After passing the extensive five-year Strategic Arts Plan last school year, CCUSD has been in hot pursuit of additional arts programming for all grade levels. This is in direct support of CCUSD achieving status as a CREATE CA Arts Equity District.*
To that end, CCUSD has added several elements to its arts education curriculum for 2019-2020. At the elementary level, there are now two full-time and one part-time credentialed visual art teachers. This translates into 12 visual art lessons for each grade level, from TK/K-fifth grade, in all five elementary schools.
Dance went from sixth graders only, who have received instruction in tap and rhythm for the last two years, to include dance for all CCMS students. Seventh graders will enjoy cultural dancing, while eighth graders will get to break, pop and lock with some hip hop routines. All dance instruction takes place for six consecutive weeks in the students’ regular PE classes.
There is a new film elective available to seventh and eighth graders at the middle school: Exploration of Film. This class rounds out CCUSD’s pre-pathway offerings for our current high school career technical education (CTE) art pathways of Production and Managerial Arts, Performing Arts and Film.
Speaking of high school, the celebrated Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) at CCHS is better than ever. In fact, it was recently mentioned in a Hollywood Reporter article as one of the Top 15 Best Public High Schools in LA for performing arts.
To support all of these performing arts, including the robust theatre and music education programming at CCUSD. J.D. Sargent has been brought on to serve as a full-time technical director of the Robert Frost Auditorium. Mr. Sargent will work every school performance at the Frost, from K-12. Be sure to stop by and say “hi.”
Much of the arts education programming both during the day and after school is made possible by the Culver City Education Foundation (CCEF). CCEF raises funds from corporate partners such as Sony Pictures Entertainment and The Culver Studios, foundations such as the Carol and James Collins Foundation, and countless individual donors.
Last year, CCEF launched an exciting Arts Endowment campaign to provide sustained support for these programs and to maintain the newly remodeled Frost Auditorium. So far, $450,000 has been raised. The goal is to raise $10 million for the endowment over a five-year period. When fully funded, it will help to sustain the vibrant arts education programs throughout the district.
For more information about how you can leave your legacy and participate with a gift to the Arts Endowment, please contact Melanie Mack at [email protected] or 310.842.4220 for more details.
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