HOUSTON – Dec. 19, 2018 – Spring ISD’s Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) Department presented two nights of collaborative performances featuring students from across the district on Dec. 17 and 18 at Spring Baptist Church.

The free event – dubbed “The Greatest Winter Show: A Spring ISD PVA Collaboration” – included both middle school and high school theater, dance, choir and band performances showcasing the talents of Spring ISD students and offering audience members a chance to see performing arts groups from several different schools participate in combined performances.

“With this being our first time ever to attempt something on this grand of a scale, we are very pleased with the outcome and really appreciate the parents, community members and staff who came out to show their support,” said Director of Performing and Visual Arts Dr. Joe Clark.

Highlights of both evenings’ performances were when Superintendent Dr. Rodney Watson, a former music teacher himself, took to the stage to conduct a choir selection on the first night and a band selection on the second night.

“I’m a firm believer in the importance of fine arts in education,” Watson said. “Our data shows that our performing and visual arts students show stronger academic results when compared to all students. We want to expand that success rate to include more students by engaging them in fine arts at an early age.”

With one of Spring ISD’s strategic priorities this year being to strengthen and support its performing and visual arts offerings, the district is using Arts Integration in all its PVA programs, from kindergarten through 12th grade, to bolster student achievement in both their fine arts courses and their core subjects as well as improve their attendance and overall engagement at school.

Clark said the PVA department and campus fine arts instructors are using the two-day collaborative event as a learning experience that will help them plan for their next big collaborative performance in the spring. “The Greatest Show from the Greatest Showman” is scheduled for May 19 and 21, and will culminate a yearlong implementation of the district’s Arts Integration initiative.