The arts here at South Meck provide many things for students. These classes let students channel their creativity, test their potential, and challenge who they are. The arts include Visual arts and performing arts, so it's not just painting or drawing. It's also playing an instrument or singing. Our school provides students with many outlets for creativity, and encourages students to express themselves. The outcome of these classes is astounding considered what they are given, but there is still room for improvement.
According to a few of our art teachers here at South Meck, the art programs receive “less than $13 per student each semester” and “about $400 for all of her [6] classes.” The programs also receive donations from booster clubs. Our principal Dr. Furr states that “what each teacher gets for their program is so much less than I would like to be able to give them, but we just have limited funding.” The money that is released and split up between classes is first divided to cover schoolwide expenses, and is then divided as evenly as possible by the department chairs. This money is needed because many students apply for art schools, and to do that a portfolio is needed for college applications. A good portfolio uses many different materials- materials that the art teachers don't always have access to because they can be pricey. Although South Meck offers many classes and opportunities to let students express their creativity, the funding and recognition these classes receive is below what is needed for them to flourish even more.
As well as short funding, there are a few things that need change. Dr. Furr explained that she “would love to see is better rehearsal space and better practice space for the performing arts, and for all of the arts... [Mrs. Hall] ought be able to have the space for her own. We shouldn’t have to schedule Orchestra, band and chorus around the need to share two rooms among three people…I would love to see that change and I would love to see updated facilities.”
STEM and CTE gather funding from different sources than the arts, they cannot be compared when it comes to funding. They are separate from the Arts and the funding comes from a different place. In Dr. Furr’s words, “CTE is a separate funding score all together. CTE teachers are actually paid at a totally different office, even the funding is separately. They are funded by a federal agency and then divided by CTE classes in different schools.” STEM and CTE unfortunately cannot share their funding with any other programs, due to it coming from a different source than the rest of the funding for South Meck programs.
The sports program at South Meck is also slightly different. Most of the funding they get is from the athletic booster that supports all of the teams. Dr. Furr explains that “they raise money independently for each sport, we have 34 teams and each sport is very expensive.” The majority of the money from the boosters is raised by parents of students.
There are many things the community can do to help the arts’ program. From the booster donations to donating items to the classes, the community can help improve the quality of the classrooms. The issue with the funding for the arts doesn’t fall only on the school, there is only so much they can do. As the people of this community, there are things that can be done to improve the current state of our classrooms. Funding is a shared responsibility.