Frequently Asked Questions
What do Kid Serve students learn?
What artistic practices does the program support?
Who teaches a Kid Serve residency?
How long does a Kid Serve residency last?
Why are most Kid Serve projects outside?
What is the Service-Learning teaching strategy?
How does a school get involved?
Can my child participate?
Where is the program offered?
How can I become involved in Kid Serve?
 
What do Kid Serve students learn?  
Kid Serve students learn the curriculum that is already being taught in their classroom, and create art-work based on that curriculum. That art-work becomes the basis for their mural design.
 
What artistic practices does the program support?  
About 65% of Kid Serve murals are mosaic tile, but Kid Serve murals have been created with acrylic paint as well as with spray paint and stencils. Students are guided through the same process a professional artist goes through when being commissioned to do a mural. The students have to work together to create and submit a design to a principal and building owner for approval. They have to fabricate the design based on the approved design.
 
Who teaches a Kid Serve residency?  
The Kid Serve Residencies are taught by muralist Josef Norris. Mr. Norris is best known in San Francisco for the Performing Arts Mural, located at Gough and Fulton Streets and featuring four dancers made out of mosaic tile. He has also created murals at the Kid Power Park in the Mission District and Mission Wall Dances at 14th & Harrison Streets. Mr. Norris also works with Mural Assistants.
 
How long does a Kid Serve residency last? 
Kid Serve currently teaches 8-week and 14-week mural residencies. An artist will partner with one to two classes and guide that class through the process of creating a permanent outdoor mural in their community.


Why are most Kid Serve projects outside?  
These are service-learning projects, where students learn their curriculum while creating a project that is of service to their neighborhoods. By creating permanent public art that is seen and enjoyed by the community outside the school, students are able to give a gift that beautifies and educates their community.
 
What is the Service-Learning teaching strategy?  
Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. To find out more about service-learning you can go to: www.servicelearning.org To find out more about Kid Serve's work with service-learning you can go to: www.learningindeed.org
 
How does a school get involved?  
We are first trying to reach schools with a high percentage of kids who will not receive arts education outside of their school. We target districts where 50% or more of the students are on the Free or Reduced Lunch Program. This statistic is readily available at all school districts as it is mandated by federal law. Schools or districts that do not meet this criteria are still eligible to participate. Contact Kid Serve Executive Director Josef Norris at (415) 337-8474 or email him at: josef@kidserve.com to schedule an appointment with your school. We like to have the school principal present at these initial interviews. Our criteria for working with schools and teachers is that we are looking for partnerships.
 
Can my child participate?  
Kid Serve classes are available only to students attending schools where our program is offered. Instruction is delivered in a group setting and there is no charge to students who wish to participate. The best way to get the program in your area is to speak with administrators or teachers from the district and encourage them to work with us to offer the program.


Where is the program offered?  
This year (September 2005 - June 2006) Kid Serve is conducting Residencies at: East Oakland: Whittier, Melrose and Lazear Elementary Schools. San Francisco: Starr King Elementary School (Potrero Hill), Jefferson Elementary School (Sunset), Buena Vista Elementary School (Mission), Gateway Charter High School and the Creative Arts Charter School (Western Addition). We are currently interviewing schools for the academic school year of 2006-2007. Please call Josef Norris at 415-337-8474 if you are interested in having a Kid Serve residency at your school.
 
How can I become involved in Kid Serve?  
Kid Serve conducts an average of 8 mural residencies a year and have several Saturday Mural Days where volunteers can help lay tile, grout and participate in the creation of these community murals. Kid Serve is also looking for Board Members and people to serve on our subcommittees. You can email Josef Norris at: josef@kidserve.com for more volunteer information.