The fifth graders at Pulaski Elementary School had a lot to say about their dance class even as they were completing their warm-up — leg kicks and stretches and skipping across the room.

“You get to be active,” said Emma. “As kids, we can’t sit for that long, so this is more funner.”

“It gets the energy out,” Jyell said. And Kyana added, “You get to do performances and stretches.” 

Next door, another class was designing sets and costumes for short plays they were writing. Upstairs, a young teacher said students “begged” to join her brand-new orchestra class.

The performing arts — theater, dance, and music — are thriving at Pulaski, the school that serves the suburban northern tip of New Bedford. But until this year, Pulaski was the lone elementary school to offer all these programs. In 17 other elementary schools — or for about 5,500 students — there have been no theater or dance classes and fewer orchestra and band opportunities.

Michael Rayner, the district’s new fine arts curriculum manager, has a plan to change all that — a plan to bring the music back to New Bedford schools.

Starting next year, Rayner’s plan would align the schedules of all three middle schools in New Bedford and clusters of three or four elementary schools so that teachers and resources can rotate among them. The result of this “smart scheduling” is that thousands more students at every school in the city will have theater and dance classes, more orchestra and band opportunities, and more arts overall.

Once implemented, Rayner said that all New Bedford Public Schools will have an arts and music pipeline available for students from grade 6 through graduation, and all elementary schools will have expanded arts programs.

“It really opens your eyes to see all the opportunities” at Pulaski, Rayner said. “The arts are why kids come to school. It builds how students see themselves.”

The district doesn’t have to hire dozens of new employees, Rayner said. Some targeted hiring and better scheduling is all that’s required to bring arts to thousands more kids. 

For example, a middle-school band teacher today is responsible for teaching every instrument, from percussion to woodwinds to brass. But if all the band teachers work together at Keith one day, then rotate to Normandin and Roosevelt the next days, each teacher could narrow their focus on a smaller group of students.

Bill Conard, the new principal at Roosevelt Middle School, said that he’s still working out all the scheduling logistics, but that the change “makes sense from a musical standpoint.” He added, “Teachers have their strengths. They have their passions.”

Conard’s only concern, he said, is ensuring that teachers are “just as strong a part of our local community” as they rotate between schools.

At Monday’s school committee meeting, Mahria Trepes, a music teacher in New Bedford, said she was concerned that some teachers who have spent years “building relationships in their classrooms” could be moved to different schools. Trepes said schools that already have music programs could see a reduction in the total hours of instruction.

Committee member Christopher Cotter said he had heard from teachers around the district voicing similar concerns. He said that “teachers are not against these changes, but it’s their lack of input that’s concerning.” 

In response, Superintendent O’Leary said that the district will plan to organize sessions for teachers to offer input on Rayner’s proposed changes. 

To see what changes could be in store, The Light visited the classroom of Marissa Stanley, Pulaski’s theater teacher, on a recent day as her students rotated to stations around the room to make costumes, design lighting, and experiment with props. 

“I’d definitely be willing to help out other elementary schools,” she said. 

Stanley didn’t know yet whether she’ll have to rotate among different schools next year — she didn’t think so — but she said such collaboration was a positive.

Nearby, two youngsters, Katrina and Kyle, were thinking about the costumes for their play, in which “a chicken turns into a dragon” then “steals someone from a castle,” they said.

Where the idea came from

Rayner was a teacher at Pulaski for eight years, and also taught marching band in Dartmouth for 12 years. At national conferences on music instruction, he got to peek into some of the most successful music programs in the country.

With the “smart scheduling” plan, Rayner said, “It was one of those things that, once we talked about it, it was obvious.” 

It wasn’t hard to sell to principals, Rayner said: “With the benefits to students, it makes total sense.” All the challenges were logistical, he said — like making sure there’s enough space in the building and enough teachers to cover lunch duty. 

For instruments, some new purchases will be required, but many schools need only use the resources they already have.

Pulaski is a good example. A room on the first floor is stacked high with instruments, including trumpets and drums. Behind that room is a closet full of three-quarter-sized violins and violas. Instruments, Rayner said, have an incredible shelf life when treated well. The old violins at Pulaski were going unused for years, but with smart scheduling, they will become the foundation for orchestras at several elementary schools.

For purchases that do need to be made, the School Committee is on board. Monday night, it approved $1.2 million worth of transfers to purchase new music equipment and instruments. 

Rayner hopes renewed attention to the arts can bring about a renaissance. This year, New Bedford hosted a successful regional high school music competition, and Rayner saw that the district already has important facilities to accommodate the arts — like the high school theater that has been the temporary home for the New Bedford Symphony during the Zeiterion’s renovation. 

For the long term, he hopes that the high school and other district schools might someday have expanded, purpose-specific practice rooms — just as sports have fields designed just for them.

Until then, Rayner says the short-term benefits will return to New Bedford with the arts, like increased attendance and school pride.

“It’s great to see when kids get hands-on experiences,” Rayner said, “and when they become active in their own learning.”

Email Colin Hogan at [email protected]