Liberty board hears plan for ENCORE Creative Arts Academy to expand arts, internships and embedded credits
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Summary
District fine-arts staff presented the ENCORE Creative Arts Academy, a proposal to offer personalized arts pathways, micro-internships and embedded credits at both high schools; startup costs are estimated at about $35,000 and the proposal requests one district FTE to support assessment and program work.
The Liberty Public Schools board heard a detailed presentation on the proposed ENCORE Creative Arts Academy, a new district program designed to personalize fine-arts education and connect students to short, career-focused internships.
Mr. Money, the presentation lead, said the program is intended to broaden creative opportunities beyond traditional performance classes by combining arts coursework with real-world learning. “It started off as saying a fine arts academy, but we really felt like the creative piece is the most important piece,” he said, explaining the emphasis on relevancy, rigor and career-like experiences.
Under the proposal each high school would host an ENCORE cohort. Students would select a creative focus (for example, tech theater, digital media or advanced stagecraft) and a core academic class, then use a dedicated block of time for ENCORE work and flexible “MBAs” (micro-internships). The presenters described bringing in workplace professionals for short modules — costume design, makeup, audio engineering or other specialties — so students accumulate a sequence of experiences rather than a single extended internship.
Staff estimated startup costs around $35,000, largely for sound-production equipment and studio apps, and said the program would request 1 FTE districtwide to support assessments and coordination. Initial capacity aims for roughly 15 students at each campus with plans to expand if demand grows. Mr. Money said the team would use an interest survey rather than a selective application to encourage broader participation and planned interviews to confirm fit for students who indicate interest.
Board members asked about target grades, space and scheduling; presenters said the initial cohort would focus on sophomores through seniors and that flex time could be used to provide daily lab hours for students. The team said local partnerships and embedded credits could free schedule space and provide industry-aligned certifications over time.
The board did not take a formal vote on ENCORE but the presenters requested feedback and said they would return in January for a follow-up as scheduling and student course-selection windows open.
The district’s next formal discussion on the proposal is expected in January.