Former supt. chosen for new arts center

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - A former Buffalo schools administrator has been chosen to lead an ambitious new private-public partnership in the city.

Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy was in Buffalo Wednesday to announce the appointment of Amber Dixon as executive director of the Buffalo Arts and Technology Center. Dixon was recently acting superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools.

Opening in 2014, the arts and technology center will offer after-school arts programs for high school students as well as health sciences career training for adults.

The unusual combination of art and vocational training is modeled after the successful Manchester Bidwell Corp. in Pittsburgh. The idea is to keep teens engaged in their education with an eye toward graduating and preparing for jobs in specific fields.

The center is funded by the state and private foundations.