2021 Virtual Superintendent’s Celebration of the Arts!

The Newburgh Enlarged City School District’s Fine & Performing Arts department 2021 Virtual Superintendent’s Celebration of the Arts! Our theme this year is “The Show Must Go On”! The Director of the Fine and Performing Arts Department is Ms. Lynda Keech.

Our department’s mission is to inspire lifelong learners, consumers, and participators in the Arts. We have been working tirelessly to design and offer creative, comprehensive lessons that center around our NYS Arts Learning Standards that engage students, while coping with the great challenges of hybrid/virtual/in-person learning. This has been a time like no other, but as you will see, Newburgh’s FPA department has risen admirably to the test!

Our staff has gone through multiple professional development sessions, including one you will see in the slideshow with Mark Frankel, a professional audio engineer, and member of the famed Blue Man Group

Also in the slideshow, you will see how teachers have incorporated many types of technology in their classes including MusicFirst/PracticeFirst; MusicFirst Jr.; Chrome Canvas; Google Draw; Screencastify; Adobe Spark; Flipgrid; Flat.io; iMovie; Peardeck; Photoshop Express; SmartMusic; EdPuzzle; Padlet; Soundtrap; Songmaker; and more. All of these platforms are wonderful additions to the teaching toolbox, however, we are very much looking forward to working with our FPA scholars safely in-person soon. We miss you, and can’t wait to see you!

Slides will include student drawings based on the book “All are Welcome”; animal portraits in the style of Oaxacan Folk Art; collages; Japanese contemporary art; AP Art and Design portraits; clay sculptures; drama students creating tableau and dramatic readings; music students working with a Hebrew song, playing guitar and piano; composing; singing call and response and making drums; dance students dancing to Let it Snow, plus much much more! 

We conclude the 2021 Celebration of the Arts, with the 94th annual performance of the Hallelujah Chorus, complete with student, staff, and NFA alumni performers and a guest conductor. This video performance took countless hours of planning and work by our NFA Main music staff using FinalCut Pro to create something that looked like a live performance. And as you probably know, live performances are not possible on-line, due to inconsistent internet speeds that cause latency and lagging issues. 

Thank you so much to all of the FPA scholars that contributed to this phenomenal slideshow, and a huge thank you to all of the art/music/dance and drama teachers that worked so hard to bring this amazing show to life! They are listed at the end of the show. Extra shoutout to Mr. Guy Duquesnay for creating the final video production!

At this time, we ask you to sit back, relax, and enjoy our presentation of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District’s Fine & Performing Arts department’s 2021 Virtual Superintendent’s Celebration of the Arts! And, stay tuned, literally, in the spring for more art/music/drama shows and productions from our fabulous department! Be safe, everyone!

Thank you!

Julianna Ferreira THA Art

Mary Petruncola NW Music

Christine Mackey Vails Gate Music

Kayla Allen Balmville Art

Karin McCartney GAMS Music

Ken Brands Balmville Music

Michael Hickey HMS Band

Rachel Williams Meadow Hill Art

Kathryn McCarthy HMS Art

Susie Urban SMS Art

Angela Cacaca SMS Art

Kylie Hubbard SMS/HMS Art

Brian Grodin HMS Art 

Caroline Kastberg SMS Drama

Nicole Mischo NFAM Art

Elizabeth Deyo NFAN Art

Monica Guido-Antonelli NFAM Orchestra

Jillian Caci NFAM Choirs

Chris Zoutis NFAM Bands

Paul Carroll NFAM Music

Ethen Gutzeit NFAN Music

Olga Dusheina-Dougherty NFAN Music

Mandy Clifford NFAM Dance

Danielle Small NFAM Theater

Claudean DeLaigle GLA Art

Marilyn Wade NFAN Art

Guy DuQuesnay NFAM Video Production

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!