Arts come to the classroom

Beacon Heights Elementary fourth-grader Madison Colledge wants to learn how to draw faces better. She also likes music, is good at dance and said it wasn't a studio or private teacher that helped her develop her talents — it was her school.

Beacon Heights is one of eight schools in Salt Lake City School District that offers Artstream, an arts program that helps students develop outside of the core in a variety of artistic areas.

"Art is the frosting in education, but we know there are strong connections between art and learning," said Patricia Rowse, principal of Hawthorne Elementary. "It helps strengthen academic programs and makes well-rounded students."

The philosophy behind Artstream is that art should be a major discipline in schools, because it can be a powerful tool in helping educators reach a wide range of learners.

According to district leaders, research shows that students who study the arts improve achievement in other subjects including math, reading and writing. Teachers can also enhance the process of learning by developing a student's integrated sensory, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities.

Each of the Artstream schools offers a full strand of music education and at least one other art form in grades four through six — some schools include more grades. District teams are dispatched to each of the schools to teach music education.

For other programs, the schools enter into partnerships with the University of Utah and numerous other community arts organizations to offer classes in areas like drama, piano, dance and visual arts.

Beacon Heights offers music, dance and visual art programs, and the principal, Sue Heath, said about 20 percent of the school's students are drawn to the program from outside the neighborhood.

"These (programs) help kids feel like they can achieve and accomplish and be successful at something," said Lisa Bendall, a fourth-grade teacher at Beacon Heights. "And it's fun — they like it because their creative energy is being used and it helps students develop personal potential."

Artstream grew out of a partnership between Art Works for Kids and Beacon and Highland Park elementaries. Art Works is a nonprofit organization that provides grants and arts advocacy support to schools and other organizations.

But the district wanted to be able to provide comprehensive arts education as a choice option through grades K-12. And through money from the district, Art Works, and the State Office of Education, Artstream was born.

Participating schools make arts education a part of their school improvement plans and involve arts specialist and teachers in meeting those goals.