Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School wins California Exemplary Arts Education Award
Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School, a K-5 charter school in Thousand Oaks, is one of 19 in the state to win a 2023 California Exemplary Arts Education Award.
State Secretary of Education Tony Thurmond announced the awards in a news release Tuesday evening.
“We're thrilled, absolutely thrilled," said Kristen Walker, the school's assistant director. "Our staff is so deserving of this award."
It's the second state recognition the 400-student school has picked up this month after it was earlier named a 2023 California Distinguished School alongside 11 other Ventura County Schools.
The state education department said it picked schools that "demonstrated an exemplary commitment to providing adequate resources and funding for arts education."
"Arts education boosts school attendance, academic achievement and college-attendance rates. Arts programs also improve school climate and promote higher self-esteem and social-emotional development for our students," Thurmond wrote.
Walker said the school works to integrate visual and performing arts into core curriculum. This year's first-graders, for example, are working on a musical and a mural as part of their study of the biology of ponds.
"It supports making connections to the content they're learning in the classroom," she said. Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Thousand Oaks charter school wins 2023 California arts award
