The Lorain City Schools Fine Arts Department is a robust, comprehensive program with expanded fine arts opportunities for all students in all schools to grow their artistic talents through enhanced curriculum, high-quality art materials, media, and instrumentation delivered by industry professionals in state-of-the-art spaces.
Our team is continuously working on expanding these opportunities by developing partnerships with local artists, arts organizations, galleries, and conservatories to provide unique and enriching experiences to help our creatives explore and shine.
WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO?
DID YOU KNOW?
Arts education is associated with lower dropout rates and better academic outcomes. In addition, studying the arts promotes academic self-efficacy and school engagement (predictors of persistence to graduation) and enhances socioemotional skills valued in social relationships, the workplace, and education settings.
Research has repeatedly shown that when students participate in the arts, they perform better in nearly all other areas of school — including Reading, Math, and Language — all while reducing the number of students who drop out of high school and increasing daily school attendance.
The most compelling reason to expand the arts is that our students and families want these opportunities in our schools.
After listening to and learning from our students and their families, we created a slew of programming that puts students first in our fine arts, and we are poised to do even more.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR STUDENTS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Grades K-5 | Our youngest learners benefit from a rotation of five encore courses using an A-B-C-D-E schedule that ensures all students have equitable access to music, art, dance, physical education, and STEM-based learning on Project Lead the Way.
MUSIC | Students will be engaged in choir, instruments, and theater experiences. Instruments will emphasize Percussion Grades K-2; Recorders Grade 3; Ukuleles Grade 4; Piano/Keyboard Grade 5.
ART | At the request of our students, students will be engaged in more painting and ceramics during art class.
DANCE | Students will have a comprehensive dance experience that builds year-over-year, emphasizing the elements of Body, Space, Energy, and Time; safe and healthy movements; and dance's social and emotional value worldwide.
PROJECT LEAD THE WAY | Our students will engage in hands-on computer science, engineering, and biomedical science activities, helping them become creative, collaborative problem solvers ready to take on any challenge.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION | Gym classes will continue to be offered.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Grades 6-8 | All middle school students enjoy two music, art, and dance classes each semester with the following updates:
MUSIC | All students will be exposed to band and choir, with theater integrated into their lessons.
ART | At the request of our students, students will be engaged in more painting and ceramics during art class.
DANCE | Students continue exploring creative dancemaking, begin basic style techniques, and discover dance's historical/cultural significance in societies.
All students can also take exploratory courses in Spanish, Health, Project Lead the Way, and Future Business Leaders of America.
HIGH SCHOOL
Grade 9-12 | In addition to current course offerings in band, choir, musical instrumentation, and drama, students have access to additional arts pathways, such as:
CERAMICS | Students explore building techniques while getting their hands messy. Students learn to create functional clay pottery (mugs and bowls) and artistic sculpture. Pottery wheels are learned in Level 2.
DRAWING & PAINTING | Students explore various techniques, brainstorming, and warm-up practices and express themselves in their work using influence from art movements through history.
DIGITAL ART | Students learn to draw on a professional digital tablet using Adobe software to create art, preparing them for careers in graphic design, communications, and similar pathways. Advanced techniques, photo editing, and basic animation are explored at higher levels.
DANCE | Students embark on an 8-semester course sequence that leads to developing personal and collaborative choreographic projects and performances. Learning is supported by the study of past and present dance artists and traditions around the world.
DESIGN | The first half of this course deals with 2D drawing and printmaking, focusing on artistic careers. The second quarter explores sculpture using recycled materials. 3D printing is explored in the Level 2 class.
Courses can be taken at advanced levels at the high school for professional portfolio development.