Simsbury students honored for visual and performing arts; music department showcases curriculum and inclusion efforts

The Simsbury Board of Education on May 12 recognized students who won statewide awards in visual arts and received a detailed music-department report that included a student-composed performance and several program needs.

Shannon Garnier, introduced as the K–12 director of visual arts, highlighted Simsbury entries that placed in sculpture, painting and printmaking in a juried contest exhibited at the University of Hartford. Garnier said works from middle- and high-school students will be on display at Henry James Middle School and Simsbury High School in mid-May, and encouraged the public to attend the opening and meet the artists.

"We're so proud of our students and our teachers and our very diverse programming," Garnier said, noting the experience of showing work in a professional gallery and the benefit to students' resumes.

In the district's music presentation, Lisa Abel, the K–12 director of music and performing arts, opened with a performance by a senior vocal quartet that included a piece composed by senior Noah Sommer. Abel said the quartet formed to learn a particular piece and that the composition grew out of the department's music-theory curriculum.

"Our goal is for students to really gain independence," Abel said, describing curriculum revisions implemented over the past three years that emphasize vertical alignment, music literacy and instructional strands rather than isolated units. She cited targeted professional development, grants and community partnerships — including a recent Barcelona trip where students performed with local ensembles — as signs of program strength.

Abel and other staff described inclusion and access measures at the elementary level: use of the AAC device CoughDrop so students with limited mobility can participate, adaptive ukuleles and ‘‘button’’ recorders for students with grip challenges, and Makey Makey circuitry for cross-curricular musical activities. The department also noted external recognition, including grant awards and district-level honors tied to music programming.

At the same time, administrators and teachers flagged program pressures: enrollment fluctuations at the elementary level that stress staffing and scheduling, competition for student time as students consider early specialization, and a need for a dedicated strings classroom at Squadron Elementary to improve instruction and practice conditions. Abel thanked the board for restoring a 0.2 strings position to shore up lesson-group sizes.

Board members praised the students and staff and asked for more data on participation trends. One member asked about attrition between middle and high school; staff said national and local trends — including the COVID-era interruption — complicate year-to-year comparisons.

The board will have the music report on record and discussed next steps for addressing the strings-classroom need and monitoring enrollment-related staffing pressures.

The meeting closed with thanks to the students and music staff who presented.