
SPECIAL MORNINGS AT PVAC
Special Mornings art program was created to enrich the lives of our special needs student population in and out of the classroom. At PVAC, we provide opportunities for equitable, responsive, and pro-active inclusion of students with disabilities in Arts Education.
Serving special needs students throughout LAUSD Title 1 schools for over 43 years.
Special Mornings program:
- Offers visual arts experiences that enhance students’ artistic perception and creative expression
- Provides historical and cultural context to art
- Helps students derive meaning from visual works of art (aesthetic valuing)
- Encourages competencies and learning across disciplines

How we do it-
By making art – the key component of the program.
Students learn to manipulate an incredible array of art making materials and tools. Use of art supplies can give students a fun way to work on their fine motor skills; learning how to hold items and develop hand-eye coordination. The outcome is greater than the various parts; students walk away with enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they explain their work, feel pride and accomplishment in the finished product and share their experience of the process with peers. In the end, students walk away with a remarkably sophisticated and uniquely personal piece of art and so much more.

Touring Exhibitions.
Students are exposed to the many ways in which people make art. Exhibition tours help provide educational opportunities to learn about the historical and cultural influences of various artists and their works. Tours help open conversations about the many ways people make art to interpret the world around them. These conversations and experiences help to broaden social skills and sensory perceptions and create space for students to relate to others and the world around them in new ways. Art can be a means of expressing feelings and creatively introducing thoughts and ideas for students who may have difficulty expressing themselves through traditional speech or writing. Our Special Mornings program helps students empathize with each other, using art as the medium that binds their experiences, leading to a greater sense of belonging and comradery.

Expanding Environment.
Serving seven Title 1 schools throughout LAUSD, Palos Verdes Art Center provides transportation for all students in the program. By changing the physical environment and bringing students to us, we expand their view of the world and provide a safe space for learning and exploring the wider world around them.
Special Mornings is made possible, in part, by generous support from–
