The Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG) is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the Ithaca (New York) City School District to support and celebrate all the arts for all the kids. FABG is an affiliate of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative.

Latest News

Board of Education Funds Remaining Arts Extracurriculars

Posted Sun, 10/03/2010 - 9:29pm

At the September 28, 2010 Board of Education meeting, board members voted to transfer $16,000 to fund the remaining extracurricular activity that had been cut from the 2010-2011 budget. The Ithaca High School and Lehman Alternative Community School musicals will be funded for this school year as a result of this vote. Previously, booster donations fully funded the cut fall extracurricular activity that had been cut. Thank you, Board of Education, and thank you community members!

Arts are Vital to Every Students' Education

Posted Thu, 09/16/2010 - 1:01pm

Our community recognizes the power of the arts in education and recently the community rallied quickly and generously to restore almost all of the arts extra-curricular and co-curricular activities cut from the 2010-2011 Ithaca City School District budget.

The U.S. House of Representatives has declared the second week in September as Arts in Education Week and we as a community have shown we agree.

The July 2010 House Resolution 275 highlights the arts as a core academic subject and considers the attributes of arts education – critical thinking and problem solving skills, creativity, discipline, alternative communication, and cross-cultural understanding – as instrumental in preparing our children to be global citizens....(read more)

Jazz Great Visits Ithaca High School: Cornell Partners for the Arts and Health

Posted Mon, 09/13/2010 - 2:23pm

Again, in 2018, Wynton Marsalis came to the ICSD. This time his visit was a result of the Cornell University Andrew D. White Professors at Large Program. Mr. Marsalis worked with the Jazz Band in a teaching session. This connection is an example of the facilitating community partnerships and maximizing other resources.

Original Visit:

On Friday, October 1, 2010, jazz musician Wynton Marsalis and his Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform a concert, “Jazz for Young People” for Ithaca City School District students in the renovated Kulp Auditorium at Ithaca High School. The concert, presented to middle and high school students, will focus on the history and importance of jazz....(read more)

Community Meets Challenge Match for the Arts - Keep Giving!

Posted Sat, 08/21/2010 - 4:01pm

The Fine Arts Booster Group, an affiliate of IPEI, announced that the community has rallied to support arts extra-curricular and co-curricular activities by matching an anonymous challenge donor. With the incentive of $10,000 in matching funds, over $30,000 was raised to restore secondary school activities at Ithaca High School, Boynton and DeWitt Middle Schools, and Lehman Alternative Community School. “With the help of this generous donor, the community rallied in this extraordinarily difficult time.

_MG_2488-2_0.jpeg
School of Rock a unique after-school program performs, Fall Creek Elementary School....(read more)

Arts Alive Fund Receives a Challenge-Donate Now For Your Match

Posted Sat, 06/19/2010 - 2:51pm

Arts Alive donations have reached $6,000 by June 30. Donate now to double your gift. The Fine Arts Booster Group’s new Arts Alive Fund has received a challenge grant from an anonymous donor. The Arts Alive Fund Challenge, designed to support extracurricular arts activities in the Ithaca City School District, will match gifts from individuals and businesses, doubling the value of these gifts up to $10,000.

The Arts Alive Fund goal is to restore all secondary extracurricular and co-curricular programs at Ithaca High School, Lehman Alternative Community School, Boynton and DeWitt Middle Schools....(read more)

IHS Visual Culture

Posted Wed, 06/02/2010 - 10:40am by Lesley Greene
IHS Visual Culture

Annual Student Art Exhibit at the Tompkins County Public Library

June 1-30, 2010

Watershed Wall Unveiling

Posted Wed, 05/26/2010 - 1:01pm by Candace Shoemaker
Watershed Wall Unveiling

The public is invited to the unveiling of Watershed Wall, a public art collaboration between the Ithaca City School District art teachers, students and the City of Ithaca. The unveiling will take place in a ceremony on June 4, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. in the Green Street Garage Alley. This clay mural will be permanently on display on the back wall of the Green Street Garage along the pedestrian walkway that leads to The Commons. A Gallery Night reception follows the unveiling.

Watershed Wall was created by Ithaca City School District students based on a collaborative design by their art teachers. The project was coordinated by the Fine Arts Booster Group, an affiliate of IPEI (Ithaca Public Education Initiative), and assembled with assistance by artist Annemarie Zwack....(read more)

Check out the Public Art Mural Project

Posted Thu, 05/06/2010 - 10:26am

http://videos.sorensonmedia.com/3D+Cinemation+%26+Multimedia+Company+-+I...

Ithaca City School District (ICSD) art teachers, students, and community members have collaborated on the design and development of a clay mural to be installed in downtown Ithaca. This public art project will be permanently on display on the outside back wall of the Green Street Garage along the pedestrian walkway that leads to The Commons from the street. ...(read more)

Four Day Schedule Proposed for Elementary Art and Music and PE

Posted Tue, 04/27/2010 - 10:26pm

The Impact of the Proposed Four Day Cycle on Elementary Music and Art

The Fine Arts Booster Group supports quality instruction of music and art in our schools. A proposal is being considered to put art and music and physical education on a four-day cycle in the elementary schools....(read more)

April Budget Updates - Next Steps

Posted Sat, 04/03/2010 - 9:35am

The next steps in the ICSD budget development process include a public hearing on April 15 at 6:30. Please consider attending!

Recent discussion at the board level indicated some interest in restoring elementary instrumental money, though the budget crafting process will not be complete until April 20.

Continue to send your thoughts on the budget to budget@icsd.k12.ny.us.

Input gathered on all proposed cuts, including 2 FTE reduction of art/music/pe, will be related to the board of education priorities and will be presented on April 13.

Index of all news items

Syndicate content