Our Mission

The mission of the Office of Arts Education, part of the CPS Office of Teaching and Learning, is to provide more students with access to a quality arts education with meaningful arts experiences inside and outside the classroom. We are a resource for teachers, principals and arts organizations on arts curricula and discipline-based learning strategies, arts integration, professional development for teachers and principals, arts partnerships and arts teaching credentials. We are also passionate advocates of greater funding in arts education.

While the staff advises and manages special projects and city-wide exhibitions, competitions and adjudications, its work is also to direct and produce The Chicago Guide for Teaching and Learning in the Arts, a PreK-12 curricular map of the major arts disciplines that will allow schools and partnering arts organizations the opportunity to align their programs against standards applicable throughout the system as a measure of success. With the goal of providing a hub of communication for the CPS arts education community, the Office of Arts Education has also developed a user-friendly website and a monthly e-newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter and other announcements, click here.

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Meet the Staff

David Roche

The Director of the Office of Arts Education. Before coming to CPS, David was Executive Director of the Old Town School of Folk Music. He has served as Vice President of the Chicago Board of Governors for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Artistic Director for the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, adjunct professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and culture critic for New America Media Online. Holding a Ph.D. in music from University of California, Berkeley, David has also taught elementary and middle school in Alameda County, California.

Nancy A. Cortes

Our Visual Arts Curriculum Supervisor, joined the staff after 11 years as Senior Program Specialist for Arts and Culture at the Chicago Park District, where she worked with cultural partners to bring special arts offerings to neighborhood parks. Prior to that time, she worked at the Chicago Historical Society developing visual and performing arts programs, and as an educator for the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum. She has served on various city arts panels and cultural advisory committees and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Jesus Esquivel

Our Field Supervisor for Having a Ball, a ballroom dance program funded by the Department of Education. Jesus joined the staff after several years of coordinating grant projects with CPS' Office of Language and Culture. He has also worked in the not-for-profit arena managing multiple education and workforce development projects with public and private institutions. Jesus currently serves as vice president of an education and civics focused community-based organization that serves Chicago's Latino community.

Rosalinda Fierro

Currently in her fourth year of service at CPS, is our Office Manager. Rosalinda provides executive assistance to the director; processes payroll, purchase orders and reimbursements; and acts as internal liaison for the department. Prior to joining the Office of Arts Education, she served as an administrative assistant in the Office of Literacy.

Crystal Gerner

Our Office Assistant, Crystal recently received her master's degree in school counseling from National-Louis University. She attended Oswego High School and was a member of the Wind Symphony as well as the marching band, where she served as captain of the flag corp. While attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Crystal was a member of the nationally ranked UW Cheerleading Squad that performed alongside the University Marching Band.

Emily Hooper Lansana

Is our Theater and Literary Arts Curriculum Supervisor. Before coming to CPS, Emily served as Arts-in-Education consultant for eta Creative Arts Foundation and has taught at Columbia College, Chicago State University, the University of Chicago, and DePaul University. She has also worked as Director of Education at New York's Lincoln Center Theater. Emily serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Black Storytellers and as President of the Chicago Association of Black Storytellers. She received her BA in Theater Studies with a certificate in Teacher Preparation/Education from Yale University and an MA in Performance Studies from Northwestern University.

William Braddan McClellan

Celebrating 35 years with CPS, is our Music Curriculum Supervisor, Bill is also chief administrator of the nine CPS All-City Performing Groups and the coordinator of all CPS music contests. He was a member of the US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and was a band director at both the elementary and high school levels. Bill is a product of CPS' Wendell Phillips High School and holds degrees from Northeastern Illinois State College, Vandercook College of Music, and Roosevelt University

N. Charles Thomas

Our Arts Development Supervisor, Charles has served in a variety of administrative roles in New York City before coming to Chicago and CPS. He has written about the arts for publications such as Time Out Chicago, Time Out New York, Classical Singer, and the New York Times. Charles has produced two solo vocal recordings and has performed in jazz, theatrical, and classical contexts in the US and in Europe. He is a graduate of Yale University and the New England Conservatory of Music.