Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8's Building Bridges Through Art Smart project is one of only 34 programs funded nationwide by the US Department of Education, and only one of two in the state of Pennsylvania, which is why we are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to the participating school districts in IUs 8 and 9, supporting students and teachers as they discover exciting new ways of learning reading and math through the infusion of visual arts, music, drama, and dance.

Project Objectives

• To increase student achievement in reading and math as demonstrated by results from PSSA and PVAAS data.
• To increase teacher creativity through professional development in the infusion of the arts into reading and mathematics curriculum.

Highlights of the Program

• Expansion of the successful Project Art Smart program from Warren County School District to four demographically similar districts
• Delivery of cultural opportunities in rural areas
• Increasing the use of various arts forms in all content areas
• Utilizing a range of methods of artistic expression from diverse cultures
• Delivery of professional development to classroom teachers to effectively use successful arts infusion strategies
• Training of visual art and music teachers to become richer resources for their schools
• Utilization of the Internet as a:
  • delivery system for professional development
  • forum for teacher reflection and interaction
  • library of lessons and other resources
• Collection of data for use in building similar arts programs across the state

Participating Schools

• Cambria Elementary (Central Cambria School District)
• Jackson Elementary (Central Cambria School District)
• Portage Area Elementary (Portage Area School District)
• Port Allegany Elementary (Port Allegany School District)
• Rockwood Area Elementary (Rockwood Area School District)
• Kingwood Elementary (Rockwood Area School District)

Click here to see a listing of the teachers and administrators contributing to this site.