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Hundreds of Plano ISD Student Success Stories Prove Fine Arts Programs Teach Essential Life Skills
Mach 11, 2010
March Spotlight: Music in Our Schools Month, Youth Art Month and Theatre for Life Month
 "Research suggests that the well rounded fine arts education that Plano ISD offers its students provides them with 21st century life skills," Kathy Kuddes, Plano ISD director of fine arts, shared with the school trustees on March 2.
Kathy Kuddes, director of fine arts, shared a program overview with the school board this month.
The superior learning and achievement of Plano students was the focus of Ms. Kuddes' report to trustees about art, theatre, speech, band, choir and orchestra education, presented in salute to Music in Our Schools Month, Youth Art Month and Theatre for Life Month - all celebrated in March. She also told trustees proudly, "Our fine arts staff is, in my humble opinion, simply the best in the land."
Kathy Kuddes told trustees, "While the learning experiences are the primary product in any quality educational environment, quality products are evidence of quality student learning. Our fine arts students have once again demonstrated superior learning." Here are a few highlights.
Student Achievements
- The Plano West Chamber Orchestra, directed by Jo Wallace-Abbie and Amy Mabel, was named the 2010 State Honor String Orchestra by TMEA. This is the 13th consecutive year that a Plano orchestra has performed at the state convention.
PWSH Chamber Orchestra
- The Plano Children's Chorale, under the direction of Kendall Allen from Schell Elementary and Brenda Keen from Hightower Elementary, will perform by invitation at the Organization of American Kodaly Educators annual conference in Dallas on March 18.
Plano Children's Chorale
- The Plano Senior High School Jazz Band, with Jeremy Kondrat as its director, has recently been invited to participate in the Jazz at Lincoln Center program this May.
- The Texas Bandmasters Association selected the Haggard Middle School Band Program, under the direction of 30-year veteran Ken Valliant and his assistant Don Fabian, o receive the 2010 Exemplary Middle School Band Award during the bandmasters' summer conference.
- Plano ISD was represented by a record 78 Texas All-State Musicians at the Texas Musica Educators Association's convention last month.
- 16 students will participate in OAKE Honor Choirs during the Kodaly association conference later this month.
- 71 students qualified for the Texas Forensic Association State Tournament underway this week.
- Five student works were selected for the Texas Art Education Association State Youth Art Month Exhibit in Austin and 89 pieces were selected to advance in the Texas Art Education Association State Visual Arts Scholastic Event this spring.
 An original work by Vivian Wu from Plano Senior High School was included in the AP Traveling Art Exhibit this year.
- At the recent Harvard University Speech Tournament, Plano Senior High student Shahid Ahmed won 3rd place in Extemporaneous speaking, Sam Scott placed 11th in Congressional Debate and Shayan Pourkaed won 5th place in Humorous Interpretation. Other Plano finalists included Richard Holland in Extemporaneous speaking and Ali Mavrakis in Congressional Debate from Plano West and Nikki Sachdeva from Plano East in Extemporaneous speaking.
- Plano East Theatre Major Studies Student, David Pluebell, winner of the Texas Educational Theatre Associations' Playfest Competition, produced his original play, "UnknOwen" performed by classmates for the TETA Conference in Dallas in late January.
Staff Involvement & Accolades
A number of members of Plano ISD fine arts staff members are contributing to the profession by serving in leadership roles in various organizations.
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Janice Truitt, Visual Arts Coordinator, is currently serving as Supervision Division Chair for the Texas Art Education Association and Regional Director for the Visual Arts Scholastic Event. In addition she was the Co-Chair of the 2009 TAEA Conference in Dallas, where Ted Kincaid, Art Teacher from Plano West Senior High School, was a featured General Session Speaker.
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Instrumental Music Coordinator Jeff Turner is currently presiding over all-state orchestra business as the Orchestra Division Vice President for the Texas Music Educators Association.
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Tamra Alami, Haun Elementary Art Specialist, is Elementary Division Chair-Elect for Texas Art Education Association; Alisa Meli, from Schell Elementary, is the Vice President in charge of Youth Art Month for TAEA. Doug Darracott, Plano West Senior High School Art Teacher, and Dr. Terri Eder, Music Theory Teacher at Plano Senior High both serve as Readers for the College Board.
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Karen Wilbanks, Plano Senior High Speech Teacher, currently serving as President of the Texas Forensic Association and was named to Texas Forensic Association "Hall of Fame" in October.
Karen Wilbanks, Plano Senior High School speech teacher
"We know that the future is always a bit unknown," noted Ms. Kuddes. "But we are confident that Plano ISD will continue to be on the "Leading Edge" of fine arts education in Texas and beyond because of the support of this school board, the vision of our centralized and campus administration, and the engagement of our community."
 Band students who greeted guests at the March 2 school board meeting were Andi Overton, Shepton High School; Dustin Tharp, Plano East Senior High School; and Meghan Haggblade, Plano Senior High School.
At the March 2 meeting, Ms. Kuddes thanked students in the fine arts program who performed for trustees in the building lobby prior to their meeting, including Frankford Middle School's 8th grade string players Laura Zhang, Tiffany Chien, Bradley Hamilton, Jana Yu and Eric Pansick; the Woodwind Quintet from Jasper High School, which included Cathy Hu, Kayla Bu, Charu Chaudhary, Christopher Pawlowski, and Jacob Schnitzer; and Brandon Carson, Joon Choe and Carl Wuas also from Jasper, who comprised a Marimba Ensemble, as well as the members of the Plano Senior High School "Pan Cats" who provided pre-meeting music.
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