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DD2 highlights arts participation, pilots inclusive 'United Sound' and Dreamfest celebration
Summary
District fine-arts director Jason Walsh told the board that about 60% of grades 6–12 students and roughly 74% of all students participate daily in fine-arts classes; he announced a state-first United Sound program at Fort Dorchester High, a CSU graduate-credit partnership for teachers, and a March 19 Dreamfest arts festival.
Jason Walsh, the district’s fine‑arts lead, told the Dorchester District 2 board on March 9 that the district’s fine-arts programs reach a sizable portion of students and are expanding to increase inclusion and teacher training.
"I believe the fine arts are good for every kid and we're going to keep on until we have 100% of our kids participating every day," Walsh said, citing district participation numbers. He reported that, for grades 6–12, the district lists 13,896 students total with 8,360 participating in a fine-arts class daily (about 60%); when including kindergarten through fifth grade, 10,989 students participate, yielding a combined 19,349 students — roughly 74% of DD2’s 26,000 enrollment.
Walsh described inclusion efforts built around United Sound, a mentorship model piloted at Fort Dorchester High School where students with special needs are partnered with band members who adapt music so the mentee can participate in concerts. He said that model has led to new "unified arts" high‑school course pilots combining leadership students with peers to earn fine‑arts credit while mentoring students who otherwise lack full access.
The fine-arts office is also partnering with CSU to offer a graduate-credit course for teachers (grant-funded so teachers can participate at no cost), and Walsh said the district will pilot three unified-arts courses (choir, art and theater) intended for fall 2027 after training and curriculum development.
Walsh invited the board to Dreamfest on March 19, a downtown celebration that will feature roughly 250 student performers across three city blocks and district artwork displayed through March 24. He said festival programming and an art-selection process will determine artworks to hang in district hallways as the district gallery.
Board members praised the programs and asked clarifying questions about training timelines and course codes; Walsh said teacher training and curriculum work is underway and that principals and special‑education staff are engaged in planning for inclusion.
