Student artwork hanging in showcases and on walls throughout the Farmingdale Schools not only brightens the hallways of the learning institutions, it tells the story of the district's art program.
There are other signs, in addition to the hanging artwork, that the program is thriving.
For example, about 90 percent of the students in the studio art class at Howitt Middle School, which counts as high school academic credit, move on to take advanced art courses in Farmingdale High School, according to Rita Padden, fine arts director for Farmingdale Schools.
The district's art program is growing, according to Wally Laine, an art teacher at Howitt. "As a matter of fact, we had to hire another teacher at the high school because of increased enrollment," he said.
Like the growth in the district's music program, this growth has been attributed, by school teachers and administrators, to a feeling of unity within Farmingdale Schools' fine arts department and an overall increase in district enrollment.
Mary Ingrassia, who has taught in Farmingdale Schools for over 27 years, said that since the music and art programs were combined into the fine arts department about a decade ago, the arts' teachers have enjoyed increasing support from administrators. "We've just felt much more appreciated," she said, adding that she is pleased with the amount of student artwork hanging on the walls.
The upcoming winter concerts at Farmingdale's elementary schools provide an example of the unity that has been noted in the district's fine arts department. This year, three elementary schools, Albany Avenue, Northside, and Woodward Parkway will use Howitt's auditorium for their evening winter concert performances. Because all performances will occur within the same week (Dec. 14 to 20), staff in the art program decided to collaborate on creating the scenery. Woodward Parkway and Northside children are designing a 12 by 33 foot backdrop, depicting a winter scene in the style of the American artist, Edward Hopper.
In addition to special events such as this, the high school art program offers classes covering such areas as fashion design, advertising design, computer imaging, photography, drawing and painting, and three-dimensional sculpture. To prepare for these courses, middle school students learn such skills as color design, simple layout, pencil drawing and painting. They also celebrate Multi-cultural Month by doing pencil drawings about their individual ethnic heritages.
High school computer imaging students learn the software program, Photoshop, which is a prerequisite for many graphic design jobs. Computer offerings in the art program at the middle school will soon be expanded. A room adjacent to an art classroom in Howitt is being converted into a computer room for art students, according to Padden.
Howitt students also take three class trips to museums per year, according to Laine. During the trip, students pick a painting that they like. They then re-create it. "That also goes along with the new standards," said Padden, referring to new learning standards being phased in by the New York State Board of Regents.
Also in accordance with those standards, the middle school students learn about careers available in art. "Through that connection, hopefully that will inspire them to make use of what they learn," said Padden.
