focus TION EDUC
PEOPLE
BY ANDREWCHRISTMAN
Robert Horton Conroe ISD fine arts coordinator
“[THE ARTS] MAKE US MORE HUMAN. IT GIVES US MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPATHY ANDMORE WAYS TO RELATE AND COLLABORATE WITHOTHERS.”
F ollowing national recognition of Conroe ISD as one of the best communities for music education for the eighth consecutive year by the National Association of Music Merchants, CISD Fine Arts Coordinator Robert Horton said continuous support of students, administration and the school board makes the district’s arts programs possible. Horton has been involved with CISD since , when he started as a teacher. In May , he was named the ne arts coordinator and has continued to develop the program.
experience that helps them relate to one another; they develop all kinds of social skills as well as persistence and grit. What have you added to the fine arts program? One program that is new to CISD is the mariachi program at Conroe High School. It started as an a er- school activity as a club. They are starting to do public performances and performing alongside the orchestra concerts. First of all, the sta ng comes from the campus. They’ve done fundraisers; they’ve used some of the budget money provided by the district. Through a variety of funding sources, they got a grant for their uniforms. They’ve been able to develop this [mariachi] program that is really just an emerging program; it has only been around for a year or so. How do you partner with the community? For the last several years, we have had an event at The [Cynthia Woods Mitchell] Pavilion called Holly Jolly Jingle, and that has featured our orchestra programs from The Woodlands High School, College Park High School and Oak Ridge High School. We’ve had several of our groups involved with the Children’s Festival in November and the Waterway Arts Festival in April. Another thing we’ve done that is really neat is a part- nership with the Houston Symphony where they have a program called Houston Symphony Residency. Our high schools have worked with their players called com- munity embedded musicians. ... They do master classes and side-by-side performances with our students. When you have a new program, how do you secure funding?
What does CISD do to gain recognition as one of the best communities for music education? It starts with our school board which is committed to quality ne arts education for all of our students. Right behind that is our school administration, which sup- ports our teachers and students by not only scheduling the ne arts classes, but they and I work together to hire quality ne arts teachers. Our kids are extremely successful in lots of ways, not only in the classroom but in ways to demonstrate their talents. …We have thou- sands of performances every year where our students are demonstrating their learning beyond the classroom. How did you become interested in the arts? I have been involved in music my whole life. In elementary music and art, I felt at home. I was an art student in junior high and a choir student in high school. I decided to be a choir teacher for my career. I earned a bachelor in music education and a master in music and taught choir for 25 years. Having served as an elected o cer in both the Texas Choral Directors and Texas Music Educators associations, I have been privileged to serve my colleagues. I also earned a doctorate in educational leadership. In times of nancial downturn, [the board] has never cut sta or programs that impacted kids’ ability to access high-quality teaching and learning experience in the arts. [The arts] make us more human. It gives us more opportunities for empathy and more ways to relate and collaborate with others. There are things one can accomplish through the arts that they could never accomplish on their own. It gives our students an What is the importance of a school district hav- ing a strong fine arts program?
—ROBERT HORTON
UPCOMING CISD EVENTS The CISD fine arts program has a variety of performances scheduled locally through the remainder of the year.
BAM JHS Fast Draw. 10 a.m.-noon. The Woodlands Mall, 1201 Lake
SEPT. 14
Woodlands Drive, The Woodlands
OCT. 17 Fine Arts Education Day. 10:30- 11:30 a.m. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands
Regional Marching Band Contest. Time TBD. Woodforest Bank Stadium,
OCT. 22
19115 David Memorial Drive, Shenandoah
All-State Orchestra taping. Time TBD. College Park High School, 3701 College
OCT. 26
Park Drive, The Woodlands
CISD 9th/10th Grade Honor Orchestra Concert. 4-8 p.m. College Park High
NOV. 7
School, 3701 College Park Drive, The Woodlands
Children’s Festival. Time TBD. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion,
NOV. 9-10
2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands
One-Act Play Festival. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Oak Ridge High School, 27330 Oak
NOV. 16
Ridge School Road, Conroe
Holly Jolly Jingle. 7:30 p.m. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake
DEC. 5
Robbins Drive, The Woodlands
SOURCE:CONROE ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACTNEWSPAPER
SECOND SATURDAY DIVORCE WORKSHOP Second Saturday Divorce Workshop provides unbiased information to help you understand your options and move forward with your life. We believe the more information and support you have as you move forward through this difficult process, the more informed decisions you can make. INFORMATION.SUPPORT.HOPE Explore the legal, financial, psychological and social issues of divorce. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A RESERVATION PLEASE CONTACT: Kevin Pinkley, AIFA®,CDFA™,CIMA® 832-375-0900 Kevin.Pinkley@secondsaturdaywoodlands.com www.SecondSaturdayWoodlands.com
WHEN: Saturday, October 12th, 2019 WHERE: Lone Star College – Montgomery Campus 3200 College Park Drive,The Woodlands,TX 77384
Discover community resources available to help you. Talk with other persons experiencing similar life changes.
47
The Woodlands edition • September 2019
Powered by FlippingBook