Charlton Heights Elementary School PTA

All artists and programs offered are approved and registered by BOCES as they must meet certain NYS guide lines and standards.   The BOCES Arts In Education service is a highly effective way in which school districts in New York State can provide arts-in-education programming. This service is designed to provide resources for schools to integrate the arts throughout all of the NYS Standards areas.  BOCES stands for Board of Cooperative Educational Services. BOCES aid is a form of State aid which reimburses school districts for a percentage of the costs of services provided by BOCES. Districts pay for these services in a given school year and are reimbursed the following year. The amount of reimbursement is based on the district's State aid ratio.

The Arts in Education committee can choose to work with teachers from each grade as well as specials teachers to choose, implement and review programs and artists. A tentative schedule is created by the beginning of the school year that includes programs and artists that fit the curriculum of a particular grade level or for the school as a whole.  Please visit the BOCES' Arts in Education How to Guide.  

Funding:  Each year the school district allocates money at the beginning of the school year to its' Arts-in-Education BOCES budget.  In addition the school receives state aid through BOCES. It reimburses school districts for a portion of their approved BOCES arts in education programs. In order to receive the state aid the school must pay a certain percentage of the total cost of these programs; our PTA's raises funds to pay for this. Typically a large percent of our PTA's budget goes to covering the costs of Arts in Education programs.

Program Dates:  runs throughout the school year.  Here is a typical year of programming from 2008-09:

January - Students in grades K-5 were treated to a wonderful A Capella group performance from The Buffalo Chips. The Buffalo Chips are an all-male, all-student organized group from SUNY Buffalo. They performed current and classic songs with no instrumentation, but plenty of high energy and enthusiasm for the students.  First graders will complete a workshop with Robert Rogers Puppet Company which will be shared with the entire school during an assembly.

March - Go Kennels Racing came with sled dogs for our 2nd grade students. Students learned all about mushing and caring for these beautiful animals. Then outside they went for some first hand sled-handling.  Students learned how the occupation has evolved and how it remains traditional, showing the caring and responsibility to our animal friends.  Chris Holder’s 5th Grade Residency on Eco-Systems in the Hudson/Mohawk region from a historic to present day perspective was a tremendous learning experience for all students and well received.  This program is funded in part by the Arts-in-Education/Local Capacity Building Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Saratoga County Arts Council.

April -  Saratoga Children's Museum came in to work with our 2nd grade students on City by Design where the children built a city, right in their classrooms!

May -  Japanese storyteller Motoko returns again to complete a residency with our 3rd grade students.

June -  Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company returns to work with our 4th grade students.