For two weeks the students and staff of West Homer Elementary used their bodies to show symmetry and asymmetry, obtuse angles and equilateral triangles. They practiced respectful space and coming to neutral. They enacted landforms, forces of erosion, a Revolutionary timeline, persuasive arguing and electrical circuits, to name a few. They moved their bodies in ways that resulted in laughter as well as problem solving, all under the exciting tutelage of our recent dance and creative movement artist-in-school, Alison Marshall.    

Alison impressed us with her skilled expertise, energy and flexibility during her time at WHE. She in turn was impressed with our students’ focus and engagement, with a flexible and supportive staff, and with the delicious variety and quality of Homer’s restaurants.   

A big thank you goes to The Bunnell B&B, Best Western Bidarka and Ocean Shores Motel for their generous donations of lodging.

We appreciate and thank Asia Freeman with the Bunnell Street Arts Center’s Artist in Schools Program and its sponsors, the Alaska State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Rasmuson Foundation, Jazzline and Alaska USA.

We also want to thank our hard-working WHE PTO for all their fundraising, which enables us to host an artist-in-residence every year.  

Staff and students at WHE were fortunate to have Alison as our artist-in-residence this year, and we are looking forward to continuing to integrate movement in our instructional endeavors.

Judy Gonsalves, AIS Coordinator 2013-14, 

West Homer Elementary