By Elle Logue and Starly Richards,
Editor-in-Chief and Media Editor.
On Feb. 28, ArtQuest sent out notice to ArtQuest families updating everyone on the upcoming status of arts classes, aiming for transparency with AQ families and to bring to attention the proposed changes to the program. The letter contained a brief explanation of why changes are being made followed by a summarized bulleted list of the following changes.
By far, the change that will most impact ArtQuest students is the dismantling of double-period blocks and the combining of specialty levels. This is a major change to ArtQuest, as it strips away one of the defining qualities that makes the program so unique. ArtQuest is meant to be an immersive program for students who would like to center their high school classes around a specialty. AQ Visual and Fine Arts teacher Brooke Delello went on to say, “10 hours a week is something that the students can’t get at any of the very strong and robust elective arts departments at the high schools in our district.” Not to mention the fact that by combining the levels within a specialty, ArtQuest no longer seems a viable option as a four-year program.
After stripping the program down, what will distinguish AQ from our regular elective fine arts? The answer could prove to be disappointing as another proposed cut suggests combining certain levels of Specialties with elective classes. Many students apply to ArtQuest in hopes of finding a community with shared interests. Junior Lena Meline says, “I have never in my entire school career found a group of people that I feel so connected with.” Although we do have amazing elective fine arts here at SRHS, it’s undeniably unfair to put students who have gone through a full application process into the same classes as students who didn’t. The time and investment put into the class will just be different for these students. On the other hand, it’s very difficult to keep elective fine arts and AQ specialties separate in the midst of the district condensing classes. “How can we offer the idea of variety for the students who want to dabble in a lot of things while honoring the ones who want the immersive experience that ArtQuest is none for all while being cognizant of the reality of our district’s financial situation and knowing that cuts need to be made?” offers Delello, highlighting the complications of the situation at hand.
Another one of the proposed cuts to the program is eliminating the position of ArtQuest coordinator. The role of AQ coordinator is a big one: the coordinator is responsible for all ArtQuest related applications, presentations, shadowing, showcases, workshops, communication with AQ families and supporting the ArtQuest teachers. Delello, who currently acts as our part-time coordinator, said, “Without a Coordinator, there is no one to do any of that work which will impact the number of applicants or interested incoming students, which will have a rapid trickle down effect and with no new students joining the program, there will be no program to run.” ArtQuest is a fundamental part of our school and without it, the arts as a whole will deteriorate at SRHS.
On a related note, there are also many proposed cuts being directed at the local Charter School for the Arts. These cuts are similar to the ones being applied to our school, and will yield similar results. Teachers and counselors will be cut, classes will be combined and enlarged and art-centric electives being cut. As a SRCSA alumni, Meline shared, “Without the charter school, I’m sure that I would not have been as interested in the arts, and I certainly wouldn’t have joined ArtQuest without those teachers to point me in that direction.” The cumulative cuts to ArtQuest and the Charter school will ultimately decrease enrollment in ArtQuest and therefore Santa Rosa High school. The arts are a fundamental part of education everywhere, and a staple at SRHS along with the rest of our unique specialized programs.
