Multicultural Arts
Established in the spring of 2001,f ormerly called the Multicultural Development Team, this year, the team has merged with Cultural Arts to become the Multicultural Arts Committee. It is a part of Home and School with a budget of $2,200, the largest budget of any school committee.
Mission Statement:
We are a racially and culturally diverse group of St. Monica parents striving to weave multiculturalism into the curriculum and school community of St. Monica so as to build greater appreciation, respect and understanding for all God’s children. We welcome all interested parents, from all backgrounds, to join us for any meeting.
Examples of our work:
Established in the spring of 2001,f ormerly called the Multicultural Development Team, this year, the team has merged with Cultural Arts to become the Multicultural Arts Committee. It is a part of Home and School with a budget of $2,200, the largest budget of any school committee.
Mission Statement:
We are a racially and culturally diverse group of St. Monica parents striving to weave multiculturalism into the curriculum and school community of St. Monica so as to build greater appreciation, respect and understanding for all God’s children. We welcome all interested parents, from all backgrounds, to join us for any meeting.
Examples of our work:
- Wrote proposal to school board that All Saints parish families be able to attend St. Monica School at “in-parish” rather than “out-of-parish” tuition rate. All Saints is the closest Catholic parish to SMS that does not have a parish school. SMS School board passed proposal in June, 2002, and now about 10 students from All Saints either currently attend or have graduated from St. Monica. We, along with members of the greater school community, visit All Saints twice a year to recruit.
- Provide books, lists of ideas, Websites, resources and projects teachers can use to weave multicultural studies into subjects they are already teaching.
- Gifts of multicultural dolls to kindergarten teachers
- Organized “TV Turn-off Week” spring, 2004.
- Each year, organize the school-wide celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Day, including bringing in over 50 books on various grade levels for teachers to use and a list of ideas for teachers, planning prayer services, Masses, choral readings, etc.
- Give teachers Black History Month ideas
- Give teachers Cinco de Mayo information and ideas
- Hosted St. Joan Antida Gospel choir at two All-School Masses; provided reception
- Commissioned an artist to paint picture of St. Monica and her children in school foyer after learning St. Monica was an African woman. Generated $400 in donations from school community in 3 days to pay for painting and framing.
- Donate items from Third World Shoppe (handmade items with fair price going to artisans in developing countries) to be donated to auction
- Organize two potluck/open gym events per year
- Bought plaque for school symbolizing theme of year—multicultural.
- Organized “evening family field trip” to Domes for a Milwaukee Public Theatre multicultural event, providing free tickets for families