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Community speakers urge board to preserve Fine Arts Institute and maintain IB program
Summary
During public forum, parents, program staff and music partners urged the Green Bay Area Public School District to preserve the Fine Arts Institute at East High and sustain the International Baccalaureate program, citing student outcomes, partnerships and community investment.
Community members and program partners urged the Green Bay Area Public School District board to preserve specialized magnet programs during public forum at the board's reorganizational meeting.
Lucinda Roberts, fine arts program coordinator at East High, said the Fine Arts Institute has served 729 students since 2011 with only 48 withdrawals (about 6.5 percent) and appealed to the board to "find a solution that allows the fine arts institute to thrive and not fade away." She emphasized alumni gratitude and the community's financial support dating back to 2007.
Allison Fleck, executive director of Midsummer's Music, described a partnership that supplies consistent string instruction and mentorship through the Griffin String Quartet and told the board the program provides access that many students would otherwise lack. Roy Meyer of the Griffin String Quartet added that participating students have gone on to institutions such as Princeton and UW'Madison.
Eighth-grader Molly Gifford performed a short violin selection and said her lessons with Griffin teachers fostered confidence and enabled her to take advanced courses at East High.
Speakers also urged the board to consider the IB program at West High as complementary to the Fine Arts Institute rather than competitive. Angela Allard, whose son is in IB at West, said families choose Green Bay for both IB and magnet programs and encouraged the board to avoid framing them as opposing options.
Several speakers highlighted the economic and civic value of arts education. Beverly, a volunteer with Envision, cited a community study showing thousands in Brown County work in arts-related jobs and argued arts instruction builds discipline and problem-solving skills.
The public forum comments were followed by the board's reorganization business and did not include any formal vote on the programs. Speakers asked the board to preserve partnerships, maintain funding and consider community ROI, while district staff noted that an outside firm will evaluate specialty programs as part of a broader review.
