Pembroke schools present visual and performing arts budget, emphasize pathways and enrollment strategies

Gwen Chapman, presenter for the visual and performing arts budget for Pembroke Public Schools, reviewed department accomplishments, current staffing and requested items for fiscal year 2026 at the Feb. 25 school committee meeting.

Chapman said the department’s “overarching goal in the visual performing arts is to always provide for students the most amazing art and music, related performances and juried art shows that we can possibly put in front of them.” She described community exhibitions, student internships for the digital arts pathway and a new landing page to help eighth-graders transition to Pembroke High School.

The presentation highlighted measurable successes: 9 of 11 AP Studio Art students earned qualifying scores last year; 22 students are enrolled in the digital arts pathway; nine students are in the first year of a music pathway; and students were accepted to regional juried shows, including the Boston Globe Scholastic Art Show and a state art educators exhibition. Chapman also noted strong music festival participation and repeated recognition in the NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education program.

Chapman outlined staffing and enrollment figures. The visual and performing arts staff totals 14.2 full-time-equivalent positions distributed across elementary, middle and high schools; at the high school the department noted 3 full-time visual art teachers and 1.8 music FTE (presented as a combination of fractional positions). She reported that about 80% of middle-school students take art classes and about 60% take music; at the high school, roughly 35% take art and 16% take music.

Budget requests are concentrated in instructional supplies and materials (consumables), with instruments listed under equipment and a line for contracted services to maintain instruments and pianos. Chapman said the department prepaid a two-year subscription to an online professional-development service for K–12 art teachers, reducing the FY26 request. She described that subscription as containing more than 200 “pro packs” (each with videos, required hours and a certificate) and said the district has negotiated expansion of content to include music, dance and theater.

Committee members questioned enrollment trends, particularly attrition between fifth and sixth grade for instrumental programs. Chapman and other speakers noted factors such as changing student interest, peer-group effects and the relative difficulty of string instruments compared with band instruments. Chapman described several recruitment strategies: a new rock-band semester, a music-technology course, a plan to open some performing opportunities to eighth graders (for example, marching band), and continued partnerships with community arts organizations.

Chapman listed next steps as ongoing recruitment, expanding community exhibitions of student work, launching the two new semester courses in the fall (rock band and music technology), and monitoring the effect of the recently adopted VPA graduation requirement that begins with incoming ninth graders. She asked the committee for continued support while noting constraints in the broader district budget.

The presentation closed with questions from committee members and expressions of support for staff and students.

Ending: The committee moved on to the technology budget presentation after Chapman’s remarks.