Laguna Beach Schools Are Building Up Their Music Programs

Submitted by the Laguna Beach Unified School District:

At the March 12 Board of Education meeting, the Laguna Beach Unified Board of Education voted unanimously to expand the District’s strings and K-12 music programs. The expansion will include strings instruction within the school day for grades 4-5 at El Morro Elementary School and Top of the World Elementary School. It will add a section of strings instruction within the school day at Thurston Middle School for grades 6-8 pending sufficient student enrollment. The music electives at Laguna Beach High School will be expanded to include Advanced Placement Music Theory and a guitar-ukulele class.

The goal is to offer a comprehensive music program, build a high school orchestra, and increase music elective class offerings during the school day. SchoolPower Endowment Foundation has generously donated $50,000 each year for three years to support the expansion.

SchoolPower Endowment Foundation President Bill Moore remarked, “This is a great example of how the SchoolPower Endowment Foundation, along with our donors, works with the school district to fund enrichment programs at our schools.”

Ms. Christensen expressed her appreciation to the Board, SchoolPower Endowment and the community, who continue to support the arts programs at District schools, “Thanks to the Board’s commitment to the music program and the support by SchoolPower Endowment, strings instruction will be embedded within the school day for grades 4-5 at the elementary schools and 6-8 at the middle school. LBUSD is committed to continuing to provide a first class arts education for our students. We are very grateful for SchoolPower Endowment's support of the Board’s vision to enhance our strings program.”

The strings and K-12 music program expansion will begin fall 2013.