Northwest Girlchoir. Photo by Sara Gray.

Make sure it’s on your calendar! Join Mayor Mike McGinn, Seattle Public Schools Interim Superintendent Susan Enfield and youth for a lively panel discussion and community forum about arts education, creative learning and student success. The 2012 Arts Education Forum is 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16, at Seattle University’s Pigott Auditorium. The forum is presented by the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, Seattle Arts Commission and Seattle Public Schools with support from Seattle University College of Arts & Sciences.

Bring your questions for our panel of students and policymakers and hear how our office and Seattle Public Schools are partnering to help ensure arts learning can be a part of a complete education for all students. Learn about a coordinated effort to create a comprehensive K-12 visual and performing arts plan for Seattle Public Schools. The district recently received a grant from The Wallace Foundation to engage the community in developing a plan to provide greater arts education access citywide.

Youth participants include panel moderator Henry Luke, a 2011 graduate of Nova High School and the Seattle coordinator for Youth Speaks, a nonprofit spoken word and youth development program; Maddie Thomas, a junior at Ballard High School, member of Seattle Art Museum’s Teen Advisory Board and a fashion blogger; Vivi Perez, a 2010 graduate of Ballard High School and JustServe AmeriCorps Anti-Violence Corps team leader.

Children are welcome at the forum. Free supervised arts activities and snacks will be provided for school-aged children. To sign up, call (206) 684-7372 by Friday, Feb. 10.

Sign up to receive e-mail updates about the city and school district’s partnership and learn about opportunities to get involved.