Arts educators have long experienced the competitive environment found in today's educational reality. This session shares lessons and strategies that have proven successful in helping arts programs survive and thrive in the most challenging of academic and financial circumstances.
Richard Coulter
- Biographical Information
A veteran of 38 years in public school education, Rick Coulter served as a teacher and curriculum leader of successful music, arts, gifted and academic programs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He retired in 2014 as K-12 Supervisor of the Essentials (art, dance, drama, music, and gifted education) and 6-12 Supervisor of Secondary Education. During his tenure in Williamsport, PA the K-12 music program was recognized twelve times as one of the 100 Best Communities for Music Education in America, the high school was selected as a Grammy Signature School, the District was highlighted in Gaining The Arts Advantage: Lessons From School Districts That Value Arts Education, and the K-12 music and art programs were selected as a Best Practice Program by the PA Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Alliance for Arts Education. Rick is active as an arts advocate, clinician, adjunct faculty member (Temple University, VanderCook College, Lycoming College and University of the Arts), writer, performer and conductor of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra's British style Billtown Brass Band.
Rhonda Taggart is Founder and President of "Keep the Arts for Kids". An award-winning teacher, designer, keynote speaker and clinician, she is best known for developing the materials, training, connections and resources (including financial) to keep the arts at the core of public school education. Publications include Tips for Success, Choose to Teach, Securing Your Future, Ideas Into Action, The Einstein Music Education Advocacy Kit, and Exploit the Power of Arts Education. She was recognized by the Iowa Music and Art Educators Associations with their Distinguished Service Awards and received the National Outstanding Teaching Award from the Burlington Northern Foundation. She has served on the Board of Trustees of the National Educational Theatre Association, and as a collaborator with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for their "Dream Out Loud" public awareness campaign. Rhonda has delivered keynote addresses to the North Carolina Music Educators and the National Parent Power Conference (Canada) and presentations at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Music Educators National Conference, and the National Association of Music Merchants conferences.