Like many school districts around the country, Beverly Public Schools boasts an exemplary music and visual art program and in recent years drama and theatre has developed an increasing presence in the curriculum complimented by a wide range of extra-curricular arts activities. As the district works hard to sustain its music and visual art programs, planning is taking place to increase instruction in theatre and dance across all grade levels.

Arts Education can often be overlooked in a time of increased accountability and standardized testing in academic disciplines, but Beverly Public Schools recognizes that the arts play a key role in a child's creative, intellectual, and social development. To that end, our district supports a number of initiatives that bring the arts and students together and into the community. In 2001, a Student Art Gallery was renovated outside the district's central administrative offices located at Briscoe Middle School where student artwork from all grade levels is exhibited throughout the school year. For many years the fine arts department has organized a district arts festival largely comprised of a concert series and exhibit of student artwork. In 2002, the annual student Arts Festival experienced a significant expansion of programs beyond the music concerts and exhibit of student artwork. We've grown to include guest artists, an Evening of Spoken Word, a community art project, and an Art Gallery night featuring student artists in action. During the 2001-2002 school year Beverly Public Schools was selected by the Kennedy Center to field-test their new Community Audit for Arts Education, an assessment tool used by communities to assess their arts education programs and their connections with the family, business, and cultural community.

Elementary

At the start of the 2003-2004 school year, all six of the district's new and renovated elementary schools will provide a fully equipped music and visual art classroom and expanded performance stage. Gone are the days of "arts-on-carts" when our music and visual art teachers had to take their lessons to the general classroom. These new specialized classrooms allow for uninhibited creativity and send the message to our students, parents and fellow teachers that the arts are an essential aspect to our educational mission. A variety of new initiatives have been developed in recent years. In 1999, Performance Block was introduced as a new program for fifth grade students and is being fazed in with the opening of each newly renovated elementary school. This unique program offers an additional arts class that is taught collaboratively by the art, music, and physical education teachers and culminates in a performance at the end of the school year. Currently there are a variety of models of Performance Block based on the interest and expertise of the collaborative team. Recent and current themes include character education, heroes, Shakespeare, and Beverly history. In 2001, learning to play the recorder became compulsory for all third through fifth grade students. Every third grade student is provided with their own recorder, which they may take with them as they leave elementary school. Students in fourth and fifth grade also have the opportunity to enroll in the Elementary Instrumental Music Program, a voluntary enrichment program that provides fourth grade students with lessons on string instruments and fifth grade students with lessons on band instruments. Fifth grade students may also participate in the after school bands and/or the citywide fifth grade string ensemble. To learn more about this program go to the link at the top of this page.

Middle School

Students entering the middle school will have greater opportunities to participate in an arts discipline of their choice. Band and chorus are offered for as a subject for a grade as well as instruction in general music and more recently drama has been integrated into the Expressive Arts program of study. The music departments present annual winter and spring concerts as well as performing in the arts festival band and chorus concerts. Students who wish to continue with their string instruments may elect to participate in the Beverly Symphony Orchestra comprised of students in grades six through twelve. In 2001, voluntary strings lessons became available before school two days a week at each middle school. Students who excel in art and music are also introduced to opportunities to participate in adjudicated programs sponsored by professional arts education associations such as Junior District competitions for vocal and instrumental students sponsored by the Massachusetts Music Educators Association or the Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards competition. Rounding out the fine arts opportunities, each middle school produces an annual spring Musical that exemplifies student creativity and school spirit.

High School

Students entering high school have a multitude of opportunities to pursue the arts during the school day and through extra-curricular activities. A testament to the importance of arts education in Beverly Public Schools is the 5-credit graduation requirement in fine arts. Students who wish to pursue careers in music and visual art may take advantage a full program of study in these arts disciplines as well as competing in adjudicated festivals and competitions in the state and country as well as International Music Festivals often attended by our music department. Elective courses in theatre and dance are also provided with growth in the theatre curriculum in recent years. In 2000, Gallery 100 opened, a renovated corridor located between the cafeteria and field house that now displays student artwork throughout the school year. Extra-curricular opportunities are provided through the Stage Right Drama Club, which presents a fall play, participates in the MA High School Drama Festival, a spring Musical and a Musical Review affectionately known as the Mini-Musical at the end of the school year. In 2002, an Art Club was established and since 2001, AEGIS, the BHS Literary Club has been producing An Evening of Spoken Word as part of the annual arts festival.

I hope this web page will be an informative resource for all who visit. Drop by often as we bring you current information on the many arts programs and opportunities that are offered throughout the school year. And please don't hesitate to call me or send me an Email with any questions you may have about the Beverly Public Schools Fine Arts Department.

Respectfully,

Richard P. King
Director of Fine Arts