Have Wheels Will Travel

Two years ago there was a good chance that I was going to lose my art room. In preparation for meeting with my principal I jotted down all of my questions. You know, at 2am when the thought of moving my room onto a cart played non-stop in my mind. I know many art teachers are going to be tasked with this challenge in the fall so when I came across the list while archiving files tonight, I wanted to share it. In no particular order:

• When will I/we be able to provide input on what supports we will need to make this happen?

• What area will be provided for the following:
• Storage of materials
• Storage (drying space) for wet items
• Storage of work for art show
• Storage of student work in progress
• Storage of clay while drying out for kiln (or 3D work in progress)
• What accommodations can be made for hand washing in absence of sink?
• If purchasing baby wipes, will those items come out of general budget?
• Will a para-professional be available to escort younger students to bathroom for clean up?
• What time will be allotted for the loading and unloading of cart each day?(Beyond planning time). Will need 20 minutes to load and unload daily. This should not be part of planning period.
• What system will we have in place for classroom teachers to provide seating charts and updates as they occur?
• What changes will be made to schedule to allow passing time for moving between rooms?
• What changes will be made to schedule to minimize need for elevator use?
• What areas of classroom will be available for LAMP teachers to use during classes? This should be standardized and presented to staff so it is not up to individual teacher preference. I need access to Projectors, Doc Cam, Whiteboards, Counter Space and sinks
• What is the budget for ordering carts to accommodate the needs of six grade levels of supplies? Recommend 2 grade levels per cart and 1 drying rack per floor.
• What space has been designated for classroom teachers to utilize outside of their room while I am teaching?