama, dance, and music from September 2024 - June 2025. Lessons will be designed using best practices in inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogies and carefully planned partnerships with our schools and partner teachers.
Pride: in their self, work, and community
Open Door Arts' School Programs are informed by research that shows participation in the arts helps students with and without disabilities showcase their strengths, increase their sense of agency, express themselves, and access learning, and that students with disabilities experience greater success at inclusive schools where they have ongoing arts instruction in various art forms. Our work is also driven by inequities experienced by our students, especially those with disabilities, those learning English, and those from low-income families. The 2009 Arts Advantage reports showed that “Schools with larger percentages of special education students reported lower percentages of students receiving arts education and are offered fewer art disciplines”. While gaps for students in younger grades have diminished, there are persisting arts equity gaps for high schoolers, particularly those in special education. In response, we have prioritized new programs in high school special education classrooms, which reflects a decrease in our total number of students.
Open Door Arts’ (ODA) School Programs will provide accessible and engaging arts instruction to approximately 800 students with and without disabilities in grades K0-12 (up to age 21) and expand the capacity of eight Boston Public Schools to create inclusive and creative spaces for all students. Our qualified team of teaching artists will provide in-school instruction in visual arts, drama, dance, and music from September 2024 - June 2025. Lessons will be designed using best practices in inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogies and carefully planned partnerships with our schools and partner teachers. For example, high schoolers with intellectual disabilities will create a portfolio of work, and then work to curate an in-school exhibit, practicing curatorial, design, and communication skills. While instruction is tailored to meet the unique needs and goals of each classroom, our PACE (pride, access, connection, expression) framework helps us create learning environments and arts experiences for students that cultivate and promote:
Pride: in their self, work, and community
Access: to learning spaces, materials, content, and curriculum
Connection: to peers, educators, the school, and the cultural community
Expression: of ideas, thoughts, feelings, and culture
Expression: of ideas, thoughts, feelings, and culture
Open Door Arts' School Programs are informed by research that shows participation in the arts helps students with and without disabilities showcase their strengths, increase their sense of agency, express themselves, and access learning, and that students with disabilities experience greater success at inclusive schools where they have ongoing arts instruction in various art forms. Our work is also driven by inequities experienced by our students, especially those with disabilities, those learning English, and those from low-income families. The 2009 Arts Advantage reports showed that “Schools with larger percentages of special education students reported lower percentages of students receiving arts education and are offered fewer art disciplines”. While gaps for students in younger grades have diminished, there are persisting arts equity gaps for high schoolers, particularly those in special education. In response, we have prioritized new programs in high school special education classrooms, which reflects a decrease in our total number of students.
For these reasons, ODA intentionally partners with schools that have limited arts learning opportunities and higher percentages of students with disabilities, students from low-income families, and English Language Learners. All of our partner schools are designated Title I schools for having high percentages of students from low-income families. Over 51% of our students have disabilities (more than twice the Boston Public Schools average), including a full range of developmental, neurological, physical, emotional, sensory, and learning disabilities; and 50% are English Language Learners. By strategically working with students with the greatest needs, our work supports schools to provide a more equitable and inclusive education to all their students.
Students will receive high-quality art supplies, musical instruments, and adaptive materials to ensure equitable and meaningful participation. In addition, we provide our teaching artists with significant support, professional development, and direct coaching from our staff throughout the year to help support their teaching practice and the success of their students.
Media Inquiries
Bill Stock
Vice President for Government and Community Relations
81 Hope Ave, Worcester, MA 01603
Phone: 508.983.1305
Fax: 508.849.3888
Email: bstock@sevenhills.org
Phone: 508.983.1305
Fax: 508.849.3888
Email: bstock@sevenhills.org
Kathleen A. Myshrall
Vice President of Advancement
81 Hope Ave, Worcester, MA 01603
Phone: 508.983.1302
Fax: 508.849.3888
Email: kmyshrall@sevenhills.org
Phone: 508.983.1302
Fax: 508.849.3888
Email: kmyshrall@sevenhills.org
Jennifer Wentworth
Director of Communications
81 Hope Ave, Worcester, MA 01603
Phone: 508.983.1304
Fax: 508.849.3888
Email: jwentworth@sevenhills.org
Phone: 508.983.1304
Fax: 508.849.3888
Email: jwentworth@sevenhills.org