Lynch Elementary School Mural Project

Project manager:

Molly Malinowski

Email:

mmalinowski@winchesterps.org

School:

Lynch

Telephone:

6176059436

Additional applicant:

Name:

Leah Medwar

School:

Lynch

Email:

lmedwar@winchesterps.org

Type of Grant:

Collaborative

Curriculum:

Social_studies

Target grade:

K-5

No. of staff:

No. of students:

445

Grant proposal

Summary:

We are hiring an artist to create a new mural in the front lobby of the new Lynch building. We think this project is worthwhile because it would allow for more representation of our students’ countries, cultures, and languages. Just as our curriculum and teaching practices constantly grow and change, our art should grow and change alongside our student population, too. Representation matters! In September of 2021, the Lynch SJC conducted a video project about the importance of representation. We asked students, “How does it make you feel to see someone that looks like you in books, movies, TV shows, etc.?” Here are some sample quotes from second grade students: “It makes you feel happy and not feel alone.” “It makes me feel proud.” “I feel like I am not so alone!” “That you know there is someone like you.” “Amazed because I don’t see a lot of Chinese people in shows.” “Happy because she looks like me!” “Confident.” These student voices clearly amplify the need to have a mural that represents our population, and demonstrate the importance of creating an environment where all are welcomed, heard, and seen.

GRANT DETAILS

Educational Issue:

This project overwhelming supports students’ understanding how communities are formed, roles in communities, how communities come together for a common purpose, how our differences and similarities come together, how important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our differences, and how important it is to work together and learn about our own identity and the identities of others. The process of coming together to create a mural also builds community in itself. This project relates to common core standards across grade levels. Additionally, we are required to teach with the social justice standards in mind. Please see below for the social justice standards that this project also relates to: Identity: 1. Students will develop positive social identities based on their membership in multiple groups in society. 3. Students will recognize that people’s multiple identities interact and create unique and complex individuals. 4. Students will express pride, confidence and healthy self-esteem without denying the value and dignity of other people. Diversity: 6. Students will express comfort with people who are both similar to and different from them and engage respectfully with all people. 7. Students will develop language and knowledge to accurately and respectfully describe how people (including themselves) are both similar to and different from each other and others in their identity groups. 8. Students will respectfully express curiosity about the history and lived experiences of others and will exchange ideas and beliefs in an open-minded way. 9. Students will respond to diversity by building empathy, respect, understanding and connection.

Goals & Outcomes:

Long Term Goal: Establish an environment where Lynch students and staff feel welcomed, heard, and seen. Rebuild a new sense of community as we embark on our journey in the new Lynch building. School Year Goals: Include students and staff in conversations about our community’s values. Engage students and staff in all school assemblies to build community and contribute to the design of the mural. Include the Lynch School and greater Winchester community in an unveiling event when the mural is complete to help build a sense of community.

Activities:

Bren will come visit the space to see the sizing he has to work with (probably in August/September 2025) Theme of mural and list of characters that kids will draw–determined prior to the visit with school administrators and teacher input Week long residency for Bren Bataclan, our mural artist Monday–2 all school assemblies (one for older and one for younger), slide show about where murals have been done all over the world 20th anniversary of hidden paintings to spread kindness, 80 countries, trying to hit 100 Power of kindness through art Everyone draws with him (he teaches, they do it with him) Tuesday-Thursday paint during school day Friday finish the painting and then do unveiling IF NEEDED, Bren can go into a second week of residency if his space is bigger, which he will determine when he visits the space in August/September 2025

Innovation & Collaboration:

This project reflects a collaborative approach to addressing a need. Our student population has changed since the creation of our first Lynch mural. We are proud to enroll a diverse student body with 45.1% of our students’ races/ethnicities noted as other than white. We are home to 39.5% of students whose first language is not English, and 11% of our students are current English Learners. Additionally, our population of Asian American students is 31.3%. [School and District Profiles, Lynch School (03440020), 2022-2023]. The population of Asian American students at Lynch has nearly doubled since the installation of the original mural in 2012, when Lynch’s Asian American population was 16.4%. [School and District Profiles, Lynch School (03440020), 2011-2012]. When the old mural was created, it was more representative of the majority white student population at the time. This new mural would better reflect our current student population. It will also help us build a sense of community as we embark on the journey in our new building space. It is important to show students windows (views into the lives of others who are different from them) and mirrors (reflections of people who are similar to them). We believe this need can be addressed by the creation of a mural that highlights our connectedness as a global community. The project will include all Lynch faculty and students, and will withstand the test of time as our population continues to change.

IMPACT

Publicity:

We will publicize this project to other teachers by: Involving staff input through questionnaires Emails Staff Meetings Postings in Weekly Update Pictures We will publicize this project to the broader community by: Including information in the Family Update Asking families for input about what they think of when they think of Lynch/important items about Lynch Information sent to staff to send home to families directly LPA Newsletter Press from WFEE Photos Inviting families in to view this mural when completed with an unveiling event.

Timeline:

ASAP: $4,000 deposit paid to Bren to secure our spot.

August/September 2025: Projected completion of New Lynch. Artist Bren Bataclan visits the space.

September-October 2025: Begin conversations with students and staff around community values that should be included in the mural, and symbolic ways to represent these values.

October-November 2025: Bren’s work at Lynch will be 1 or 2 weeks, depending on the space (will be determined in August/September when he visits). His work will follow the following timeline:

Monday: Two all-school assemblies with Bren (K-2 and 3-5)
Tuesday-Thursday: Bren paints during the school day.
Friday: Finishing touches and unveiling of the mural.
If he ends up needing 2 weeks, the painting will continue into the following week, with the unveiling of the mural being the following Friday.

Evaluation:

Collect input from students and staff on what their vision is for the mural (connects to our goal of being inclusive of staff thoughts and opinions) Create common language/conversations with staff so they can talk to students about building community and the importance of building community (connects to our goal of building community) Reflection for students to answer about the mural building experience and what they like/value/liked about the experience Unveiling for broader community as a way to further our goal of being inclusive and building community.

Budget and Explanation

Supplies:

Bren Bataclan (artist commissioned, materials included in cost)

$8000.00

Total Supplies:

$8000.00

Total

$8000.00

Budget Explanation:

Bren’s pricing includes planning meetings with staff, Bren leading two all-school assemblies (K-2 and 3-5), and all paint and supplies that he will need. Bren is the most affordable artist. He is also local, which means there is no travel/hotel expenses to factor in. We received quotes from a few other artists who were much more expensive (Anna Dugan, $8,820-$12,600; Lena McCarthy, $15,920-$17,713; Ngoc-Tran Vu, $20,000). Bren has completed over 350 school murals and incorporates student engagement as a part of the process. The other artists we researched did not have experience with schools and were less confident in their ability to engage with students. Here is more information about Bren and the other artists that was presented to staff in making our decision.

Minimum Budget:

$8000.00

Description:

The $8,000 is a flat fee. We will need the full $8,000 to hire Bren to complete this project.