When teaching artists Kitty O’Connor and Mia Rotondo sat down to reflect on and share about their collaborative practice, they quickly realized that there were SO many stories of joyful collaboration woven throughout their semesters at school residencies, professional development, and planning with SO many other colleagues and community organizations- that just one story wouldn’t do! So please enjoy this ongoing reflection series on Collaboration and Arts Integration.

Summer is a special time for those who work in and with schools. The break gives us a little breathing room to rest, reflect on the year that just ended, and make plans for the year ahead. The KID smART programming team took this time to retreat and ask ourselves, “What are we doing well? And what could we be doing better?”

This summer, my engagement with STEAM smART centered on three key objectives: student benefit, organizational growth, and personal professional development.

On October 9, 2024, educators from 14 different campuses across the Greater New Orleans area gathered for the first Arts eXperiences In Schools (AXIS) session of the 24-25 school year.