"Leslie is dedicated to incorporating the arts into our curriculum and has not only enriched the educational experience for our students, but has also inspired her colleagues to creatively adapt traditional lessons to engage students in learning through the arts," said Kimberlee Chappell, District Literacy Coordinator, of the district's art integration work.

 

North Adams Public Schools has been engaged in arts-integrated professional development and pedagogy in the district since 2017, beginning with a four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide professional development in arts education and arts integration for educators, for which Appleget was the project manager. In alignment with the Berkshire Blueprint for Arts Integration and Education, NAPS implemented a district-wide arts integration effort through curriculum development and partnership with community arts organizations in 2022, with a focus on integrating the arts to deepen students' social-emotional learning skills as well as deepen rigor in teaching and learning.