Visual and Performing Arts

Definition of a Fine & Performing Arts Program:

A quality, comprehensive, sequential, standards-based education in music and visual art for all students PreK-12, and in dance and theatre for all students 9-12.   The comprehensive fine and performing arts education program by law addresses “the arts” (dance, music, theatre and visual art) as a core subject; is delivered by highly qualified personnel;  implements state-written content standards and objectives in dance, music, theatre and visual art; provides clearly articulated performance descriptors for each standard; and promotes the arts as an integral part of all students’ general education. 

West Virginia’s revised and adopted dance, music, theatre and visual art content standards and objectives (CSOs) and performance descriptors are available in an interactive format posted online. The interactive CSOs for all content areas are available at this link: http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/public/cso/cso.cfm.  These CSOs are mandated beginning with the 2008-09 school year.

Instructional guides for dance, music, theatre and visual art were completed by March 2008 and are posted on the Teach 21 website at this link:  http://wvde.state.wv.us/instructionalguides/ Among these instructional guides are several interdisciplinary examples. 

Policy 2510 Requirements Document

This document outlines scheduling options for arts courses required in Policy 2510, particulary in the middle grades.

2009 ARTS ALIVE Showcase

WV Arts Teams Project

The West Virginia Arts Teams Project’s goal is the development and delivery of quality staff development activities for West Virginia’s public school teachers of dance, music, theatre, and visual art in the 2008-09 school year.   This will be done by RESA (Regional Education Service Agency)   “arts teams.”   There are 8 RESA areas in the state. 

ARTS ALIVE

The ARTS ALIVE program has, for the past two years,  provided a high profile venue for arts education advocacy by … (1) showcasing successful arts programs in West Virginia schools; and by (2) educating audiences of teachers, school administrators, policymakers, leaders, philanthropists, and members of the general public as to how the 21st skills are taught in dance, music, theatre and visual art classes.  Through exposing audience members to the best of our arts programs,  ARTS ALIVE has set a high standard  for our schools.   And since this initiative’s inception, the Arts Coordinator has received from county school administrators numerous requests for ways to be involved in the program.   ARTS ALIVE has also engendered increased parental as well as student interest in quality arts programs in their own schools.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Julia Murin Lee, Arts Coordinator
Office of Instruction
West Virginia  Dept. of Education
Building 6, Room 608
1900 Kanawha Blvd., East
Charleston, WV 25305-0330
email: jrlee@access.k12.wv.us
phone: 304-558-5325, ext. 53231
fax: 304-558-1834