Arts Attack General Guidelines

Hello Fabulous Arts Attack Teams,

Welcome, and a HUGE thank you for volunteering your time for the Arts Attack Program. We are grateful for your commitment to our JFS students! 

Below is a slew of information pertaining to the Arts Attack program and a few questions you may have about the program.

Arts Attack Program Overview:

Arts Attack Binder brief summary, Cliffs Notes version:

  • “An award-winning video-based art program for the elementary school”
  • Goal: “To teach every child how to express him/herself through art by: Learning to draw, learning a variety of techniques, Working in a variety of media”
  • Art Concepts: Line, Color, Shape & Form, Pattern, Texture, Space, Composition 
  • Introduce Artists and their styles that students will work in
  • Lesson Objectives – In Arts Attack Binders located in the Arts Attack Closet
    • we don’t have to follow the proposed lessons in the binder, but can leverage this information for whatever art project lesson we do
  • Table of Contents – Provides a good summary of the types of projects we can choose from or get an idea from

Arts Attack Supplies Locations:

Downstairs Copy Room – we are allowed to use the following:

  • reams of butcher paper
  • die cutter w/a selection of dies
  • laminating machine
  • DO NOT use anything from the cupboards labelled “Sunshine”

Arts Attack Closet

  • located in the MPR (Multi-Purpose Room, aka Cafeteria)
  • Sonic The Hedgehog wall decal identifies the closet door
  • Arts Attack Lesson Binders w/ respective DVD guides
    • checkout process:  fill out the notebook on the small table to the left of the binders
    • you can read about the Arts Attack Program’s history
  • We can pre-prep material here and store it before each lesson 
  • You can find items such as: jugs of paint, disposable/reusable containers, etc.

Steam Room – this is a room shared between Science projects and Art projects

  • located upstairs in the lower grade (1st, 2nd, 3rd graders) wing
  • Sonic The Hedgehog wall decal identifies the room
  • DO NOT use anything from shelves that is labelled with a yellow dot (these are teacher curriculum materials)
  • you can find items such as: construction paper, scissors, crayons, googly eyes, pom-poms, etc.

General FAQs:

  • What is the Lead role?
    • answer: Team Leads will play the role of the single Point of Contact with the teacher and can keep other team members cc’d on communications.  We follow teachers’ lead; some are hands on while others let you take the lead. 
  • Do we have full access to the art supplies?
    • answer: Yes, so long as it’s for an Arts Attack lesson
  • Do we have to follow the arts attack lessons?
    • answer: We’re flexible, at this time it’s not a requirement to pick only lessons from the Arts Attack binders.  The goal is to teach various art concepts (lines, colors, shape & form, pattern, texture, space, composition).
  • Some teachers have a ton of projects throughout the year, would we be able to leverage teachers’ projects as our lesson instead?
    • answer: if the teacher has some art project ideas, not a problem.  Feel free to incorporate it into a lesson you lead!  The goal of volunteers is to alleviate the teacher’s workload and teach the art lesson.  Basically, as long as we’re introducing the various art concepts, defined in the Arts Attack Binder, should be okay.
  • Who will place the order for material not available in the Arts Attack closet/steam room? Raquel? or can we order directly on Amazon?
    • answer: Supplies orders will be made by Raquel (she’s the one “authorized” to receive reimbursements).  If supplies are low (ie. less than enough for 1 classroom/34 students to use), volunteers or volunteer leads should let Raquel know via email (Subj Line: Arts Attack Material Request, Msg: requester name and number, Arts Attack Team, grade, item (link to item), and quantity).  If there’s something not available in the supplies areas, we can send Raquel the link(s), she’ll need to approve, and once approved she can place the order.

Google Docs everyone should have access to:

Other things to note:

  • Raquel welcomes continual feedback for any process improvements
  • mid-April, she will send out a form for teachers and volunteers to fill out with regards to project evaluations
  • currently, there is no art show planned for the end of the year (Raquel is spread too thin at the moment).  

If a group of parents are interested in hosting an Art Show, I’d love for us to do this. I currently run the Arts Attack Program, STEAM Lab, Maker(Space)Ship, PTA  VP Communications, volunteer with my son’s teacher and most importantly a mom, which doesn’t leave any room for adding to my plate.

Let the Arts begin,