Worcester CountyPublic Schools

FINE & PERFORMING ARTS VISION STATEMENT

      Worcester County Public Schools' Fine Arts office works toward creating a world where creative self-expression, artistic skills/knowledge and technology, will help improve the human experience. Our vision is to help students artistically contribute to their community and then diverse world around them.

FINE & PERFORMING ARTS MISSION STATEMENT

            Worcester County Public Schools’ Fine and Performing Arts Office’s vision statement encompasses our values and beliefs. We commit to using an inclusive curricula to develop students’ abilities to create, present, respond and connect the arts. Our curricula, instruction, resources and materials promote the 21^st century skills: critical-thinking, communication, collaboration and CREATIVITY. Through equitable access to the arts, we will create students who are artistically literate and prepare them for a diverse, creative world.

WHY IT MATTERS!

            We believe that the arts are a form of communication that is essential for ALL students to explore, study and understand, in order to be successful in life and productively participate in the diverse world around them. We believe the arts focus on the needs of our students to promote self-awareness, self-expression, inclusion and relevance. Through our various arts curricula, we offer opportunities for ALL students to develop higher levels of thinking, strengthen 21^st century skills, participate in creative experiences that can improve social-emotional learning, and can help build empathy and understanding for one another. We believe that the arts promote the recognition and appreciation of differences and similarities among individuals and cultures, no matter the social identifiers. All students within an arts classroom are valued, included, and appreciated. We commit to this mission because we recognize the importance of acknowledging implicit biases and addressing cultural and historical inequities. We understand that through education, there is growth and there is room for ALL voices to be heard.

Visual Arts

Elementary students receive visual art instruction at least one day per week, from visual art specialists who are assigned to each school. The instruction is conducted in designated art classrooms. Each student receives 30 - 60 minutes of art instruction per week.  The visual art instruction is focused on providing students with experiences in a variety of visual art media and techniques while developing artistic skills. Students are also given learning experiences which are designed to increase their knowledge of art history and to develop art appreciation. 

Middle school students have the opportunity to take visual art in 6th, 7th and/or 8th grade.  Fine Arts classes are offered on a rotating basis during elective class times, and may vary from school to school. 

High school students have the opportunity to select from many visual art electives from Art 1, Design and Photo 1, Utilitarian Arts, all the way up to AP Studio Art and AP Art History.  Students receiving a score of 3 or higher may earn college credit for AP courses (some exceptions may apply). 

Transfer Goals for ALL Visual Arts Classes in Worcester County:

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

T1 – Understand and apply techniques and processes of various artistic media.(aligned with MD Anchor Standards 1 and 2 - Creating)

T2 – Recognize overlapping themes and connections with other disciplines.(aligned with MD Anchor Standards 10 & 11 – Connecting. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standard 6 – Presenting).

T3 – Be provided visual art instruction that is culturally relevant, accessible to all, and reflects ALL student groups in a variety of contexts, no matter their social identifiers.  (aligned with MD Anchor Standard 4 – Presenting. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standard 3 – Creating, and MD Anchor Standard 11 - Connecting)

T4 – Reflect upon and make aesthetic judgments about their own artwork and the artwork of others.  (aligned with MD Anchor Standard 5 – Presenting. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standards 8 & 9 – Responding)

T5 – Organize knowledge and ideas to create products which express their artistic vision. (aligned with MD Anchor Standards 2 & 3 – Creating. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standard 7 - Responding)

T6 – Develop a lifelong appreciation of the visual arts.(aligned with MD Anchor Standard 11 – Connecting. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standard 9 - Responding)

T7 – Understand the range of careers in the field of visual arts and identify careers associated with the visual arts. (aligned with MD Anchor Standard 5 – Presenting. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standard 10 – Connecting)

All Visual Art instruction follows the Maryland State Curriculum Standards.  Those standards can be found here: 
Maryland State Fine and Performing Arts Standards
Each spring, Worcester County Public Schools hosts a county-wide Fine Arts Festival where artwork from grades Prek-12 is displayed.  County-wide musical ensembles are also highlighted.

For questions regarding Visual Art curriculum, please contact Tamara Mills by emailing [email protected]

Music Programs

Music instruction in the elementary schools is conducted by music specialists who are assigned to each school. Each school offers general and vocal music. Some schools offer instrumental music as early as 5th grade. Each student receives approximately 45 - 90 minutes of music instruction per week. During this instruction, students are taught fundamentals of music through a sequential curriculum, which develops skills and knowledge in music performance, appreciation and history. The scheduling of choral groups is planned by the individual schools.Middle school students have the opportunity to take band, chorus, musical drama, general music and/or orchestra in 6th, 7th and/or 8th grade. Fine Arts classes are offered on a rotating basis during elective class times, and may vary from school to school.Middle school students participate in local, regional and if possible, state music adjudications.High school students have the opportunity to select from multiple music electives from Band, Concert Choir, Show Choir, to Orchestra, all the way up to Advanced Musicianship. High school students participate in local, regional and if possible, state music adjudications.

Transfer Goals for ALL Music Classes in Worcester County:

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

T1 –Understand and apply the elements of music in the performance of music.(Aligned with MD Anchor Standard 3 – Creating and MD Anchor Standards 4 & 6 – Presenting)

T2 – Understand, develop and apply the skills needed for the productionof sound. (Aligned with MD Anchor Standards 1 & 2 – Creating)

T3 – Recognize the connection of music to other disciplines. (Aligned with MS Anchor Standard 5 – Presenting. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standards 10 & 11 – Connecting)

T4 – Organize knowledge and ideasto create music. (Aligned with MD Anchor Standard 1 – Creating and MD Anchor Standard 6 – Presenting. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standards 7 & 9 - Responding)

T5 – Reflect upon and make aesthetic judgements about their own performances and the performances of others, and responding to the diversity, inclusion and culturally relevant factors which may be at play. (Aligned with MD Anchor Standard 3 – Creating. Also aligned with MD Anchor Standards 8 & 9 – Responding and MD Anchor Standard 11 - Connecting)

T6 - Understand the range of careers in the field of music and identify careers associated with music. (Aligned with MD Anchor Standards 10 & 11 - Connecting)

All Music instruction follows the Maryland State Curriculum Standards. Those standards can be found here:

Maryland State Fine and Performing Arts Standards