蜜柚直播

Danyelle Khmara鈥檚 article (TUSD invests nearly $7 million to revamp arts, sports, pre-K playgrounds) that appeared in the April 17 蜜柚直播 highlights an enormous accomplishment by the TUSD School Board following a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Pre-pandemic steps by Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo have revealed consistent and vocal support for the arts with action to ensure the continued health of the program in the state鈥檚 second largest school district. This latest effort to bolster the arts and other critically important areas demonstrates a focused commitment to enrich the lives of children.

As the Director of Fine and Performing Arts for 蜜柚直播 Unified School District, I have been privileged to be a part of the movement to establish the district as a preeminent force in arts education in 蜜柚直播, and to be part of an entity that has achieved national recognition for innovative research and partnerships with local, state and national organizations with similar missions.

Creativity, talent, and outstanding teaching define the district鈥檚 arts staff. One example is John Contreras, director of the renowned Mariachi Aztl谩n de Pueblo who was awarded the 2021 蜜柚直播 Governor鈥檚 Arts Award for Arts in Education.

Prior to COVID-19, our dedicated arts educators rose above and beyond the call. With the onset of the pandemic and the challenges it has presented, they have soldiered on, providing quality instruction and experiences so that our students haven鈥檛 missed a beat.

To delineate several items of note, below is a list of several key points that support why funding the Arts programs is critical to a child鈥檚 education:

鈥斅燭USD has conducted years of research on the Opening Minds through the Arts integration model through WestEd, funded by the federal government, providing data regarding student achievement, social growth, creative problem solving, critical thinking, improved discipline, and improved school attendance. As WestEd stated after five years of research with TUSD鈥檚 OMA program, 鈥淥MA mitigates the impact of poverty . . .鈥�

鈥斅燘ased on correlations made between high dropout rates and high crime rate students remaining in school saving taxpayer money which more than offsets salaries of arts teachers.

鈥斅燫esearch shows the arts improve skills in planning and following instructions, building stronger neuroplasticity as well as providing significant incentive for children at risk to remain in school.

鈥斅燭he arts are one of the most important tools we can employ to impact individual growth, collaboration, and cultural understanding. Lisa Delan, director of the Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation has stated, "We cannot deny children the facility in a language that is foundational to human development and the human experience. The empirical evidence irrefutably illustrates the role that early exposure to music plays in myriad aspects of brain development."

鈥斅燭USD recognizes the critical importance of the arts in the lives of children by funding musical instrument replacement, providing monies for visual and performing arts supplies and equipment, and supporting additional positions for arts educators so that every elementary school has a fulltime Arts educator

In a time when issues such as depression and child suicide are prevalent, it is incumbent upon the educational arena to act to enhance and further the growth of body, mind and spirit.

Utilizing savings accrued during the pandemic is a great example of creativity and foresight. When the air clears, hopefully TUSD, and other districts, will move to continue the funding of these irreplaceable arts programs that are so fundamental to the cultivation of the 鈥渨hole鈥� child.