Reflections: Pointers for the Harried Chairperson

 

Day 1 of School

 

Have catchy posters ready at prominent places in the school campus.

 

Week After Labor Day

 

Elementary School: Send flier home with information containing the theme, goal, categories, age groups and deadline for entries. Emphasize a completed entry form. Incomplete ones are unceremoniously disqualified at higher levels. You may use the same flier as a poster, and put up on your PTA window.

 

All Schools: Have General rules, rules of all categories and entry forms available (100 of each has been found sufficient) at the school office.

 

Suggested Deadline for Units: Mid-October.

 

Judges

 

Line up judges (3 per category, to ensure that each entry is judged by 3 different judges) tentatively. College professors, people in the community, music teachers etc.  work very well.

 

Once Entries Come In ( Mid October)

 

  1. Record each entry by category and age group. Use the spread sheet provided.J
  2. Create a code name for each entry, since judging is blind.( Eg. PVA1 is primary visual arts entry 1.)
  3. When this is done, make sure that you have your judges set, and set a day aside for judging.
  4. Put up visual arts and photography entries category-wise in your school auditorium. Have code number next to artwork. Be sure to hide participant’s information., but not the artist’s statement.

 

To Prepare for Judging (A Week After Deadline)

 

  1. E-mail judges in advance to apprise them with rules or send them a sample of the judging sheet. ( I have enclosed one you can use, or make up your own)
  2. Folder with pencil and eraser for each judge.
  3. Each judge will be given a judging sheet for each entry. Eg. If there are 10 primary visual Arts entries, each of the three Visual Arts judges will have 10 sheets numbered PVA1, PV2…. for each entry.
  4. Go over rules before asking them to see the entries. Interpretation of theme is extremely important, more than mere technical skill.
  5. Consider if adult help is obvious in an entry, in theme or execution. These must be disqualified discreetly. (We once had a 5year-old pass off Picasso’s peace dove as her own work.)
  6. Judging is an intense and painstaking job. Have snacks, thank you cards made by students or thank you certificates for each judge for all their time and energy.
  7. You might need to have the principal or some neutral person act as tie-breaker sometimes.

 

My List of Things on Judgement Day (A Week After Deadline)

 

  1. Boom box, for soothing music, for the judge, and for you. I usually keep the entire day free.
  2. Judges folders with judging sheets/forms.
  3. Extra judging sheets (very important).
  4. Thank you certificates and cards.
  5. Water/juice/soda/cups
  6. crackers/dip/cookies/fruit.
  7. plates/napkins/forks/spoons
  8. camera
  9. book to read.
  10. Reflections binder with tabulation sheets.
  11. Sharpened pencils and erasers for judges.

 

After  Judges Leave

 

  1. Calculate the cumulative points for each child and determine the 5 best entries. These go to the next level.
  2. Take down these entries (that go to the next level), and replace the entry forms into protective sheets.
  3. Ensure that EVERY criterion of the entry form has been met with.
  4. Fill up ALL information in Form A (Participation Form at Unit Level) before submitting to the next level at the council, where the entire process is repeated , but for multiple schools.

 

After Entries Sent to Next Level (End of October/Beginning November)

 

  1. Send flier thanking all the participants, names of participants, names of children and category  of those who made it to Level 2, thank you to judges, next year’s theme and tentative time of return of all entries. ( See enclosed sample)
  2. Have a poster with results and next year’s theme displayed at prominent place in school.

 

November-Beginning of December

 

Process repeats in Councils with entries from multiple schools.

 

December-3rd Week January

 

Process repeats in Districts with entries from multiple councils.

 

January-End of February

 

Process repeats in States ….etc etc….upto national level at Washington.

 

In March of Next Year

 

By this time all entries should be back to respective schools.( CFCPTA, Cupertino-Fremont Council,  always has a very impressive Reflections Night with all literature entries printed and a slide show of all visual arts and photography. Music compositions are played by the creators…they do a fabulous job! )

 

In elementary school either have a Reflections Assembly with entries displayed and played, and children handed out certificates, ribbons and prizes (for 1st and 2nd)

Or

Go from class-to-class and hand out certificates, ribbons and prizes, principal in tow. Works very well!

 

Middle School: Certificates and pizza parties seem to be popular.

 

Most of  all, give yourself a pat for helping children appreciate the arts.