Введение искусства в учебный план школы Leisure City K-8 привело к росту вовлеченности учеников и улучшению климата в образовательном учреждении

A recent case study at Leisure City K-8 Center — a Title I public school in south Miami-Dade — revealed how a multicultural approach to arts education resulted in stronger student engagement and improved school climate. The study was conducted by Arts Access Miami, a coalition of local arts organizations across Miami-Dade County dedicated to ensuring every child in the county has access to free, high-quality arts education. Located in Homestead, Leisure City K-8 has around 36% Black or African American students and 62% Hispanic/Latino students. Around 74% of those students are considered “economically disadvantaged,” according to U.S. News & World Report. The case study examines the school’s progress over seven years, from 2018 to 2025, as Leisure City K-8 expanded from a STEM school to a STEAM school. The school climate experienced a change as a result of the curriculum expansion, with 100% of students indicating that they liked coming to school during the 2024-2025 school year, up from 48% during the 2023-2024 school year. Principal Walter C. Hall became principal of Leisure City K-8 in 2019, with Arts Access Miami joining his transformational strategy in 2022. Hall was named the 2024-25 Miami-Dade County Public Schools Principal of the Year by Dade Association of School Administrators, while the school itself was named one of Florida’s 15 most successful high-risk public schools by Florida TaxWatch in the same year. ‘It takes a village’ Hall explained that part of the continued success of the school lies in their efforts to expose students to different cultures and backgrounds, “reducing the chances for cultural indifference or racism.” “Our students have learned to respect each other and to respect their differences, and that’s in large part because of the cultural dynamics here at Leisure City and the opportunities that we offer our kids to engage in different cultural experiences,” said Hall. “We’re firm believers that if we can’t take our kids to the world, we can most certainly bring the world to our students,” he added. The school’s motto, which students repeat every day during the morning announcements, is “We foster an environment of love and respect.” Hall believes that if high expectations are set, it’s more likely that people will reach them. His hope for the future of Leisure City K-8 is that it will expand its educational offerings to one day become a K-12 school, “where we can educate a child from diapers to a diploma.” “We’re firm believers that community partnerships are key,” said Hall. “I’m a firm believer that if it takes a village to raise a child, it most certainly takes a village to move a school. You cannot do it in isolation.” Alan Valladares, director of Arts Access Miami, emphasized the collaboration between the organization and each individual school that they serve. “When we go to the site, some of the challenges that you can see are the lack of resources at the school,” said Valladares, addressing the needs at Leisure City K-8. “Part of what we do in the mapping process is that we really tailor the partnership to the school.” “You have an incredibly multicultural student body at Leisure City, and one of the programs that emerged at that school was Florida’s first mariachi magnet,” continued Valladares. “Mariachi carries a very specific cultural tradition, but when it becomes part of the identity of an entire school, it’s not just for the students that come from that background. Eventually, the whole school celebrates that particular cultural tradition.” Increasing engagement, attendance One of the results of the school’s transformation was higher student engagement. Before the incorporation of the arts programs at Leisure City K-8, 18% of the students had more than 16 absences during the school year. However, this chronic absenteeism began to abate with the inclusion of arts programming in the curriculum. As Leisure City K-8 saw its school climate change, the students were absent less often. Su Yon Choi is an assistant professor in the School Leaders Program at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Education. Her research focuses on how educational policy impacts student success and can improve student attendance outcomes. “There can be a lot of things that educators can do [to address] structural factors that can really impact students’ absenteeism,” said Choi. “If students see school as a place where they can find mentors and good peers, a place where they can enjoy and have a good time, then they will come to school.” “Extracurricular programs like sports and arts can be really meaningful, and they bring increases in attendance to a statistically significant extent,” she added. Leisure City K-8 is now looking to expand its community partnerships as the school grows. The goal is to enhance children’s quality of life and build relationships with organizations across Miami-Dade County. “As the saying goes, many hands make light work,” said Hall. “This work is super heavy. But with the hands that we have working together, it’s made it all possible.”