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Plymouth arts coordinator highlights student performances, cites staffing and space challenges
Summary
Mike Capel, Plymouth Public Schools coordinator of visual and performing arts, told the school committee the district’s arts programs are thriving but face staffing, space and technical-support gaps; he proposed a fall arts summit and other steps to raise participation and teacher retention.
Mike Capel, coordinator of visual and performing arts for the Plymouth Public Schools, told the school committee on Feb. 10 that student participation and public attendance in the district’s visual and performing arts programs are high, but that recruitment, dedicated space and technical staffing remain persistent challenges.
Capel opened his presentation by describing recent student performances and fundraisers, and said community support — including a recent $5,000 anonymous donation and parent-run fundraisers — helped cover trip costs and student opportunities. "It was glorious," Capel said of a recent high-school musical. "If you're not afraid to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." He added that those experiences help build students' confidence and transferable skills.
Capel said the district runs co-curricular theater and a range of music and art offerings from kindergarten through high school. He listed recent highlights: a capella fundraisers that re-engaged alumni, 80 students traveling to Hawaii for a short trip, students staging a fully student-produced musical that raised more than $6,000 for an upcoming trip, and a districtwide mini acapella concert for fourth- and fifth-graders.
The coordinator raised staffing concerns: he said the district used to draw 30–50 applicants for some arts openings and now receives "seven or eight," and that recruitment and retention of qualified teachers is harder. He also flagged operational gaps in running the district’s performing arts centers, particularly the shortage of trained “pack managers” to run lights and sound at events. "It's really hard to get even the people that are trained and signed up to take the positions," Capel said.
Capel said the district is close to meeting the MassCore fine-arts requirement at the high-school level but not yet at 100%. "We're a little over 90% in grades 9 through 12," he said, and asked the committee to consider how to reach full participation without diluting program quality.
To address challenges, Capel proposed a fall arts summit that would gather teachers, administrators, students, families, alumni and community partners to set priorities, and suggested exploring whether the thriving co-curricular theater program could be converted into a curricular offering. He also asked the committee to continue supporting the Plymouth Schools Music Association and other parent groups that provide supplemental funding and volunteer support.
School committee members praised the program and urged continued focus on community-building and student resilience. "You're helping to build resilience and confidence for these kids," one committee member said.
Capel closed by thanking teachers and volunteers and asking for follow-up conversations on recruitment, dedicated spaces and technical staffing. He offered to return with specific proposals after consulting staff and community partners.
The presentation was informational; the committee took no formal vote on program changes.
