COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Collier County Public Schools is working to address educational equity over the next two days, specifically when it comes to performing arts.
All middle and high school students will have access to a theater program by next school year.
“When you look at schools and how we set up our arts programs, most common in the elective course offerings in schools are music and art. Most districts across the country make attempts for theater and dance,” said Skip Pardee, CCPS Coordinator of Fine Arts. “We are lucky to have great theater programs in some of our schools, but not all. So this effort with our theater teachers over the next two days is to help bring more equitable opportunities to our students across the district,” he added.
The district is teaming up with our local theater community to make it all possible.
“We're putting together a pretty comprehensive resource guide and also follow-up master class training with expertise from Gulfshore Playhouse and The Naples Players as well as Florida Gulf Coast University theatre program. And we're providing these coachings to allow our teachers in the schools an opportunity to get professional advice about theatre education,” said Pardee.
According to research by Dr. James Catterall at UCLA’s graduate school of education, students who are exposed to the arts are more likely to be involved in community service and less likely to drop out of school.
To learn more about CCPS Fine Arts, click here.
