Plano ISD presents student engagement report: fine arts and athletics participation steady amid enrollment shifts
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Summary
Directors reported continued high participation in Plano ISD fine arts and athletics programs, highlighted awards and invites for ensembles and teams, and described safety steps including Perry Weather alerts and the Texas Way sportsmanship initiative.
Directors for fine arts and athletics presented participation data, recent recognitions and facility updates to the Plano ISD Board of Trustees on Oct. 21.
Philip Morgan, director of fine arts, reported elementary fine-arts course enrollment of about 18,241 students and a districtwide total of roughly 38,631 students enrolled in fine-arts courses across all grade levels. Morgan said band, choir, orchestra, theater and visual arts participation remains broadly consistent despite districtwide enrollment declines; he highlighted Plano’s seventh consecutive year as a Texas Art Education Association district of distinction and a new theatre district-of-distinction recognition.
Morgan noted several honors and invitations: Plano East Senior High full orchestra was invited to the Midwest Clinic in Chicago; Plano East choir is an invited ensemble at SWACDA; multiple UIL and TFA individual recognitions and national finalists were cited.
Kendall Miller, director of athletics, presented fall participation and achievement metrics. He said middle- and high-school athletic participation has remained proportionate to district enrollment changes and noted a small volleyball participation dip tied to cluster unification and reduced roster slots. Miller cited academic-all-state scholar-athlete totals (156), college‑athletic scholarship counts by campus (Plano Senior ~14; Plano East ~18; Plano West ~33) and a district total of 43 state titles historically. He described the district’s heat-and-weather safety protocols and deployment of Perry Weather alerts for lightning/heat, and introduced the Texas Way sportsmanship curriculum, which staff are reading to spectators before events.
Trustees and the superintendent praised program staff and encouraged continued emphasis on culture, student engagement and safety. Board members asked about mascot realignment and facility updates tied to bond projects; Miller and Morgan said gym floors, stadium paving and athletic complex projects are underway at multiple senior-high campuses.
No board action was required; the items were informational.