Parent's News: Head's Column

February 11, 2004

Of the Arts, Imagination and Learning

There are two primary arguments put forth in support of arts education for elementary and middle school students. One emphasizes the arts “for art’s sake,” that expressions, techniques, perceptions and ways of seeing are developed in unique and important ways through music, dance and studio arts. The other, more current argument emphasizes the positive crossover effects the arts have on the more traditional academic disciplines. Wynton Marsalis points out in a recent interview in Teacher magazine that students with experience in music score 57 points higher on the verbal SAT and 41 points higher on the math SAT .

At Prospect Sierra, we embrace both of these positive outcomes and believe deeply that the arts develop imagination, intellect, curiosity, open-mindedness and an appreciation for diversity. We are a school that sees arts as an essential aspect of each student’s education.

In addition to the learning and teaching spaces that were built last year, the Campus Master Plan of 1999 identified one additional project as a top priority – a new center for the arts at Avis and renovated spaces for foreign language instruction. We were unable to fund these last elements of the Master Plan through bond proceeds without assuming imprudent levels of debt. This past year, our Board decided to proceed with the design of these spaces and to launch a Capital Campaign to fund the $4 million cost of new classrooms for music/movement, drama, fine arts and renovated foreign language spaces.

The addition of the new arts building and the foreign language classrooms will be the final element in the conversion of the Avis Campus. Originally built in the 1950’s as a public elementary school, that campus was designed for the education of the time – one that was completely homeroom based. It was neither equipped to serve middle school students nor designed to support a program like ours, which relies heavily on specialist instruction. Over the past seven years, we have made tremendous strides to create a true middle school campus, with the conversion of the original kindergarten rooms into science and technology labs, followed by the renovation of the auditorium into a middle school gymnasium and assembly/theatre space, and, last year, the addition of the new library building.

The new foreign language rooms will at last ensure that this critical school program (with 84 classes per week!) will have dedicated classrooms. The proposed new visual and performing arts classrooms will replace the so-called “portable” classrooms on the upper yard (at long last satisfying a condition for the City’s issuance of our use permit), will relieve the pressure on the multipurpose room so that it can accommodate the near constant physical education and after school sports demands on the facility, and will ensure that, as our students move from the Tapscott Campus to middle school, the Avis Campus has the same quality arts facilities that so greatly benefit children at the elementary school.

The design of the new arts building – which involved teachers, administrators, parents and trustees – is now complete and available for viewing on both our web site and in the front offices at both campuses. The building, to be located on the upper playground at Avis, is both functional and striking and will provide our middle school students with greatly expanded opportunities in the arts. It is our hope to have the building completed in 2006, but this timetable will depend on the success and duration of the Capital Campaign.

At Prospect Sierra, the arts are for all students, not just the talented or uniquely gifted. It is a true joy to see our Tapscott students immersed in activities in the art and music rooms. The quality of experience has improved dramatically, the teachers are proud, inspired and energized. We can hardly wait to have those experiences extended to the Avis campus.

— Buzz