Fort Worth-area arts groups to help Arlington school district plan academies

The Arlington school district is collaborating with arts industry experts this fall to help develop programming and facilities for its two new dual-language/fine arts academies at Corey and Roquemore elementary schools.

Experts from The Cliburn, Kimbell Art Museum, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Casa Mañana, the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of North Texas will be participating in formal planning for the academies.

Thanks to voters’ approval of the $663.1 million bond package in May, Corey and Roquemore will begin transitioning into schools of choice in August with the incoming kindergarten class. By August 2016 the dual-language/fine arts programs will be set in motion.

“Public education has been a closed shop for a long time,” said Jeremy Earnhart, the district’s fine arts director. “We want to make sure we’re opening up, leveraging ideas by industry experts and by staff and stakeholders.”

Teachers, staffers, administrators, Arlington residents, parents and students will also be collaborating with the expert teams in community meetings to craft the academies.

The planners and district officials will participate in five work sessions beginning in October to be conducted by DeJong-Richter, a recognized educational-facility-planning firm.

“The expertise of these individuals will be a tremendous asset as we expand access and excellence in the fine arts for Arlington ISD students,” Superintendent Marcelo Cavazos said in a statement, adding that “meaningful partnerships such as this collaboration are essential.”

The work sessions will look at educational specifications, equipment and technology needs, activities that will take place at the academies and their school populations, curriculum, educational trends and new concepts for instructional facilities.

“We are happy to be a part of the development of these innovative new programs and facilities and are pleased that we have a common drive for excellence,” Cliburn CEO Jacques Marquis said in a statement.

Earnhart and Linh Nguyen, the district’ visual arts coordinator, said their ongoing networking activities with educational and arts organizations have helped in forming a basis for collaboration.

The educators said that the role of arts in a student’s life is to give social and emotional balance to academics.

“In this time of accountability, the arts are an invaluable balance to the fast food of standardization,” Earnhart said.

This story was originally published September 23, 2014 at 7:26 PM with the headline "Fort Worth-area arts groups to help Arlington school district plan academies."