feature
system to better and more efficiently meet the needs of all students.” The focus of transformation requires initiatives that seek out innovative programs and ser- vices that are not only better than what we have today, but that also create new efficiencies.
Juxtapose the need to make program and budgetary reductions against the charge to transform and you might feel stuck, “between a rock and a hard place.” What we have discovered over the last several years is the opposite, however. We found that by investing further in areas that align with best practice for our students we are able to realize new efficiencies.
and opportunity to solidify deep learn- ing through profound engagement. The academy will serve students in grades 9-12 beginning with the 2011-12 school year. Under the direction of band teacher Kevin Erickson, the academy experience provides students with an arts-focused school day, while meeting Wisconsin high school graduation requirements. The motto “Integrate, Collaborate, Perform” embodies the academy focus on creativity, application and audience.
I know what you are thinking, how in the world can they be protecting and building upon the arts in times like these? My an- swer: We simply can’t afford not to.
Models of Efficiency
“The stronger the imagination, the less imaginary the results.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore Building on Success
Beyond our traditional programming in the arts, realizing new efficiencies came with the addition of beginner level courses in Piano, Guitar, as well as a course in Arts and Events Production. These courses al- low our existing staff to serve an entirely new population of students and further open the door for more students to become inspired through music and the arts. The strategic move made by our music faculty to expand the student population they are able to serve by shifting within their existing FTE allocation shows creativity, strategic planning and an attitude that is a hallmark for teachers at KM.
Beginning with the 2010-11 school year KM began piloting a Fine Arts Academy serving students in grades 10-11. This model infuses core academic content into an arts-centric curriculum, provid- ing structures for teachers and students to engage in cross-curricular experiences
Wisconsin School Musician 25
Readers of WSM already understand that music education programs have proven effective time and again. Study after study shows that students who engage in music education programs are better able to think
critically and creatively, and perform better on standardized tests across nearly every measured content area. The other truth of music education is that it is not only highly effective, but a highly efficient component of any school schedule.
Traditional music education is proven to be more efficient than nearly all other content areas schools provide. Protecting existing music education programs at the high school level helps ensure class size stays at a manageable level in core content areas at KM. Where else can we find 60, 80, or even 100+ students actively engaged in learning in one classroom, with one teacher? While the concept of cutting a single FTE seems manageable, the reality is that the students do not disappear with the staff reduction. Cutting one section of band could potentially mean you need to add two, three or even four sections somewhere else in the building.
4.75” x 4.875” Continued on page 26
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