By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Soon, the Copperas Cove Independent School District will be bringing back dedicated fine arts programs to elementary classrooms.
More than 30 years ago, the district removed art teacher positions from elementary grades, deciding that fine arts could be incorporated by the homeroom teachers.
However, in April 2025, the board of trustees held a meeting to discuss and set goals for the district, which is a multi-year process, and one of those goals was re-establishing fine arts programs in elementary schools.
Board President Joan Manning noted at that time, eliminating art and music teacher positions was something that occurred when she was first elected, three decades ago.
“Because of rising costs, the superintendent at that time suggested that art be taken out of all of our elementary schools, that it could be done by the homeroom teacher. I think that was one of the worst things we ever did in Copperas Cove ISD, because there are so many children that would grow in art, and that love art.”
The board discussed several options for elementary enrichment at the May 6 special meeting. Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Services, Amanda Crawley, presented four options to the board for consideration and direction.
The first option, Option A, would be to hire a Director of Fine Arts plus six teachers, one for each elementary school, to teach art at the elementary campuses. Included in that option would be the purchase of curriculum for the art teachers.
Crawley also pointed out the current elementary scheduling and rotations.
“We are required to legally provide 135 minutes a week for our P.E. curriculum in elementary, and the way that’s written is vigorous physical activity for all K-5 students,” she told the board. “In addition to that, currently, students attend music and library for a lesson in checkout on a rotation schedule during a 45-minute daily period per grade level.” She added that that time is the teachers’ conference time while the students are in those rotations.
Option B would be similar to Option A but hire paraprofessionals for the art classes.
Option C would hire a Director of Fine Arts but integrate arts and languages into the current STEM and STEAM science curriculum.
“I’ve given you some examples of what that could look like, to infuse arts and languages into that steam curriculum, and we would still purchase the curriculum and hire the Director of Fine Arts for Option C. The general education teachers would be the ones to infuse that during the general ed curriculum time.”
Crawley said that currently, there are 45 minutes per day of STEM and science integration curriculum. This is a curriculum that was adopted last year, she added.
“That particular curriculum is phenomenon-based, and so they pose questions to our elementary students, and they get to explore and discover through a STEM based curriculum,” she said. “So, it would be integration of art into that current STEM based curriculum. We also want to remind you we have our K-2 robotics programs now and our 3 and 5 robotics programs as well that are elementary, so they are getting some of those STEM experiences that they choose to participate in. But right now, that’s programmed as an afterschool club, so it’s not necessarily integrated during the school day of instruction.”
Lastly, she told the board that Option D would be to hire a Director of Fine Arts and let that person conduct a needs assessment and make recommendations at a later date.
Manning said that she liked the idea of Option D, because it would give the Director of Fine Arts the opportunity to look at the needs of each campus.
“It would give them time to figure that out for each campus, as each campus may have different wants and needs. For us to just say, ‘Well, you’re going to do it this way,”…you know, I don’t think would be the right thing myself, but of course, it’s up to all of us. But that’s just my comment on those four options.”
Trustee Mike Wilburn spoke about the importance of continuing that library time and that it be more than checking out books.
“It’s important that elementary kids are read to,” he said. “Right now, at least what I have seen, and when I was an elementary principal, is that the librarians read to those kids, and It’s not just the classroom teacher.”
Crawley explained that the arts would be incorporated into the “specials” rotation for students.
The board voted to table the decision until the next meeting, and then at Tuesday night’s regular board meeting, they approved funding to create a Director of Fine Arts position. This individual will oversee all fine arts programs in the district, from enrichment opportunities at the elementary level, to choir, band and more at the junior high and high school level.
The position is posted on the CCISD employment website, and requires a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration as well as at least three years of classroom instruction, and experience in instructional leadership role is preferred.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.