Arts, Music, and PE in schools
Daily K-12 P.E.
The state core curriculum which must be taught in every Utah school is
determined by the Utah State Office of Education. At the elementary level,
the physical education curriculum for each grade includes four content
areas: fitness, motor skills development, social and emotional development,
and knowledge. Schools must spend a minimum of ninety minutes (exclusive of
recess and other free time) in structured P.E. activities per week to meet
the state requirement.
At the secondary level, the USOE mandate for grades 9-12
is 1.5 units of P.E. credit - specifically a semester each of Participation
Skills, Fitness for Life, and a maximum of one semester of Individual
Lifetime Activities, Team Sports or Athletic Participation.
Other graduation requirements total an additional 25.5 credits. With a
maximum of 32 total credits possible during the 9-12 experience, a student
has the opportunity to add additional P.E., CTE, arts, language or other
courses as he or she chooses.
Whether elementary or secondary, the desired outcome of
all physical education experiences is that every student gain the knowledge,
skills and attitudes that will promote physical activity as part of everyday
life.
Asked at Cottonwood High School community meeting, October 17,
2007
Top
Declining arts programs
The state core curriculum mandates arts education K-12
and includes the areas of music, visual arts, drama and dance. Granite
School District has always voiced strong support for arts education and has
made multiple efforts in recent years to bolster such programs.
The Board of Education doubled the number of teachers in
the elementary instrumental music program two years ago and increased the
classes in band and orchestra in our elementary schools from one to two days
a week. An additional elementary music specialist was added to
district staff to create integrated music lessons for use in music
instruction by all elementary teachers, and two such specialists coach
teachers throughout the district in related instructional strategies to
better teachers’ music expertise.
Effective this year, elementary schools also have the
latitude, assuming Community Council and staff support, to designate up to
one half of a teacher allocation for an arts specialist to serve the school.
Many Granite elementaries are doing so; others are providing students with
various types of arts experiences through grant funding from Art Works for
Kids or similar sources.
In our secondary schools course offerings in the arts
areas, like all other courses, are driven by student need. In support
of secondary arts programs, the Board of Education doubled the specialist
support in the areas of visual art, drama and dance and continues to support
the Granite Youth Symphony as a renowned district program.
Schools also support their own targeted arts projects and extracurricular
arts clubs through grant writing and fundraising.
Asked at Cottonwood High School community meeting, October 17,
2007
Asked at Granger High School community meeting, October 23, 2007
Asked at Hunter High School community meeting, November 7, 2007
Top
Increase arts and music
education in schools
The state core curriculum mandates arts education K-12 and includes the areas of
music, visual arts, drama and dance. Granite School District has always voiced
strong support for arts education and has made multiple efforts in recent years
to bolster such programs.
The Board of Education doubled the number of teachers in the elementary
instrumental music program two years ago and increased the classes in band and
orchestra in our elementary schools from one to two days a week. An additional
elementary music specialist was added to district staff to create integrated
music lessons for use in music instruction by all elementary teachers, and two
such specialists coach teachers throughout the district in related instructional
strategies to better teachers’ music expertise. Additionally, Granite District
has created an integrated thematic approach to the science and social studies
core curricula called Interconnections - used by all elementary schools; arts
components are currently being infused into that curriculum and its related
materials.
Effective this year, elementary schools also have the latitude, assuming
Community Council and staff support, to designate up to one half of a teacher
allocation for an arts specialist to serve the school. Many Granite elementaries
are doing so; others are providing students with various types of arts
experiences through grant funding from Art Works for Kids or similar sources.
In our secondary schools course offerings in the arts areas, like all other
courses, are driven by student need. In support of secondary arts programs, the
Board of Education doubled the specialist support in the areas of visual art,
drama and dance and continues to support the Granite Youth Symphony as a
renowned district program.
The public education system relies heavily on the support of its local
communities in preparing students to take their places in the world and in
providing enrichment activities that support classroom instruction. Granite
District appreciates the contributions made by PTA and PTO organizations as well
as individual patrons who share expertise that provides music and other arts
experiences for students in our schools. If you would like to volunteer in your
neighborhood school, contact the principal or local PTA officer - someone’s
child will always be the better for it.
Asked at Skyline High School community meeting, January 16,
2008
Asked at Taylorsville High School community meeting, January
22,
2008
Top
P.E. and related credit
requirements
The state core curriculum which must be taught in every Utah school is
determined by the Utah State Office of Education. At the elementary level, the
physical education curriculum for each grade includes four content areas:
fitness, motor skills development, social and emotional development, and
knowledge. Schools must spend a minimum of ninety minutes (exclusive of recess
and other free time) in structured P.E. activities per week to meet the state
requirement.
Effective this year, elementary schools also have the latitude, assuming
Community Council and staff support, to designate up to one half of a teacher
allocation for a P.E. specialist to serve the school.
At the secondary level, the USOE mandate for grades 9-12 is 1.5 units of P.E.
credit - generally a semester each of Participation Skills, Fitness for Life,
and a maximum of one semester of Individual Lifetime Activities, Team Sports or
Athletic Participation. For each course, a specific academic curriculum is
prescribed. Participation in a dance class can generate either P.E. or fine arts
credit depending on the qualifications of the teacher teaching the class.
Whether elementary or secondary, the desired outcome of all physical education
experiences is that every student gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes that
will promote physical activity as part of everyday life.
Asked at Skyline High School community meeting, January 16,
2008
Asked at Taylorsville High School community meeting, January
22,
2008
Top