This past week featured another first at LACHSA as we suspended arts classes. We wanted to ensure that our spotlight shone brightly and exclusively on our academic end-of-semester final exams. Feedback from our students, faculty, and parents thus far has been overwhelmingly positive as we are committed to supporting both the artistry and scholarship of our students. We will, of course, assess the effectiveness of this week for our students.
For much of the school year our arts events rightly take priority in calendar and schedule as students and staff prepare for the many performances and exhibitions at LACHSA. We wanted to shift our priorities to our academic program during this our finals week. And although we know our students miss their arts teachers and classes we also believe that suspending arts classes for this week gives our students the best opportunity to succeed on their final exams.
I know this week, however has not been without difficulty, particularly for our music department. LACHSA's 13th Annual Music Gala is scheduled for February 6th and I know there is some anxiety due to the fact that music students have not had arts classes this week. I am proud of the fact that we planned our school-wide calendar thoughtfully and in a
timely way in our continuing efforts to support our students and although we planned the entire calendar last summer there are revisions that we will implement for next year. For example, we will certainly push back the Music Gala by an extra week to give the music department ample rehearsal time. I know the music department's premier showcase will be as extraordinary as ever and I look forward to seeing many of there! Please consult www.lachsa.net for more details about the 13th Annual Music Gala and other LACHSA events.
I feel like we have made great progress in the planning and coordination of our school calendar. This is no small feat given the volume of activity at our school. LACHSA is an intense place--just look at our calendar in May--but, as a school community we need to remain committed to ensuring that our students' needs, as both artists and scholars, are our priority.
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