- Grand Prairie Independent School District
- Fine Arts Faculty Handbook
Fine Arts Faculty Handbook
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Download the 2021-2022 Fine Arts Handbook here.
Vision Statement
We are a creative learning community vigorously pursuing artistic student success.
Mission Statement: We will ensure students’ artistic success through creation, engagement, and performance that promotes maximum student achievement.Courses Offered
Grand Prairie Independent School District currently offers the following Fine Arts courses:
- Art - elementary, middle, and high school
- Ballet Folklorico - middle school and high school
- Band - middle and high school
- Choir - middle and high school
- Dance - elementary (Bowie Fine Arts Academy, Garner Fine Arts Academy), middle school, and high school
- General Music - elementary school
- Mariachi - middle school and high school
- Orchestra - middle and high school
- Theatre Arts - elementary (Bowie Fine Arts Academy, Garner Fine Arts Academy, Rayburn Fine Arts Academy, Whitt Fine Arts Academy), middle and high school
Curriculum
All Fine Arts course curricula must cover the TEKS. Classroom evaluations will be based on this curriculum as well as the specific department procedures.
Find the Fine Arts TEKS at cedfa.org
WE CREATE SUCCESS:
- Vision
- Strategy
- Innovation
- Equity
WE EMPOWER PEOPLE:
- Relationships
- Communication
- Building Talent
- Collaboration
WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE:
- Tenacity
- Integrity
- Competence
- Emotional Intelligence
GPISD GOALS
- Maximization of Student Achievement
- Exercise Responsible Fiscal Oversight
- Develop Leadership Capacity
- Promote 21st Century Learners who are College/Career Ready
DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN (DIPS)
- Parents and community members will be full partners with educators in the education of GPISD students
- Students will demonstrate exemplary performance in comparison to national and international standards in the areas of reading and writing of the English language and the understanding of mathematics, science, and social studies
- Students will be encouraged and challenged to meet their full educational potential, with a well-balanced and appropriate curriculum provided to all students
- Through enhanced dropout prevention efforts, all students will remain in school until they obtain a high school diploma
- Qualified and highly effective personnel will be recruited, developed, and retained, with educators keeping abreast of the development of creative and innovative technique instruction and administration, using those techniques as appropriate to improve student learning
- Technology will be implemented and used to increase the effectiveness of student learning, instructional management, staff development, and administration
- GPISD will continue to develop and maintain a safe and disciplined environment conducive to teaching and learning, promoting physical and mental health in all students, their families, and employees.
Performance, Exhibition, and Contest Requirements
- ELEMENTARY ART: Rotating Ed Center Art Shows, Artists in Bloom, Texas Elementary Art Meet, and choose one: Black History Month Art Show or Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Art Show; other campus, district, and community exhibits as requested.
- ELEMENTARY DANCE: MLK Parade or Cinco de Mayo Parade, Main Street Festival*, The Experience*, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- ELEMENTARY MUSIC: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- ELEMENTARY THEATRE: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- MIDDLE SCHOOL ART: Rotating Ed Center Art Shows, Artists in Bloom, Junior VASE, and choose one: Black History Month Art Show or Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Art Show; other campus, district, and community exhibits as requested.
- MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, Solo/Ensemble Contest, All-Region Band, UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, three concerts per school year, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, Solo/Ensemble Contest, All-Region Choir, UIL Concert, and Sightreading Contest, 6th Grade Concert, and Sightreading Contest, three concerts per year, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE: Fall Show, Spring Show, MLK parade, Cinco de Mayo Parade, The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, District-wide Middle Schol Dance Festival, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- MIDDLE SCHOOL MARIACHI: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, Four Cluster Concerts, District Solo/Ensemble, All-Region, GPISD Mariachi Festival, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, Solo/Ensemble Contest, All-Region Band, UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, three concerts per school year, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- MIDDLE SCHOOL THEATRE: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, Fall/Winter Show, District-wide Middle School One Act Play Festival, four tournaments, other campus, district, and community events as requested.
- HIGH SCHOOL ART: Rotating Ed Center Art Shows, Artists in Bloom, VASE, and choose one: Black History Month Art Show or Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Art Show; other campus, district, and community exhibits as requested.
- HIGH SCHOOL BAND: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, MLK Parade, Cinco de Mayo Parade, Solo/Ensemble Contest, All-Region Band, UIL Marching Contest, UIL Concert, and Sight- Reading Contest, three concerts per school year, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR: The Experience*, musical, Main Street Festival*, All-State process, UIL Solo/Ensemble Contest, UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, three concerts per year, and other campus, district, and community performances as needed.
- HIGH SCHOOL DANCE: Fall Show, Spring Show, MLK Parade, Cinco de Mayo Parade, Main Street Festival*, The Experience*, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- HIGH SCHOOL MARIACHI: Four cluster concerts, The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, Solo/Ensemble Contest, All-Region, UIL, GPISD Mariachi Festival, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA: The Experience*, Main Street Festival*, Solo/Ensemble Contest, All-Region Band, UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, three concerts per school year, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
- HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE: The Experience*, Eight TFA tournaments, Fall/Winter Show, Musical, UIL One-Act Play, UIL Poetry and Prose, other campus, district, and community performances as requested.
*Performances for The Experience and Main Street Festival may vary from campus to campus.
Travel and Field Trips
It is the responsibility of each fine arts teacher traveling with or without students to be familiar with the GPISD Travel Manual.
Meals During Travel
Employee per diem rate is $46.00 per full day and $34.50 per travel day. Your per diem rate should cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals only. No excessive separate snack purchases.
Food items purchased that cannot be eaten all in one sitting will be deemed excessive and are not allowed (this includes snacks, drinks, etc.) The Purchasing Department will determine what is excessive.
When traveling home you are not allowed to purchase any food that can then be taken with you for later consumption. Meals that are approved consist of the following: one appetizer, one entrée, one non-alcoholic drink, and one dessert. Do not exceed your daily per diem rates.Field Trip Procedures
School Sponsored Trip Forms must be signed by your campus principal or supervisor and sent to the Fine Arts Office 20 school days before your trip. The completed forms will be reviewed by the Fine Arts Office and forwarded to Transportation to meet their 15 days in advance deadline. Trips that do not meet the deadline will not be approved. Once you know your schedule please enter in all trips for your entire season, even state finals or play-off competitions. Accurate student and adult counts are required. If the student count is less than previously given, then the director/sponsor will notify the drivers and the Field Trip Coordinator at that time so that one or more vehicles can return to the lot.
All trips must have a PO a week before the trip date or will be subject to denial. All changes to any request need to be made via email; no voicemail messages will be accepted.
All field trips will be reviewed and approved through the Fine Arts Office and must have a completed School Trip Request Form and meet the 20 school days in advance of the deadline.Out of town trips
Any trips where the destination is more than 5 hours in one direction will require an overnight stay for the driver or a second driver. The requestor is responsible for reserving the room for the driver when necessary.
No Shows
If a group does not show up at the pickup location without calling or email notification the request will be charged 2 hours for the driver’s time. Any changes, cancellations, confirmations should be requested by email only to michael.westbrook@gpisd.org. No phone calls will be accepted on any approved requests. Any advancement in UIL competition that will require bus service please call the transportation office (972) 343-4428. Please follow up with an email as well. The after-hours number for Transportation is (214) 931-0694 and should be used after 6:00 pm, weekends and holidays.
All students must have a parent permission form submitted to the sponsor before any trip. Fine Arts teachers may use one permission form for trips and activities for each semester. Per board policy, students ride district-approved transportation both to and from the event.All trips require approval via SCHOOL SPONSORED TRIP REQUEST FORM, as well as approval from the Principal and the Executive Director of Fine Arts.
Teachers may not transport students in personal vehicles.High School Musical
- Pre-approval and W-9 for all hired personnel including pit, choreographers, etc.
- Pre-approval and supplemental timesheets for all hired personnel who are district employees.
- See your campus Finance Secretary for guidance and answers that pertain to your specific campus.
- Be sure to return materials by the date indicated.
- Please contact Sabrina Garcia (x5316) should you need clarification.
Staff Development Hours
- Fine Arts Staff development sessions are designed to inspire, enhance, and strengthen teacher content mastery. Staff development fine arts opportunities are provided for each strand. Fine Arts teachers are required to earn 10 points (hours) in your discipline over the course of the school year.
Piano Tuning
- Pianos should be tuned each year in August. Each campus is responsible for the costs of tuning the piano each year. Other piano problems should be reported to the Principal. Repair is a campus function. Please contact Sabrina Garcia (x5316) for the current district-approved piano tuner.
Fundraising, Booster Clubs and Activity Counts GPISD Activity Fund Guidelines
- Here you will find the rules and guidelines for Activity Funds and the necessary forms. https://www.uiltexas.org/policy/guidelines-for-booster-clubs
Stolen Items
- When items from your inventory are stolen, follow these important steps:
- Notify your Principal and the Fine Arts Executive Director.
- Fill out a theft/vandalism report from your campus secretary and submit it to the Principal.
- File a report with the police department and submit a copy to the Fine Arts Coordinator.
- Remove stolen items from your inventory.
UIL Information
- Teachers are responsible for knowledge and observance of the rules for entering and competing in UIL contests. These rules concern issues such as proper forms, proper signatures, proper fee calculations, and student eligibility. You are to take your students to UIL contests unless it is determined by the Executive Director of Fine Arts that it will be in the best interest of the students not to compete.
Letter Jackets
Art
- The student must be in the program for two (2) consecutive years
- Earn a superior “IV” rating at the Regional VASE event
- Acceptance into two (2) city, regional, or national juried art competitions such as Young American Talent, Congressional Art Competition, Scholastic Art and Writing, PTA Reflections, Fort Worth Stock Show Contest, TAEA Capitol Art Show
Band
- The student must be in the program for two (2) consecutive years
- Tryout for All-Region
- Attend solo and ensemble and receive a 1st Division on a Class One solo or ensemble
- Participate in UIL Marching, Concert and Sight-reading
Choir, Mariachi, and Orchestra
- The student must be in the program for two (2) consecutive years
- Tryout for All-Region
- Attend solo and ensemble and receive a 1st Division on a Class One solo or ensemble
- Participate in UIL Concert and Sight-reading (Choir and Orchestra)
- Qualify for TAME State (Mariachi)
Dance
- The student must be in the program for two (2) consecutive years
- The student has performed two solo routines at a district-approved juried dance exhibition
- The student has completed an application for a grant in dance arts with Young Master in Arts, NDEO Artistic Merit Leadership, or other pre-approved agencies. (the application can be submitted either to the organization or the district panel)
Theatre (Acting)
- The student must be in the program for two (2) consecutive years
- Qualify for TFA state tournament or NSDA District Tournament
- Participate in UIL Academic, One Act Play competition, and/or
- Qualify for International Thespian Festival in Acting Individual Events
Theatre (Technical)
- The student must be in the program for two (2) consecutive years
- Participate in UIL One Act Play competition
- Qualify for UIL state design contest and/or
- Qualify for International Thespian Festival in Technical Theatre Individual Events
*Students must letter by the spring of their junior year as jackets are awarded the following fall semester.