Fine Arts
Hopewell City Public Schools is designed to enrich our students with the knowledge and skills that they acquire through instruction by our most talented and experienced teachers in the Fine Arts department that consist of music, theater arts, and visual arts.
The Fine Arts Standards of Learning were developed through the efforts of classroom teachers, curriculum specialists, administrators, college faculty, professional artists, fine arts organization representatives, and museum personnel. These persons assisted the Department of Education in developing and reviewing the draft documents.
Adopted in June 2013 by the Virginia Board of Education these standards which now include dance, emphasize the importance of instruction of the Fine Arts program. Through these programs our students will learn and have the ability to:
- Think critically
- Solve problems resourcefully
- Make informed judgments
- Work cooperatively within groups
- Appreciate different cultures
- Exercise imagination
- Be creative
Hopewell City Public Schools go above and beyond exposing and providing our students with experiences that most students in public schools never will. In collaboration with the Richmond Ballet, all fourth-graders in all elementary schools are given the opportunity to be taught by a professional artist and musician through the course of the year. The Minds In Motion was initially implemented in only one elementary school, but with the success of the program, all three elementary schools have participated for over fifteen years. With this vision coming to light, dance is now implemented as part of the Standards of Learning by the Department of Education. Studies have shown that dancing help students with:
- Discipline
- Self-awareness
- Physical coordination
- Concentration skills
- Dedication
Each year in March the Fine Arts Department showcases our talented students at the Fine Arts Festival. It has been a division-wide annual event since 1989, where students culminate to perform their eclectic talents.
For more information on the Fine Arts Standards of Learning, go to:
Fine Arts Resources: