Another great article about the importance of arts education in our Florida schools. It seems when most schools are cutting back on the arts the Okaloosa School District has stepped up its commitment to arts education.
From the article; “Fine and performing arts are critical in our schools,” said Superintendent Alexis Tibbetts. “Each child is required to take a practical and fine art for graduation. We have committed ourselves to having one or the other, fine or performing arts, in every school in our district, K through 12." “And even though we have had financial cutbacks, we have committed ourselves to maintaining that when other schools have moved their arts to the back burner,” she said. “I sit on the Florida Music Educators Association, so I see this research,” Tibbetts said. “It is clear. Students who are involved in our arts have higher GPAs and higher pass rates on tests like the SAT and ACT and graduate boards.”
Teachers, including Crestview High School choral music director Kevin Lusk, couldn’t agree more. “It opens up that other part of the brain,” Lusk said. “There is so much more to the arts than just the artistic part because we are using all the other disciplines, specially in music because it uses a lot of math.”
Parents have joined the school arts bandwagon, forming support groups for bands, choruses, drama and art programs. “I am very proud of the citizens of Okaloosa County who are strong supporters of arts in our schools,” Tibbetts said. “The parents have committed themselves to buying instruments in our schools, such as violins for Riverside Elementary School.”
Please go and read the whole article.
Crestview News Bulletin
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