Art Room FAQ
Dear Teachers and parent volunteers,
There have been some questions regarding the new Art Room. We hope this answers some of them.
Q: How do I use the Art Room?
A: Sara created a beautiful sign up sheet, located on the outside of the door. Simply block-off the hours you’ll need. Please give yourself plenty of time for set up and, especially, clean up of your project.
Q: Why are the tables so high?
A: This is a practice some may disagree with, but the art tables are purposely raised so students can stand while they do art. Standing not only keeps the students more alert, it improves their view of their work, while giving them a greater range of movement.
Q: Does this mean children have to stand for an entire art class.
A: Absolutely not. An art class is usually divided into three phases. The introduction. The demonstration. And the application. We simply suggest you use the chairs for the first two phases of the lesson, then stack for the final phase. The elimination of chairs will also creates less obstacles for students and instructors during the most active portion of the lesson.
Q: The big white tables have labels on them telling me not to move them. Why?
A: The tops of those tables are not bolted down, just slightly secured with screws. Pushing on the tops will cause the screws to weaken, which may result in the tops sliding off. And they are very heavy. If you must move the tables, push them by their legs, not their top. And, please, move the tables back when you’re done.
Q: Where can In Touch With Art volunteers store supplies for upcoming classes?
A: There is a white cabinet labeled “In Touch With Art” in the Art Room. Store your items there. After your lesson, please remove the items, or donate them to the general supplies by placing them in a bag labeled “art supply donation.”
Q: Where’s the sink?
A: There is a hand-washing station and a custodian sink located just outside the Art Room on the wall of the south stairs.
Q: Who’s in charge of supplies?
A: The art room supplies are provided by the PTA, teachers, and donations. Sara and I are currently putting together a list of needed supplies for presentation to the PTA. If there are supplies you might need for a lesson, please contact one of us and we’ll add it to the list.
Q: What’s the best way to clean the Art Room.
A: Use the supplied Cleaning Cart, which is a fancy name for our wash tub on wheels. Simply roll it out to the custodian sink, fill the wash tup with soap and hot water, and then wheel it back to the Art Room. Hopefully, this is a temporary measure, until that classroom gets a sink.
Q: What supplies can I use in the Art Room?
A: Supplies on the shelves are available to all teachers and art volunteers. Please make sure all the lids and caps to glue, paint, pens, etc. are tightened to prevent them from drying out.
Q: How can I cool off the art room?
A: The electric fan above the supply shelf will take the edge off, but if you want to cool the room down quickly, you can open a window. Remember to close and latch it when you leave.
Q: Can I raise the shades?
A: Please do. The windows let in a lot of refreshing natural light. However, being next to the playground invites a lot of lookie-loos. And you need to close the blinds before you leave.
