Parents, students and alumni urge Green Bay board to preserve Fine Arts Institute amid budget review

At the March 23 board meeting hundreds of residents overflowed the public forum to urge the Green Bay Area Public School District to keep the Fine Arts Institute (FAI) intact as administrators complete a program review.

Chris Mariucci, who identified himself as president of the performing arts parents group at East High School, told the board the prospect of cutting the FAI would be “devastating,” and pressed the administration to explain how it would measure a return on investment for arts education compared with athletics. “How do you show return on investment on self esteem, confidence, or college acceptance?” he asked.

Students and alumni delivered repeated, personal endorsements. Silas Bartel, a sophomore enrolled in the FAI’s theater strand, described peers who “soared” academically and socially because of the program and credited one-on-one instruction with college placements and extracurricular achievements. Samantha Vanden Heuvel, a parent, said the arts pathway provided opportunities beyond sports and helped her daughter “grow and flourish.”

Alumni who began in the program described professional successes they trace to the FAI. One speaker said the institute helped launch international performances and collaboration with university programs, and another credited the pathway with building confidence and a college-ready portfolio.

Multiple speakers supplied program data and survey results. Jessica Hebert, a parent and supporter, said the FAI has served 729 students in 15 years and that a recent parent survey found more than 96% of respondents considered the FAI an enrollment factor for East High School. William Tubbs and other commenters highlighted research and local studies showing arts engagement correlates with higher academic outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds.

Several speakers also pushed for transparency in the district’s ongoing ROI review. Charlie Bronner asked the board to publicly document the specific metrics, comparisons and success criteria the district will use in the study before conclusions are announced.

Speakers argued the program serves diverse populations — including low-income families, multilingual students and students with special needs — and said cutting FAI funding would remove supports that keep some students engaged and in school. One parent said half of respondents to a staff-administered survey indicated they could not afford a proposed $500 tuition if imposed.

The public comment period also included requests not to repurpose student spaces without examining alternatives: a Preble High School student described Room 153A as a home for esports and more than 100 club members and urged the board to preserve multiuse student space.

Board members and administration did not announce a program closure. Superintendent Buyer later clarified in the superintendent’s update that the district was not planning to eliminate the FAI program itself, but that budget discussions included possible consolidation of physical locations. Administration also repeated its plan to complete the ROI review and encouraged continued community engagement.

The public forum’s heavy turnout and the repeated appeals for transparency and data signal community concern that any consolidation or funding decision for the Fine Arts Institute be accompanied by clear metrics and opportunities for public review.