Fine Arts

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GCPS
437 Old Peachtree Rd NW
Suwanee, GA
30024-2978

(678) 301-6000

AKS

Gateway

Testing

Instructional Programs

Testing

Robert Andrews, Director
(678) 301-7015

Description of Program

Students enrolled in Gwinnett County Public Schools' Fine Arts (GCPS) programs receive quality instruction in dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts. The Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) represent the GCPS standards of excellence for all Fine Arts students and spiral from grade to grade, ensuring that students are immersed in arts experiences.

Gwinnett County Public Schools' Fine Arts students participate in numerous local, statewide, regional, national, and international festivals and competitions, and are known for their excellent performance standards. The continued enthusiasm and support of the central and local level administrators, community, parents, and students enable the GCPS Fine Arts programs to achieve world-class standards and to remain an essential element in a complete educational program.

Elementary School
Music and visual arts instruction is provided to elementary students on a regular basis. Certified art and music specialists direct the programs in the elementary schools. Many schools have choruses, recorder ensembles, and art clubs that provide an outlet for talented and motivated students.

Middle School
Art, general music, and drama programs are part of the nine-week “connections” block for middle school students. Band, chorus, and orchestra classes are offered at the middle school grade levels. Certified teachers direct all Fine Arts programs, and students are instructed based on the adopted AKS for these programs.

High School
Dance, instrumental and choral music, theatre arts, and visual arts are elective Fine Arts courses at the high school level. Offerings at both beginning and advanced levels are provided at all schools based on the needs and interests of the students, with appropriate AKS instruction for each course.

Academic Knowledge and Skills
The Fine Arts AKS form the basis for a curriculum-based, sequential education in the arts, which is appropriate to the students’ developmental level. All areas and grade levels have revised AKS documents that are correlated with the system adopted core textbooks and resources, and the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum.

The AKS for Fine Arts instruction is adaptable to either a disciplined-based or an integrated school instructional program. Working within the AKS framework, each school designs its programs to meet the unique needs of its own students.

A variety of classroom and teacher assessments is used to determine what students know and can do based on the AKS for that level. Teacher assessment for the Fine Arts classes includes computer-generated tests from the item bank databases, paper-and-pencil tests, portfolios, and authentic assessments including periodic performance tasks. System wide end-of-semester exams at the high school level assess each student’s progress in all skill areas. Student success is further promoted through statewide auditions, evaluations, and exhibitions.

Core Materials
* = teacher resource
** = software