Gwinnett looks to expand arts curriculum

Graves Elementary School teacher Sarah Jones led a kindergarten class through a performance of the fabled tale “The Tortoise and The Hare.”

Some students played the role of the tortoise. The others wanted to be the hare.

Through performance art and dance, Jones and other teachers at the school that opened in August are trying to use the arts to raise student interest in subjects like reading.

» To read more about arts education throughout Georgia, click here «

“The arts is the way to opening (students) up and get excited about school,” said Jones.

School district leaders have talked about the need to include more arts education in Gwinnett. This fall, Gwinnett will open Coleman Middle School, which will have fine arts options such as dance and orchestra. The school will focus on science, technology, engineering, math and the arts.

Each Gwinnett elementary school offers arts classes. Eight Gwinnett middle schools have music tech labs, which teach students how to create music soundtracks and jingles. Gwinnett hopes to have them in all middle schools, officials said in an interview.