From Mrs. Folkes: Dear Parents, As you are aware, I recently planned to remove art from the Specials rotation and place it back into the classroom. The idea was to have teachers integrate art into their lessons on a more frequent basis. This decision was based in part on a recent partnership the NEISD has formed with the Tobin Center focused on art integration. We are excited about this partnership and I’m happy to say several staff at Hardy Oak have already received training. After numerous discussions with parents and community stakeholders, I have decided to leave art in the specials rotation. I want to thank everyone that provided me with his or her perspective. I believe communication is an essential ingredient to an effective campus, so thank you. Art will be reinstated in the Specials rotation when we return in January. This will allow time for our teachers to plan great lessons for kids! As previously stated, some of our teachers have received arts integration training provided by the Tobin Center, so we expect great things. I wanted to thank you for your feedback and support while this instructional decision was refined. Respectfully, Lola Folkes