Burbank educators map out next 3 years of arts education
Under a three-year arts plan that the Burbank school board approved earlier this month, Luther Burbank Middle School will launch an orchestra program this fall as part of the school district’s commitment to expanding students’ access to arts education.
In the next three years, through 2020, school officials said they also want to develop orchestra programs at David Starr Jordan Middle School and John Burroughs High School.
“I don’t want anyone to feel discouraged, because we’re moving forward, and we have been moving steadily forward for the last few years,” said Peggy Flynn, referring to the instrument programs offered to local students.
Flynn, the district’s arts and career technical education coordinator, said Burbank Unified will also commit to setting aside $20,000 annually to repair instruments for the next three years.
Elsewhere, five full-time credentialed teachers will provide general music instruction to students in the second, third, fourth and fifth grades.
School officials said they will continue to weigh how they can also offer instrumental instruction to students in the fourth and fifth grades.
They also aim to purchase ukuleles for all fifth-graders to learn to play, but that goal comes with the caveat: “as funding allows.”
In addition, they will look to hire more staff to teach music to students in kindergarten and the first grade.
Meanwhile, physical education teachers across Burbank’s middle schools will receive more training on teaching dance — something instructors requested during a study session held earlier this year.
Two middle schools — Luther and Jordan — haven’t offered theater courses recently, but they will be available again in the fall, Flynn said.
School board members lauded Flynn and her colleagues for laying out the district’s arts priorities for the next few years based on input she received from teachers.
“This was something that was hard,” said Steve Ferguson, school board president. “We’ve pushed you on this. You did it with grace, and you did it with dignity.”
Fellow member Armond Aghakhanian added: “I want to thank you because you’re making arts available to all, and that’s what’s important — access for everyone.”
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
