Ossining trustees hear arts report highlighting stronger chorus enrollment, Passport for Good rollout and equity work

Kate Matthews, the district’s arts lead, told the Ossining Board of Education on Feb. 4 that the schools are treating arts as co‑curricular and are expanding both qualitative and quantitative supports to broaden student participation. "We promote a holistic approach to education through academics, athletics and the arts," Matthews said, presenting curriculum work, equity initiatives and partnership plans.

Matthews described classroom changes designed to help students use arts‑specific vocabulary drawn from New York State standards, and said the district has created common music note‑reading assessments and shared self‑reflection templates for visual arts to add measurable, transferable learning evidence. She reported a successful rollout of Passport for Good for club attendance at the high school and said about 95 percent of club advisers are using the system to track participation and community service.

The presentation included enrollment data that showed sharp gains in middle‑school chorus and steadier participation where arts classes are offered during the regular school day. Matthews said Roosevelt School’s chorus grew from the teens to roughly 50 students after program adjustments, but she cautioned that instrumental programs at some schools remain constrained by space: "We are limited by space at Roosevelt School; there isn't a dedicated classroom for instrumental music right now," she said.

Board members pressed for more work on equity and access. Several trustees asked how the district can recruit students who are not in any club or sport; one asked whether barriers such as before‑school timing, transportation or out‑of‑school commitments (jobs or caregiving) were being captured by district data. Matthews said staff are discussing earlier outreach, student‑led recruitment, and proposals that would let clubs be more flexible (for example, monthly meeting models or credit pathways linked to work outside school).

Matthews also discussed plans to improve inclusion for students with disabilities in arts programs. The district conducted a family survey and is coordinating with occupational and physical therapists and special‑education staff to match adaptive instruments and teaching practices to students’ needs. "We're exploring ways to increase the number of adaptive instruments so our students feel really welcome and successful in the programs," she said.

On partnerships, Matthews highlighted collaborations with community organizations such as the Bethany Arts Center, NU Builds and Jacob Burns. The district will host the Westchester Broadcast Alliance awards in May and is supporting a new school‑based Destination Imagination program, with co‑directors and parent volunteers leading teams at the elementary level.

Board members praised the Passport for Good potential for college applications and suggested surveying students to capture outside arts participation (private lessons, dance studios) and work or caregiving activities so the schools can better support those students.

The board did not take any formal votes tied to the arts presentation; the discussion concluded with thanks from trustees and an acknowledgment that the district intends further work on space, outreach and measurement.

Ossining trustees are scheduled to review further arts participation and equity data as the administration refines space and staffing plans.