The Arts Council appointed by Highline Public Schools Superintendent John Welch presented their report on June 2 to the school board outlining improvements that could be made to the district's arts education programs.

Each recommendation was categorized and numbered. Leadership, equity, funding, and program offerings were considered.

The meeting began with presentations by Highline students who are a part of the fight to improve the arts programs in their schools.
Global Communications High School junior Ashley Hale played the trumpet for the board members and two other students of the Arts and Academics Academy (AAA) on the Evergreen High campus presented a video and discussed how dance is important to them.

"Dance gives us the gift of expression," said the students.

According to students, the big plus of AAA is that it gives an alternative to the traditional idea of physical education, because, as one student exclaimed, "not everyone is an athlete."

For another student, dance lead to leadership skills she would not have otherwise developed.

Co-chair of the Arts Council, Barbara McMichael, who is also a product of the Highline School District and has played the viola most of her life, spoke on the state of arts in the district.

"Arts instruction is a state mandate," said McMichael, "and we must meet it. We aren't there just yet."

In the state of Washington, dance, theater, music and visual arts are the "core" arts. The purpose for the mandate is for all the districts in the state to offer sequential, standards-based kindergarten through 12th grade arts programs.

In the end, the school board was supportive of all ideas brought up by the council. However, the big issue funding the programs.

To inspire interest in the arts, one recommendation wishes to incorporate cultural aspects in the arts offerings, taking advantage of the district's large cultural diversity.

McMichael noted, "Once a program is eliminated, it is very had to get it back."

So another recommendation suggests the district "retain existing funding for arts in the near-term," while another suggests the district increase funding and include fine arts in a capital bond.

Appointing an arts administrator or coordinator to provide leadership, write grants and advocate for more funding for the arts programs was brought up.

The full report by the council can be found at www.hsd401.org.